Food

First day’s food in Vientiane

18 Jan , 2015  

I do like the food in Laos. It tends to be super spicy but not always. I caught up with some friends in their village in Vientiane, not far from Patuxai (the Gate of Triumph).

We walked 3 minutes across the road to the street vendor to buy some lunch. I love these eggs which have been emptied and mixed with herbs and ‘restuffed’.

I spied a BBQ rat which I hadn’t seen on the capital’s streets before. I ate a rat in a village up north last year so on this occasion I ignored the rat and bought BBQ chicken, sticky rice and vegetables instead – spicy rice being the main staple of the Lao diet.

Something new this time for me to try was a small Lao insect. They came out of a bamboo tube alive and were emptied onto a plate of clear soup and vegetables. They quickly drowned. Eaten with a bit of sticky rice and vegetable in the fingers the insect was surprisingly spicy. The slightly spicy after taste lingered for some time. There was no chilli involved, just the insect. My local friends were impressed with my willingness to eat local food.

Insects that tasted spicy with sticky rice

Insects that tasted spicy with sticky rice

 

BBQ rat on the street of Vientiane

BBQ rat on the street of Vientiane

After lunch it was out to meet some friends or friends. Lao people really must be the friendliest in the world. After a short ride on the back of a motorbike we arrived at a massive collection of local outdoor restaurants.

Local restaurants

Local restaurants

Each area is a separate restaurant. We selected the best of course because someone knew the owner. We sat here for a several hours drinking Beerlao (which is a great beer, drunk with lots of ice of course) and a never-ending range of plates of food.

Beerlao in glass with ice

Beerlao in glass with ice

Laos food, many plates

Laos food, many plates

 

 

 

, ,

By


Like my blog? Leave me a reply