Ah, love at first sight. This was my frame of mind when I first waltzed down the main streets of Luang Prabang. As the lanterns lining the wide boulevard swung in the early evening breeze and a swatch of brilliant orange cloth caught my eye as a monk dashed around a corner, just ahead of me, making his way toward the quiet chanting drifting out of a dimly lit temple, I had the uncanny feeling that I had been here both many times before, but also never before. The city was familiar and foreign, which is why I felt like I knew it: it had always existed in the back of my mind. Luang Prabang was exactly what I wanted and hoped it would be and was, at that time in my travels, exactly what I needed it to be.
Over the years I have continued my love affair with this town surrounded by the majestic Mekong and the lesser known, but equally impressive, Nam Khan. I have learned many things about the culture, Buddhism, the surrounding countryside and, of course, the cuisine! So I felt it was only right to address my top picks for Where to Eat in Luang Prabang, if you are ever fortunate enough to pass through this oh so charming little town (and would like to, potentially, share some of the same feelings I did upon my first visit):
The Institution
Le Calao
Full of just the right amount of French sophistication and wicker chairs (to remind you, lest you forget, that you are in an old colonial town),you’ll feel as if you should most certainly be sitting back with a Gin & Tonic in hand watching the Mekong River flow by below, with the tinkling of a piano in the background. From the same chef as the esteemed former l’Éléphant restaurant, The menu is full of Laotian/French Fusion dishes that make me giddy with choice but also a little unsure as to what to order for fear of missing out (the kids call this FOMO). Beyond the food, I adore this place for its charming lighting and its heady wine-bar atmosphere.
The menu is replete with all things French and the ingredients are always fresh. A bowl of French onion soup followed by some fresh goat cheese salad, a glass of Burgundy and a chocolate Grenache cake to round it off, and it is fair to say one leaves here feeling satisfied, full, and maybe as if another French colonial bar would be the perfect send off to the evening, with the help of a cigar and a brandy!
The Traditional
3 Nagas
Good food, good service. This is why I go back time and time again to 3 Nagas. Pictured below, this restaurant serves traditional Laotian cuisine in a beautiful setting and boasts a fantastic wine list curated by a French sommelier. Quite simply—I go here when I want to treat myself to delicious food, fantastic wine and an enlivening atmosphere.
When I travel I often make choices that I wouldn’t necessarily make if not travelling… I think we have all bought that ridiculous pair of pants that is so not us but we were compelled to make the purchase on trip nonetheless because our surroundings gave us the illusion that we were now the type of person who wears pants with elephants all over them and maybe even tie dye! This is what I now refer to as the exotic effect.