{"id":70140,"date":"2025-05-13T00:01:53","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T06:01:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140"},"modified":"2026-04-06T11:24:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T17:24:20","slug":"ma-der-lao-kitchen-oklahoma-city-oklahoma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140","title":{"rendered":"Ma Der Lao Kitchen – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"
Ma Der Lao in Oklahoma City<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In Italian, the term “mangia, mangia<\/em>,” is an encouragement to enjoy food abundantly.\u00a0 In Spanish, the polite phrase “Buen Provecho<\/em>” translates to “enjoy your meal<\/em>.”\u00a0 The French term for “enjoy your meal<\/em>” is “bon app\u00e9tit<\/em>” while the Cajun equivalent is “Allons manger<\/em>.”<\/b>\u00a0 \u00a0You’re probably acquainted with most of these terms, but here’s one you may not know.\u00a0 In Lao, “Ma Der<\/em>!”<\/em><\/strong><\/span>(ma-derr) is a phrase that basically means \u201ccome eat<\/em>! or \u201ccome through<\/em>!\u201d\u00a0 Throngs of Oklahoma City’s savvy diners have been coming to eat at Ma Der Lao Kitchen since 2022.\u00a0 It’s a good bet not all of them realize the meaning of the restaurant’s name.\u00a0 Perhaps some of them believe “Ma Der” is someone’s mother.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Entrance to Outdoor Patio<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even if not everyone understands the term “Ma Der,” denizens of the Oklahoma state capital and beyond are intimately familiar with the restaurant’s reputation.\u00a0 Indeed, Ma Der Lao Kitchen has a national profile.\u00a0 In 2022, Bon Apetit named it among the 50 best new restaurants in the country.\u00a0 The New York Times went one better, in 2022 naming it one of America’s fifty best restauants.\u00a0 Ma Der also made it to USA Today’s listing of restaurants of the year for 2024.\u00a0 Additionally, Chef and owner Jeff Chanchaleune was<\/span> a 2023 and 2024 James Beard Foundation finalist for Best Chef: Southwest.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Covered Patio Seating: Before We Left, Every Seat was Occupied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chef Chanchaleune says <\/span>Ma Der Lao is “the greatest hits of everything he grew up eating<\/em>.”\u00a0 Indeed, Ma Der Lao is a family affair for the Oklahoma University graduate who spent two and a half years in the advertising field.\u00a0 Having grown up immersed in the restaurant industry alongside his chef father, it didn’t take him long to realize his real passion was food.\u00a0 His pursuit took him to Chicago where he gained invaluable experience working in Japanese restaurants, including Arami<\/strong><\/a>, an eight-time Michelin Bib Gourmand award winner.\u00a0 Upon returning to Oklahoma, the chef tried his hand at food truck and pop-ups to test concepts, his goal being to eventually introduce traditional Japanese ramen noodles to Oklahoma City.\u00a0 \u00a0He obtained his first James Beard nomination at one of those Japanese restaurants.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Dining Room<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After two decades of cooking Japanese food and establishing a solid reputation, Chef Chanchaleune determined he had the platform to go back to his roots.\u00a0 Not only does Ma Der serve the Lao food with which he was raised, framed photos of his parents are displayed on one wall.\u00a0 His parents had brought family recipes when they migrated to the United States forty years ago.\u00a0 His sister works behind the counter and his late grandmother’s image is painted on a mural preceding the expansive patio.\u00a0 The chef actually grew up on the block in which his restaurant is situated.\u00a0 He’s even more firmly entrenched in the neighborhood now, having launched Bar Sen<\/strong><\/a>, his second Lao restaurant just around the corner from Ma Der.<\/span> Bar Sen, is Chef Chanchaleune’s love letter to his family, heritage and Oklahoma City. “Sen” is the Lao word for “noodles, and the concept is just that \u2014 a noodle bar that focuses on bringing new flavors and options to Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Beef Jerky (Seen Hang) With Sticky Rice<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The entrance to Ma Der is through the patio.\u00a0 From the minute you step into the dimly lit dining room, you know you’re in for a special experience.\u00a0 Not only are you greeted cordially, you’re greeted with the kind of enthusiasm you might wish your boss had when you showed up for work.\u00a0 It isn’t wait schtick and it isn’t insincere.\u00a0 It’s a passionate crew which works in tandem to make sure you have a great dining experience.\u00a0 They will explain the restaurant concept in the detail each diner might require.\u00a0 Should you notice common dishes (such as papaya salad, sticky rice and larb) in what Ma Der serves and what you’ve experienced in Thai restaurants, the staff will clarify differences.\u00a0 They’re happy to recommend dishes based on personal experience as well as knowing what diners order most frequently.\u00a0 Those dishes include the crispy rice salad and the fried chicken.<\/p>\n

