Laos: Street Food in Luang Prabang
“Good Food and good eating are about risk”
~ Anthony Bourdain
In Laos, one of the locals exclaimed “we eat everything, four legs, no legs and many legs. It’s protein”. When ordering a stew here, be careful as the ingredients may not be what you’re hoping for and instead of restaurants opt for street food. Not all restaurants are created equal so do your research. The hawker stalls are always fresh as the turnover is high due to lots of foot traffic, plus everything is cooked in front of you, so don’t be shy and take a risk, you will thank me later.
Luang Prabang used to be part of the French colonies and the influence is definitely reflected in their cuisine. There are a few French bakeries in the center of town selling freshly baked sweets, croissants, baguettes and coffees, which were yummy. The crape stand is always a good choice as you can get eggs, cheese, banana, nutella, as well as a bunch of other options. These stands are the perfect drunk or hang over food too for when you’re stumbling back to your hostel. As for dinner options, on the street you can get a whole grilled fish from the Mekong River or a number of grilled meat options such as chicken (any part or whole), duck, pork and of course rice and noodles. All these food options cost pennies compared to the USA. Yes, Luang Prabang is a little more expensive than Vietnam or Thailand but the food is just as amazing and absolutely delicious. I did taste an amazing chicken curry in a restaurant across the river from the Buddha cave, if you ever find yourself in the area, definitely stop in and have a try, it was my first curry and I gave it a thumbs up.
Not everything in Lao cuisine is appetizing to a westerner. One day, as I am walking through the morning market, which happens to be right outside my homestay, I notice a lot of strange things being sold. It was unusual for me to see an old lady sitting on the ground, selling a bowl of live beetles which are running around in the tin, with her neighbor selling rat carcass and skins, maybe they were bats who knows. I wasn’t brave enough to try it but if this is the local people’s source of protein, god bless. I seen a number of strange delicacies in this country and even witnessed someone eat dog meat, which is apparently more expensive then beef in Laos. I declined the offer to try, as dogs are meant to be pets in my world not a lunch meal. The strangest thing I did try here was pig intestine, as this was a recommendation of a random local, I figured why not. I don’t think I would do that again as it was pretty disgusting, but I was curious and I’m glad I tried it. I usually keep a very open mind about food and life in general, hence would try almost anything twice (fist time I may be in a bad mood). Now I know what not to eat in the future. On a lighter note, as in most of Asia, the variety of fruits and veggies here are great in copious amounts. In addition, the local teas are worth a mention, especially the dried bael fruit tea, it’s super healthy for regulating the digestive system and general health and immune system. The fruit itself looks weird but the tea is pretty yummy once some sugar is added.
All in all my food experience in Luang Prabang has been very colorful. My recommendation to travelers who have never been to this side of the world is to come equipped with activated charcoal pills (yes, I mention them a lot). Just in case of a bad reaction, they help immensely with any type of bacteria found in food/water (usually in developing countries). I don’t travel without them and don’t recommend for anyone else either. Have fun and safe travels.
Date: 12/21/16 – 12/26/16
Modes of Transportation: Tuk tuk, car
Food to Try: Grilled chicken, grilled fish, duck, pancake (various options: nutella, bananas, ham cheese, egg), savory croissants, various French pastries, iced coffee, fruit juices, smoothies, chicken curry
