Luang Prabang 2017 - Bamboo Vat Sen Restaurant

It was our first night in Luang Prabang and we were looking for a nice place for dinner. For a small town, Luang Prabang has quite an ample choice of places to eat. Walk down the main street and you will stumble across one every few steps. We wanted to start with some local food, so the menu and the nice design of Bamboo Vat Sene Restaurant caught our eye.

There is a large terrace at the front for diners, but we chose to sit inside due to the cozy ambiance. The decor is like the interior of a traditional house - accented with lots of local arts and crafts. 

We asked the wait staff for recommendations, and these were what we ordered - Dried Pork, Grilled Buffalo Steak, Lemongrass Chicken and Luang Prabang Chicken Stew. Our favourite dish of the evening would have to be the dried pork strips with a spicy chili jam. The pork was sticky and chewy - and packed a strong flavour punch. 

Grilled local buffalo steak - surprisingly tender and juicy. The sticky rice is served in a beautiful small basket.

Lemongrass chicken - minced chicken paste wrapped in lemongrass skewers and grilled. Very aromatic and tasty.

Luang Prabang Chicken Stew with eggplants, dill, local vegetables, and an interesting ingredient called "Sakhaan" - Laos Chili Wood that has a chili-peppery aroma.

This being our first taste of Laotian food, we were pleasantly surprised. It is a cross between Thai and Vietnamese flavours - though not as spicy as Thai cuisine. In fact, many of the Thai dishes that one can enjoy in Thailand have Laotian origins - such as laab and som tum. One thing that needs a bit of getting-used-to is the khao niao - sticky rice, that is served with all the dishes.