The cuisine of Laos is similar to Issan-style Thai food, its genesis being the northeastern region of Thailand.\u00a0 If you’ve ever dined at Lotus of Siam<\/strong><\/a>, helmed by a James Beard award-winning chef in Las Vegas, you’ll be well acquainted of the similarities between Lao food and that of Northeast Thailand.\u00a0 \u00a0Both are replete with umami, the pleasant savory taste” which has been described as brothy or meaty.\u00a0 \u00a0Unlike the cuisine of Laos’s neighbors Thailand and Vietnam who favor sweet and sour foods, the collective palate of Lao’s citizenry gravitates towards savory, salty, sour, bitter, and spicy foods. Lao cuisine is bold, funky, and addicting!\u00a0 Some of us with well-traveled palates will tell you the main difference is how “Americanized” Thai food has become in many Thai restaurants.<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"
Fried Chicken<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some of my most cherished memories of grown up in a farm-ranch involve tending to livestock and crops.\u00a0 It was difficult sun-up to sun-down work, but working hand-in-hand with my dad and brothers made it fun.\u00a0 Though we butchered our own cows for all the usual cuts, my dad always ensured there were copious thin cuts of meat we would use to make beef jerky.\u00a0 We hung and\u00a0 sun-dried those thin cuts until an ideal texture was achieved.\u00a0 We didn’t use any marinades as beef jerky stores tend to use today.\u00a0 Nor did we even call it beef jerky.\u00a0 To us, it’s always been carne seca.<\/p>\n

You don’t often see beef jerky on menus aside from at New Mexican restaurants such as the New Mexico Beef Jerky Co<\/strong><\/a>. where you can find carne seca in such flavors such as habanero, lemon pepper, teriyaki, salt and pepper and garlic, green chile and red chile.\u00a0 You will also see beef jerky in Issan-style Thai restaurants as well as in Lao restaurants.\u00a0 Ma Der doesn’t have an appetizer menu per se.\u00a0 Instead, servers encourage sharing several dishes.\u00a0 The lemongrass marinated beef jerky<\/strong><\/em> is ideal for sharing.\u00a0 It bears little resemblance to the Land of Enchantment’s beloved carne seca.\u00a0 Instead of dried beef strips, the jerky is about bite-sized.\u00a0 Accompanying the jerky is a cylindrical “lump” of sticky rice.\u00a0 You’re encouraged to use your hands to scoop up some of that sticky rice and use it as a “wrapper” for the jerky.\u00a0 The sticky rice is a perfect foil for the umami-rich beef jerky, blending contrasting flavors and textures beautifully.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Khao Poon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Four businessmen at an adjacent table polished off one order of Ma Der’s fried chicken<\/strong><\/em> (twice-fried wingettes and drumettes, fried shallots, herbs; red curry fish sauce is optional) after another in addition to each wiping out an entree.\u00a0 My Kim barely got through her one order, but then each of those businessmen was twice her size.\u00a0 \u00a0The fried chicken is accompanied by a somewhat sweet, sticky sauce my Kim found a bit too piquant (though her fire-eating husband could discern no heat).\u00a0 Twice-frying chicken imbues it with an extra-crunchy crust and meat that’s still plenty juicy.\u00a0 \u00a0This chicken was fried perfectly with a crust so flavorful that you dare not discard it.\u00a0 Damn those calories.<\/p>\n

Ma Der offers a daily special served from open to close (or until the special runs out).\u00a0 \u00a0Tuesday’s special is khao poon<\/strong><\/em> (vermicelli noodles with a red curry coconut broth).\u00a0 This gluten-free dish is not nearly as sweet as a Thai equivalent.\u00a0 Not by a long shot.\u00a0 The khao poon is ameliorated with cabbage, piquant bird peppers, lime, bamboo strips, mint, bean sprouts, fried shallots and shredded chicken.\u00a0 Although the dish is available at Ma Der only on Tuesdays, it’s available every evening at Bar Sen.\u00a0 It’s an mouth-watering, traditional Lao curry dish that imparts a balance of sweet, salty and spicy flavors.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Grilled Beef Skewers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A December, 2024 visit to Glai Ban<\/strong><\/a> followed by a January, 2025 visit to Tambayan Filipino Food<\/strong><\/a>, both in Phoenix, reenforced a conclusion at which we’d already arrived.\u00a0 That conclusion is that satay, a Thai restaurant standard may just be “desiccated corpse meat,” a term my friend Carlos coined for the thin strips of meat (usually pork or chicken) skewered onto wooden sticks.\u00a0 We arrived at our conclusion after one too many disappointing servings of satay.\u00a0 Both Glai Ban and Tambayan serve grilled beef skewers that kick sand on the 98-pound weakling that is satay.\u00a0 So do the grilled beef skewers<\/strong><\/em> (lemongrass marinated beef rib fingers, toasted rice powder, Jaew Som, pickled shallots and herb medley) at Ma Der.\u00a0 Look up the definition of “meat candy” and these delicious skewers might just show up.\u00a0 They’re terrific: flavorful, moist, tender and absolutely wonderful<\/p>\n

