Article by Wade Hunter with photos by Fitz
(Lead photo: Chef Sayvepen Sengsaveng during the Le Mu Eats staff menu tasting)
Along the sylvan corridors and the wide, manicured meridians of Executive Drive in North Hampton, one can find an unassuming strip mall amongst the infrangible throngs of corporate parks, government facilities, and bucolic residences; the unlikely place where Chef Sayvepen Sengsaveng does edible alchemy at an every Sunday pop-up in his parent’s Thai Restaurant, Gah Bua Gam.
Le Mu is a risky endeavor for a traditional area, creating inspired South-East Asian/American fusion cuisine with a continental flair. Working with a short order list and a more limited number of local ingredients, Chef ‘Sav’ provides an accommodating menu with ever-changing variety. Arrive early enough and one may be lucky enough to witness Sav introducing his small staff to the recent products of his creative wellspring.
Making the bacon, kim chi and lemon grass sausage fried rice
Placed centrally at the table was a flowerpot full of cutlery, allowing us to partake non-routinely in sampling the dishes that would be featured that evening―for many plates, the first and, potentially, last time. What we witnessed was a cacophony of flavors, with a smattering of highlights, such as:
The cake ― an orange vanilla chiffon that had thai tea buttercream with a pleasant granularity. Brotastic fried rice, packed with savory bacon, kim chi, and lemon grass sausage, begged for an ice-cold beer. There was the red curry crab cake ― easily the best crab cake a couple of us ever had. The Chard was cut expertly with a bright lime flavor. So, so many other delectable, unexpected twists of taste and texture were beheld, with notes of familiarity…
Red curry crab cake
Where is this coming from? Laotian food, already a rare treat in the Hampton roads area (as the only other restaurant serving such around is Som Bao Café), is infused, measured, and ultimately regionalized by Southern faire; unexpected parallels are drawn. As Sav puts it, “the biggest comparisons between [the two] is cooking with what you have available. It’s making the best out of what you have and developing great flavors.”
On a deeper level, for chef Sav, it’s autobiographical. A second generation Laotian-American in Virginia, cooking was always an essential part of his family life. His folks went about opening the very Thai restaurant hosting him and he remained local to his family, pursuing schooling at the Culinary Institute of Virginia (ECPI).
With this most recent endeavor, he remains true to where he comes from, while breaking a few rules along the way. “We like making Grandmas mad,” as chef Sav likes to say; all while still showing respect, as he states: “There’s always a respect for old school traditions. I respect what my parents do; I love [their dishes]. I grew up on them and southern dishes… but that doesn’t represent me alone. I have this dual citizenship, and that’s what I represent on the plate. American people sometimes don’t think of me as American and Laotian people think ‘well, you’re not Laotian because you were born in America’― that’s what I want our food to be ― I don’t know what this is, but it’s delicious.”
Article originally published in print on October 9th, 2015
Online update as of November 2nd, 2015-
As noted in the article, Le Mu Eats was a risky and bold endeavor in large part due to it’s location and adventurous menu. Of the tasty “hidden gems” Southern Grit magazine discovered and highlighted during the formation of the last print edition, Le Mu by consensus of the staff and contributors was one of the best we tried. However, as those in the industry know, pop ups are in fact a testing of the local market and can often be transitory in nature. Not long after the printing of this article circumstances did in fact changed for Le Mu. The following is a statement from Founder and Chef Sayvepen Sengsaveng not long after the printing of this feature addressing the change in direction for Le Mu Eats.
“As of October 2015, Le Mu Pop-up has been closed for business. After much careful consideration of personal circumstances and long term goals, we, the owners of Le Mu, have decided to put a pause on our progress. As creative and delicious food is ingrained in our purpose, you can definitely expect to hear from us in the future. We are so grateful for the open minds and empty stomachs we had the pleasure of serving in the Hampton Roads community and the warm welcome we have received at every turn. Special thank you to Southern Grit Magazine for giving us a try and writing an amazing review of their experience. Also, sending so much love to our Le Mu Family; Ariana, Jalen, Max and Heather! You invested time, love and care into our dream and for that we can never repay you. It is amazing to find people who identify with your mission and ensure that they deliver service that aligns with your vision. Thank you all!!!” -Chef Sav
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