Vientiane’s denizens seem to survive on snacks. The Morning and Night Market take care of the first and last meals, but an overwhelming number of stalls scattered all around – but especially on the Mekong River Promenade - offer tasty snacks between the extremes. In this entry are described some of the most popular ones.
Kalapao
Similar to steamed Chinese dumplings, the Kalapao is substantially bigger than them and usually filled with pork meat or a cooked egg. It is served very fresh, straight out of the steaming bowls.
Som Tam
The best known – and maybe most popular – salad in South East Asia, som tam is a spicy salad made of green papaya’s long slices with peanuts, chili peppers, lime juice and fish sauce. It is fiercely hot and thus should be consumed with care.
Laap
Laap is an exceptionally refreshing salad prepared of cooked minced meat (duck, chicken, water buffalo or pork), mint leaves, lime juice, garlic, and sliced chili peppers.
The Main Condiment
Naam plaa (literally water-fish) is a ubiquitous sauce prepared from fermented fish; it may contain parasites so it is better to avoid it (that’s even before mentioning its smell, which is not very appetizing).
The Main Staple
Khao niaw is the local name for sticky rice. It accompanies most Laotian meals; it is rolled into a ball with the hand, covered up with sauces and small bits of meat or insects and then eaten.
Grilled Chicken
Ping kai are half chickens skewed on sticks and grilled; they are a popular dinner and can be found all along the Night Market and the Promenade. Being grown in organic conditions, the chickens in Laos are rather small; they should be compared with a quarter chicken served in Western countries.
Meat and Curries
Khao laat kaeng is the generic name for meat curries served on khao jao (long rice); it is usually accompanied by boiled vegetables and is a meal by itself.
Vietnamese Snacks
Vietnamese noodle soup (pho) and Vietnamese deep-fried spring rolls (yaw jeun) can be easily found and enjoyed in the markets.
Bamboo Sticks
One of the strangest snacks is the ubiquitous burned bamboo sticks. They are filled with sticky rice and coconut cream and cooked on coals. The burned bamboo is peeled off and the sweet interior can then be eaten. A variant prepared with beans is also available.
Flattened Squids
Grilled and press flattened squids are a popular – and salty - snack. The squids – as the crabs and all fish served in the area – are of the fresh water type.
Fried Insects
Fried insects are a popular snack consumed alone or with sticky rice; they are especially grown in dedicated farms and thus they are clean and safe to consume. See the Eating Insects entry in my journal Vientiane: The First Bite.
Pork Skin
Curled, fried bits of pork skin are as crispy as the freshest French fries and are a popular snack while contemplating the colorful sunset over the Mekong River.
Baguette Sandwiches
A reminder that Laos was a French colony, baguette sandwiches are available at all hours; they are served with ham, pate and vegetables, or with fried eggs. The tasty bread appears in several sizes and is called here khao jii. It is a life-saver every time the nostalgia for Western bread becomes insupportable.
Coffee and fried-dough
The early morning is the best time for a coffee and pah thawng ko (deep-fried Chinese dough sticks) served in the Morning Market; for more details see the entry A Coffee in the Morning Market in my journal Vientiane: Love from First Sip. Healthy Chinese green-tea is given free at the end of an extra strong cup of Laotian coffee.
Cooled Fruits
Many stalls sell little bags of ice cooled fruits, accompanied by a mix of chili and sugar for spicing them up. The variety is amazing and depends on the season. The most characteristic fruits are rarmood, mangosteen, custard apple, rose apple (green and red), rambutan, longan, durian and Jack fruit. However, more standard choices – like papayas, mangos (several varieties), pineapples, watermelons, bananas, guavas and coconuts - are also available. Sugar cane juice with fresh lime is a surprisingly tasty and refreshing option.