A new Asian restaurant, Khao Noodle Shop, with Laotian food is coming to East Dallas. According to a release, the restaurant will open on November 20, at the hot foodie intersection of Fitzhugh and Bryan Street.

Khao comes from chef Donny Sirisavath, and features his signature boat noodles and Laotian bites. The shop and its recipes are inspired by his mom, his childhood memories of her home-cooking, and his travels throughout Southeast Asia.

"From a very young age, I grew up helping my mom in the kitchen at home and at our family restaurant," Sirisavath says. "I did everything, from bussing tables, chopping veggies to cooking. Everything was made from scratch and with love. I want to model that at Khao Noodle Shop."

The word "khao" has many meanings. Let's go through some, shall we?

By itself, "khao" means rice or food. "Khao gun" means come together. "Kin khao" means to come eat. "Khao kin" means food.

"The name represents everything I hope the shop to become — a home for friends and family to come together to enjoy great Laotian food," Sirisavath says.

The menu is designed for sharing and tasting. You can order one bowl for yourself, or smaller bowls of different noodles and soups to share. When you're done, you stack the bowls up.

The menu includes khao poon, which is spicy vermicelli soup; and sakoo, which are tapioca dumplings.

The cult dish khao soi is called boat noodle soup, and it's done Laotian-style, with chicken and pork broth, fermented soybeans, ground pork and crispy rice.

Fried shrimp balls have cured shrimp and bean curd. "Chicharrones" are fermented pork belly, with fish sauce, lemongrass, kaffir, and garlic.

Vegan options are also available.

Khao will source its ingredients from farmers markets and from the community garden in the neighborhood, to reducing its environmental footprint. Sirisavath sought out his location in East Dallas because his wife's family and Southeast Asian refugees call it home.

On opening, there'll be a limited menu and hours: 11 am-3 pm, 5-9 pm on Tuesday and limited hours on other days.

Khao opens kitty-corner to Jimmy's Food Store, the longtime Italian market. It's the same buzzy intersection where La Popular Tamale House just opened its satellite shop, Dallas Tamale Shop, which will be open through the holidays.