Flavor Concepts

Sap Lai is bringing a new vibrant taste to Wilmington’s Asian-centric culinary scene, thanks to TEE SOMSNITH sharing her Laotian culture through fragrant flavors and her love of cooking and food. And how apropos, as “sap lai” means “delicious” in Laotian.

“When we eat something, we say ‘sap lai’ so it’s a compliment meaning that it’s delicious,” Somsnith says.

Somsnith’s culinary journey began on the other side of the globe back when she was just a young girl. Born in Laos, she lived there until she was nine, when she moved to the United States and quickly found out she was not a fan of traditional American cuisine.

“Moving here from Laos at nine, I remember trying a burger and it was not for me, since all I knew was sticky rice,” Somsnith jokes. “I think I hardly touched my school lunch till high school.”

At age fourteen, she got the first glimpse of her culinary career when her aunt took her under her wing and along to help out at the Vietnamese restaurant where she worked.

Chef Tee Somsmith owner of Sap Lai Asian/Pan American Food @ EOD Concept Kitchen

“My basic tasks were cleaning up, helping run food, and wrapping egg rolls. As I got older, I was able to chop veggies, make dumplings, and compose dishes according to the chef’s instructions,” she says.

From the frying pan to the front of the house, she switched back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room, getting a taste for all facets of the restaurant business, but her heart was in the kitchen.

“I always enjoyed cooking the most, and even after high school, I wanted to be a chef, because I wanted to share our food and culture,” she says.

After relocating to Wilmington in 2020, Somsnith worked with her relatives at Umaii Thai and Tokyo 101 before deciding to strike out on her own. She started out with a food truck but decided that “truck life” was not for her.

“There are limits to what you can cook on a truck because it’s so small,” Somsnith says. “So, after following End of Days Distillery’s social media, I reached out and asked to present the concept of Sap Lai for their Concept Kitchen.”

Somsnith has hit the sweet spot with End of Days’ Concept Kitchen, which offers a constant rotation of different chefs and cuisines – as it offers the flexibility of a pop-up model but not requiring chefs to operate constantly like a brick-and-mortar establishment.

End of Days Distillery opened its concept kitchen in late 2023 after receiving city approval to install a commercial kitchen in a 20-foot shipping container next to the distillery’s building at 1815 Castle Street.

Local chefs such as Mauricio Huarcaya, who brings his Peruvian-inspired menu to Gustu Peruano, often sell out on their days.

Sap Lai has become a staple at the Concept Kitchen, where Somsnith is serving up traditional Southeast Asian dishes such as summer rolls, lumpia, and bao buns, as well as more fusion items such as crispy chicken garlic noodles topped with fresh parmesan.

When she’s not cooking at the Concept Kitchen, you can find Somsnith enjoying her favorite dish: Nam Khao Tod, a popular crispy rice salad originating from Tha Deua, a small port village in Laos.

“I love cured meat, and the dish’s name means ‘cured pork,’” Somsnith says. “I toss it with a crunchy curry rice and lots of herbs, then wrap it in lettuce. Our country eats lots of veggies and herbs and this was a staple growing up. Lettuce wraps are always a hit in my family.”

Somsnith says she wants to continue building up Sap Lai’s name and profile, continuing her venture with the Concept Kitchen – she recently sold out her Asian Night Market menu at one of their weekend events – and she hopes eventually it can become a more stable thing.

“Right now, it works for my ‘mommy’ schedule, but we are always open to investors and ideas,” she says.

In addition to sampling Somsnith’s Sap Lai menu at the Concept Kitchen, you can also find her culinary delights daily at Chef Joy’s Grocerant, which offers freshly made grab-and-go options at its store at 143 North Front Street.

To view more of photographer Daria Amato’s work, go to dariaphoto.com

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