A Taste of Laos

I was only able to stay in Laos (Vientiane only to be exact) for 3 days so I decided to try some of their local dishes as part of my adventure.

Larb Kai

One of the Lao dishes I got to taste was larb kai. This traditional dish was made of chicken and a variety of vegetables. I asked the waitress to reduce the spiciness because I did not like food that was too spicy. Even in its dialed down state, larb kai was still quite spicy. The serving was large and was good value for money. The dish was different from Filipino food. As I am beginning to explore more of Southeast Asia, I have noticed that Filipino food is very different from most of the countries in Southeast Asia. Filipino food is more on the sweet and sour side, compared to spicy food found in Southeast Asia.

Orck Kai

The other Lao dish I got to try was orck kai. Orck kai is a chicken dish mixed with a lot of vegetables. The mix of flavors were really nice. It was a bit spicy but not as spicy as larb kai. I liked how large the serving size was, for only 30,000 to 40,000 kip, the dishes were priced just right.

There were also similarities with Lao dishes with some of the dishes found in Southeast Asia. they also served Nasi Goreng and other fried or mixed vegetables, chicken, beef, and fish dishes.

Shopping in Laos

The souvenirs found in Laos are quite cheap. i got these two shirts for only P100-P200 each. There were also several other items sold in the shops in Patouxay and markets for around the same price.

Talat Sao along Lane Xeng is the biggest mall in Vientiane. There are more shops inside for people who want to buy souvenirs, eat, or just hang out (like what most Filipinos do).