Ma Der’s menu offers two desserts.\u00a0 One is coconut soup (chilled coconut soup with jackfruit, palm seed, coconut jelly).\u00a0 The other is a rotating dessert which may contain gluten.\u00a0 We observed as the for businessmen in the table adjacent to ours all ordered the coconut soup.\u00a0 Most of them didn’t finish it, but we attributed that to the chicken coops of chicken they had eaten.\u00a0 Instead of the coconut soup, we had the strawberry galette<\/strong><\/em> with a strawberry coulis.\u00a0 \u00a0The strawberries were tangy and plentiful; no filler here.\u00a0 The crust proved a perfect canvas for a dessert that exemplifies summer’s freshness.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Strawberry Galette<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I won’t be so presumptuos as to declare Lao cuisine “the next big thing” though it’s my hope that it achieves this status.\u00a0 With stellar cooking from traditional Lao chefs, it is among the very best among Asian cuisines, especially if your preferences lean toward umami.\u00a0 Ma Der is an outstanding restaurant I hope to someday return to.<\/p>\n

Ma Der Lao Kitchen<\/strong>
\n1634 N. Blackwelder Avenue, #102
\nOklahoma City, Oklahoma<\/strong>
\n405-900-5503
\nWebsite<\/strong><\/a> | Facebook Page<\/strong><\/a>
\nLATEST VISIT<\/strong>: 13 May 2025
\n# OF VISITS<\/strong>: 1
\nRATING<\/strong>: N\/R
\nCOST<\/strong>: $$-$$$
\nBEST BET<\/strong>:
\nREVIEW #1467<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In Italian, the term “mangia, mangia,” is an encouragement to enjoy food abundantly.\u00a0 In Spanish, the polite phrase “Buen Provecho” translates to “enjoy your meal.”\u00a0 The French term for “enjoy your meal” is “bon app\u00e9tit” while the Cajun equivalent is “Allons manger.”\u00a0 \u00a0You’re probably acquainted with most of these terms, but here’s one you may not know.\u00a0 In Lao, “Ma Der!”(ma-derr) is a phrase that basically means \u201ccome eat! or \u201ccome through!\u201d\u00a0 Throngs of Oklahoma City’s savvy diners have been coming to eat at Ma Der Lao Kitchen since 2022.\u00a0 It’s a good bet not all of them realize the meaning of the restaurant’s name.\u00a0 Perhaps some of them believe “Ma Der” is someone’s mother. Even if not everyone understands…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":70148,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3630,3846,277,2836,527,76,5647,553],"tags":[4908,4912,4907,732,4910,4915,4916,4909,4906,4913,1147,4911,4914],"class_list":["post-70140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-james-beard-foundation-best-chef-southwest-finalist-2023","category-james-beard-foundation-best-chef-southwest-finalist-20","category-asian","category-james-beard-award-best-chef-restaurants","category-lao","category-oklahoma","category-rating-n-r","category-across-america","tag-beef-jerky","tag-bon-apetit-50-best-new-restaurants-in-america","tag-covered-patio","tag-fried-chicken","tag-grilled-beef-skewers","tag-james-beard-foundation-best-chef-southwest-finalist-2023","tag-james-beard-foundation-best-chef-southwest-finalist-2024","tag-khao-poon","tag-lao","tag-new-york-times-50-best-in-america-2022","tag-sticky-rice","tag-strawberry-galette","tag-usa-today-restaurants-of-the-year-2024"],"yoast_head":"\nMa Der Lao Kitchen - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ma Der Lao Kitchen - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In Italian, the term “mangia, mangia,” is an encouragement to enjoy food abundantly.\u00a0 In Spanish, the polite phrase “Buen Provecho” translates to “enjoy your meal.”\u00a0 The French term for “enjoy your meal” is “bon app\u00e9tit” while the Cajun equivalent is “Allons manger.”\u00a0 \u00a0You’re probably acquainted with most of these terms, but here’s one you may not know.\u00a0 In Lao, “Ma Der!”(ma-derr) is a phrase that basically means \u201ccome eat! or \u201ccome through!\u201d\u00a0 Throngs of Oklahoma City’s savvy diners have been coming to eat at Ma Der Lao Kitchen since 2022.\u00a0 It’s a good bet not all of them realize the meaning of the restaurant’s name.