La Résidence Phou Vao

Taste Makers

Travel+Leisure

Lao food has long been overshadowed by that of larger neighbours Vietnam and Thailand. Southern Lao cuisine features dishes like banh mi and pho, famed in Vietnam, showcasing ingredients and flavours from a shared French colonial heritage. In Thailand, khao soi noodles and larb mince-meat salad are synonymous with northern food, but they’re also common in Luang Prabang, where the language is similar to the Isan region, just across the Thai border. While the dishes are similarly named, they have their own unique taste.

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