The best local dishes to try in Laos
Interests
Activities
Khao Niaw (Sticky rice)
The staple dish in Laos would have to be sticky rice and this accompanies almost every meal and is eaten throughout the day.Frequently served in traditional cone-shaped, bamboo-woven baskets and often eaten with one’s hands.Small balls can be made with the rice and then dipped into any number of delicious sauces, such as eggplant.
Sai Oua (Lao sausage)
A smokey sausage that can frequently be seen strung up at markets or drying out along the road, Sai Oua is known for its signature flavours of lemongrass, kaffir leaves, ginger and garlic. This sausage is often served with a dry chili dip and much like most Lao dishes, sticky rice.
Khao Piak Sen (Lao noodle soup)
Excellent comfort food for a cold day, Khao Piak Sen is very similar to the Vietnamese Pho that is known throughout the world. Hearty, inexpensive, tasty and nutritious, this flat-rice noodle soup is often served with beef or chicken and a handful of fragrant herbs, bean sprouts, basil, chilies and beans.
Laab (minced meat salad)
Laab is regarded as the unofficial dish of Laos and this traditional meal is a wonderfully spicy, stir-fried minced meat dish that packs quite the punch. Cooked with plenty of chillies, shallots, lemon juice, coriander, mint and fish sauce and served with sticky rice, this meat dish is an aromatic blend of spicy and sour.
Tam Mak Hoong (green papaya salad)
This refreshing, spicy, green papaya salad is famous for its harmonious bend of sweet, spicy, sour and salty flavours and is often served alongside grilled meat. Made using a large mortar and pestle, thin ribbons of papaya, peanuts, chilies, sugar, garlic, tomatoes and fish sauce are all enthusiastically and vigorously pounded together.
Mok Pa (steamed fish in banana leaves)
One of the most ever-present dishes in Laos, Mok Pa is a scrumptious fish dish that is slowly cooked with lime leaves, fish sauce, chilies and lemongrass and wrapped up snuggly with banana leaves. The flavoursome parcels are then steamed until the fish is tender, buttery and cooked through thoroughly.
Sien Savanh (Lao beef jerky)
Sien Savanh is small portions of meat that have been marinated in oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, sugar and pepper and then left to dry out in the sun. These meaty nibbles make good roadtrip snacks or midday treats to curb the hunger pangs that frequently come with a full day of exploring.
Naem Khao Tod (crispy rice salad)
This filling rice salad is generally comprised of deep-fried rice balls, freshly grated coconut, ginger, peanuts, dried chili and pieces of pork sausage. Served with large chunks of lettuce, the flavour and texture of this dish is an experience itself. Also, eliminating the sausage allows for a scrumptious and filling vegetarian meal.
Khao Jee
All hail Laos’ most famous street food – the Khao Jee or more commonly known, French baguette. Eaten for breakfast with coffee, for dinner with Beer Lao or snacked on throughout the day, this French-inspired national dish is a big hit with locals and visitors.
Tips
Bring some medications with you in the unfortunate event of getting sick from the food.
Only drink bottled water.
Look for the street vendor with the longest line and get in the queue. Chance are high that the locals will know which stall is the tastiest.
Observe the locals way of eating after they receive their dishes to learn what ingredients might be a good idea to add. Pouring a little soy sauce or a squeeze of lime can make some Lao dishes come to life in a scrumptious and flavoursome way.
In the event of a language barrier, vegetarians or travellers with food allergies should save images of these food items onto their cellphones and show them to the food vendors or restaurants with a big shake of the head to best convey their message.
Avoid raw meat in Laos even though it is a common ingredient in the popular Laab dish. Ask for the meat to be stir-fried and avoid it entirely if it is unrefrigerated or smells even the slightest bit iffy.
Practice your pronunciation of “Khao Niaw”, “Khao Piak Sen”,” Khao Jee” or anything else that you might want to sample. A bit of effort, a welcoming, toothy smile and a friendly attitude will go a long way in your social interactions in Laos.
