Travelling with chickens: Foodies Q&A

Since starting the blog I have had quite a few questions about the food.

I have been putting it off up until now, partly because i am trying to collect a few photos, but also because it is a really hard thing to talk about. It is hard to know where to start.

Food in Lao is a spectrum. There is some amazing food, and there is some very average food. There are amazing restaurants, and also local roadside food stalls. It pays to be adventurous (but maybe not really adventurous?!)

Here are the answers to some of the questions that i have had.

1. Where to we food shop?

There is no one place to get everything. We shop at a combination of places. We go to the western supermarket (small) to get cheese, and smoked salmon and meat. We go to the local market to get our fruit, vegetables and fresh fish, and we go to the Asia supermarket for everything in between.

2. Is food expensive?

It varies. Western things are about the same price as at home. The only things i have found that are more expensive are cheese and chocolate (large sigh inserted here). Meat can also be expensive. We haven't been brave enough to buy meat at the local market yet so we buy it from the supermarket, usually frozen, and this is not cheap. For example, we haven't bought any lamb since we got here.

The food at the market is cheap though. And getting cheaper. Interestingly it seems Joff gets charged more than i do at the market which is not a reflection on language skills or anything else. I think it is a gender thing.

3. Do we eat out or cook at home?

Again a combination. Because we have a toddler we eat home more than most of the other expats who live here. A lot of the people without children eat out most nights. In some ways, for an individual it is cheaper than getting all the ingredients to cook at home.

That said, we eat out at least one or two times a week, and there is no shortage of good meals to be found in Vientiane. Almost every cuisine is represented including French, Italian, Thai, Middle eastern, Indian, Japanese, Russian, Korean etc.

We also often head out for breakfast on the weekends. There are a couple of popular choices- Kungs (a cheap and delicious little alleyway restaurant that is a favourite), or a French bakery for croissants and coffee.

4. What do locals eat?

Most people seem to eat noodle soup (pho) for breakfast (and often lunch) and sticky rice with bbq chicken or rice for dinner. We also enjoy all of these things. Most of the other dishes in Lao are made with lots of chilli and lots of fermented fish sauce. I'm thinking papaya salad, fish stew/soup, laab. Don't get me wrong, i like chilli, but sometimes it can be a bit full on.

Street side papaya salad

Lao people are also renowned for eating the whole animal. They think falang are crazy for not eating the fish bones, cow udder, chicken legs, pig intestines and blood tofu. Each to their own i guess.

Oh, and absolutely every meal is washed down with a Beer Lao (with ice cubes).

5. What food do we miss from home?

Melinda: Chocolate
Bea: Fresh blueberries
Joff: Chocolate and meat (steak, lamb chops and roasts)

6. Does Bea eat Lao food?

The short answer is yes (if it isn't too spicy). I dare anyone to find a child who doesn't like sticky rice. Most children, falang and Lao alike, are obsessed with the stuff. She likes BBQ chicken and fish. She has had some laab if it isn't too chill packed, she will eat noodle soup (sometimes). Usually there is enough around to keep her happy and she will pick though the meal for the goodies- the meat and the nuts (her favourite). She also eats all manner of fruit. Some of her favourites are mango and rambutan.

I will note that she still has a lot of western food- porridge for breakfast, often a peanut butter or vegemite sandwich, and her fair share of dairy (which is missing from Lao food).

I hope that answered your questions. What else do you want to know?

Melinda xx