PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Northeast Portland restaurant is bouncing back after getting hit with graffiti. The owners of Khao Niew Lao Street Food leaned into the idea of putting artwork on their building to celebrate their culture.
Khao Niew Owner Ae Sangasy admits "It's hard running a restaurant business, especially in places without, you know, a lot of foot traffic."
However, what started as a humble food cart has blossomed into a vibrant restaurant in Portland's Cully Neighborhood.
Things were looking dim back in September when someone tagged the building.
But Sangasy decided to turn a potential setback into a celebration of her heritage. She partnered with local artist Alex Chiu to bring her culture to life with a bold 100-foot mural.
Chiu spent weeks working on iconic symbols of Laos, a small Southeast Asian country sandwiched between Vietnam and Thailand. The mural includes the Pha That Luang Temple and the serene reclining Buddha. The mural also showcases Lao staples like papaya salad and sticky rice baskets.
Khao Niew actually means "sticky rice" in English and it represents family unity and resilience. Those are values reflected in both the restaurant and Sangasy's personal journey.
"The depiction of our country in one place, like, there's no words. Indescribable."
Born in Laos and raised in refugee camps, Sangasy now shares the flavors of her childhood, 7,000 miles from her home.
"Coming from a refugee camp and then, like this whole thing, is like a dream come true," Sangasy said.
The Native American Youth and Family Center helped fund the mural. It will be officially celebrated with a Buddhist blessing ceremony this weekend.
The ceremony begins on Sunday, Dec. 1 at 10 a.m. at Khao Niew Lao Street Food at 4579 NE Cully Blvd. It will conclude with the Holy Water Blessing at 11:30 a.m.