\u00a0 Perhaps some of them believe “Ma Der” is someone’s mother. Even if not everyone understands…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nmgastronome\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-13T06:01:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-06T17:24:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MaDerLao08c-scaled.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2004\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Gil Garduno\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Gil Garduno\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=70140#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=70140\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Gil Garduno\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf\"},\"headline\":\"Ma Der Lao Kitchen – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-13T06:01:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-06T17:24:20+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=70140\"},\"wordCount\":1745,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=70140#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/MaDerLao08c-scaled.jpeg\",\"keywords\":[\"Beef Jerky\",\"Bon Apetit 50 Best New Restaurants in America\",\"Covered Patio\",\"fried chicken\",\"Grilled Beef Skewers\",\"James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest Finalist 2023\",\"James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest Finalist 2024\",\"Khao Poon\",\"Lao\",\"New York Times 50 Best in America 2022\",\"Sticky Rice\",\"Strawberry Galette\",\"USA Today Restaurants of the Year 2024\"],\"articleSection\":[\"2023 James Beard Foundation - \\\"Best Chef - Southwest\\\" Finalist\",\"2024 James Beard Foundation \\\"Best Chef - Southwest\\\" Finalist\",\"Asian\",\"James Beard Foundation (JBF) Award Nominees & Winners\",\"Lao\",\"Oklahoma\",\"Rating: N\\\/R (Not Rated)\",\"United States\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=70140#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=70140\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=70140\",\"name\":\"Ma Der Lao Kitchen - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=70140#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=70140#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/MaDerLao08c-scaled.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-13T06:01:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-06T17:24:20+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=70140#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=70140\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=70140#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/MaDerLao08c-scaled.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/MaDerLao08c-scaled.jpeg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":2004,\"caption\":\"Khao Poon\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=70140#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Ma Der Lao Kitchen – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\",\"description\":\"Follow the Culinary Ruminations of New Mexico's Sesquipedalian Sybarite. 1,522 Restaurant Reviews, More Than 14,900 Visitor Comments...And Counting!\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"\",\"contentUrl\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf\",\"name\":\"Gil Garduno\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/140571d25459ad5954bce10ffc2f8c8d21c92edf345ea30e6145c3e68a417af1?s=96&r=pg\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/140571d25459ad5954bce10ffc2f8c8d21c92edf345ea30e6145c3e68a417af1?s=96&r=pg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/140571d25459ad5954bce10ffc2f8c8d21c92edf345ea30e6145c3e68a417af1?s=96&r=pg\",\"caption\":\"Gil Garduno\"},\"description\":\"Since 2008, the tagline on Gil\u2019s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog has invited you to \u201cFollow the Culinary Ruminations of New Mexico\u2019s Sesquipedalian Sybarite.\u201d To date, more than six million visitors have trusted (or at least visited) my recommendations on more than 1,300 restaurant reviews. Please take a few minutes to tell me what you think. Whether you agree or disagree with me, I'd love to hear about it.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/%20\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/nmgastronome\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/nmgastronome\\\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Ma Der Lao Kitchen - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Ma Der Lao Kitchen - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","og_description":"In Italian, the term “mangia, mangia,” is an encouragement to enjoy food abundantly.\u00a0 In Spanish, the polite phrase “Buen Provecho” translates to “enjoy your meal.”\u00a0 The French term for “enjoy your meal” is “bon app\u00e9tit” while the Cajun equivalent is “Allons manger.”\u00a0 \u00a0You’re probably acquainted with most of these terms, but here’s one you may not know.\u00a0 In Lao, “Ma Der!”(ma-derr) is a phrase that basically means \u201ccome eat! or \u201ccome through!\u201d\u00a0 Throngs of Oklahoma City’s savvy diners have been coming to eat at Ma Der Lao Kitchen since 2022.\u00a0 It’s a good bet not all of them realize the meaning of the restaurant’s name.\u00a0 Perhaps some of them believe “Ma Der” is someone’s mother. Even if not everyone understands…","og_url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140","og_site_name":"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nmgastronome\/","article_published_time":"2025-05-13T06:01:53+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-06T17:24:20+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":2004,"url":"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MaDerLao08c-scaled.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Gil Garduno","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Gil Garduno","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140"},"author":{"name":"Gil Garduno","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#\/schema\/person\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf"},"headline":"Ma Der Lao Kitchen – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma","datePublished":"2025-05-13T06:01:53+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-06T17:24:20+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140"},"wordCount":1745,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MaDerLao08c-scaled.jpeg","keywords":["Beef Jerky","Bon Apetit 50 Best New Restaurants in America","Covered Patio","fried chicken","Grilled Beef Skewers","James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest Finalist 2023","James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest Finalist 2024","Khao Poon","Lao","New York Times 50 Best in America 2022","Sticky Rice","Strawberry Galette","USA Today Restaurants of the Year 2024"],"articleSection":["2023 James Beard Foundation - \"Best Chef - Southwest\" Finalist","2024 James Beard Foundation \"Best Chef - Southwest\" Finalist","Asian","James Beard Foundation (JBF) Award Nominees & Winners","Lao","Oklahoma","Rating: N\/R (Not Rated)","United States"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140","url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140","name":"Ma Der Lao Kitchen - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MaDerLao08c-scaled.jpeg","datePublished":"2025-05-13T06:01:53+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-06T17:24:20+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MaDerLao08c-scaled.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MaDerLao08c-scaled.jpeg","width":2560,"height":2004,"caption":"Khao Poon"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=70140#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Ma Der Lao Kitchen – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/","name":"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","description":"Follow the Culinary Ruminations of New Mexico's Sesquipedalian Sybarite. 1,522 Restaurant Reviews, More Than 14,900 Visitor Comments...And Counting!","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#organization","name":"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"","contentUrl":"","caption":"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#\/schema\/person\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf","name":"Gil Garduno","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/140571d25459ad5954bce10ffc2f8c8d21c92edf345ea30e6145c3e68a417af1?s=96&r=pg","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/140571d25459ad5954bce10ffc2f8c8d21c92edf345ea30e6145c3e68a417af1?s=96&r=pg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/140571d25459ad5954bce10ffc2f8c8d21c92edf345ea30e6145c3e68a417af1?s=96&r=pg","caption":"Gil Garduno"},"description":"Since 2008, the tagline on Gil\u2019s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog has invited you to \u201cFollow the Culinary Ruminations of New Mexico\u2019s Sesquipedalian Sybarite.\u201d To date, more than six million visitors have trusted (or at least visited) my recommendations on more than 1,300 restaurant reviews. Please take a few minutes to tell me what you think. Whether you agree or disagree with me, I'd love to hear about it.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/%20","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nmgastronome\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/nmgastronome\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=70140"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70218,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70140\/revisions\/70218"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/70148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=70140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=70140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=70140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}