
There’s one Lao dish that reigns supreme over them all – I’m talking about laap.
The mix of meat – both cooked or raw, vibrant herbs, mouth flaming chilies, lime juice, sticky rice powder, and often some bile to spruce things up. This combination of wonders is something Laos should be proud of.
In this article I am going to share with you the details of an amazing restaurant in Vientiane that serves one of the best plates of Laotian laap you’ll ever eat.

Pa Kham Than Restaurant
Authentic local food in Laos’ capital city – Vientiane.
It was lunchtime on our final day, and still a long list of places people had recommended to us, but this is truly one of the best restaurants we ate at in Vientiane.
We were hungry for a certain plate of Laap (you might also see laap written commonly in English as larb or laab, but really laap is the most accurate Romanized translation of the Laos word) and though not a rare dish, we wanted one with a few special ingredients – a perfect plate, specifically including bile.
A recommendation from a fellow foodie and new friend Joe turned out to be marvelous, so let me quickly say a big thank you.
It might seem that a restaurant specializing in digestive juices would be tough to come across… but not here! Laos’ cuisine does a wonderful job of using every single part of an animal, literally from head to toe, nose to tail.

Now for the food.
Getting straight to business, this restaurant doesn’t play around. The menu has less than a dozen items on it, and that includes the drinks.
Get exclusive updates
Enter your email and I’ll send you the best travel food content.
We ordered some fried pork, a bowl of sour bitter soup, a plate of blanched cow intestines, and several different kinds of Laap. All that you need on a warm day in Laos, but be sure to clear your afternoon schedule because after a meal like this, you are going to want to just sit and smile awhile.

Share a Beer Laos, and Toast Your Laap Excitement
A cold BeerLao is always a great mid-day treat, and we shared a bottle of it while building our excitement for this lunchtime throw-down feast.
The dishes began to arrive, starting with the Moo Yang – grilled marinated pieces of pork, but this plate also including a few special organs.
You would struggle to find a better beer snack than this dish right here. It made us even more hungry for the coming plates of Laap.
Next came the Sin Luak, blanched intestines, so delightfully chewy.
The meat is cut thin but dipped in boiling water so quickly that it retains a soft, near-raw texture. The plate came with a complete mix of parts and we got some sections of intestine, a bit of rubbery stomach, and a several rich bites of liver.

…and then the Laap Pia Arrives
And now, finally, the dish we had traveled for – Laap Pia, the familiar pork salad flavored by a ladle full of green and brown digestive juices, the cow bile so loved by both the heart and tongue of Laos people.
By the time we arrived, early in the afternoon, they had already sold out of the raw version. So we settled for the cooked pork laap, not a bad thing to settle for.
The powerful bitterness was backed by a slow-burn from those entire raw chilis. Roasted rice powder gives the dish a smoky aroma, several squeezes of lime makes the tongue tingle, and a small mountain of local herbs, including heaps of Laos mint and culantro, keeps things fresh and wonderfully fragrant.

Zing of Mouth-Watering Bitterness
Each bite only made my mouth water more, and it was with a joyful and steady smile as I reached with my sticky rice for a second helping.
When you’re dealing with an ingredient as heavy as the digestive fluid of a ruminant, it takes true chef’s skills to keep the rest of the dish in balance. You should order a kratip (Laos basket used for sticky rice) of sticky rice too, not only for something to help you grab more Laap, but also for use as fire insurance.
I shed more than a few tears, I was simply elated – both the bitterness of juicy bile and the oil from so many chili seeds bringing the taste-abilities of my tongue to screaming new levels.

Tom Som Sour Soup is Amazing Here
The soup came at last, and it gave some balance to the meal, it was a sour Tom Som (just means ‘sour soup).
I could taste each part amidst the meaty soup stock, so hot and so sour while also feeling very nutritious. No need for adding coconut milk, extra salt or sugar, the wholly natural ingredients give each dish all the flavor power they need.
Do yourself a favor and order at least one dish as a Pia the next time you’re sitting down for a feast of Laos beloved Laap.

The Total Laap Package
Our bill came to a total of 123,000 LAK ($14.80), which I thought was a bit cheaper actually than comparable dishes elsewhere during this recent trip to Laos.
The dishes here are arguably similar to those found in the Thai Esaan region, however the proportions the chef uses here, and the herb content, are what blew my tastebuds away.
Pa Kham Than Restaurant offers an outstanding example of the ingenuity of Lao food culture, a truly perfect display of laap – one of the ultimate dishes of Laotion cuisine.
Wait for the upcoming videos showing even more delicious Laos food, or check out another Vientiane local meat hot spot we visited, Anna Grilled Duck Restaurant, or 12 Laos Dishes you Need to Eat.

How to get there:
There’s no address listed, though I’ve plotted it myself on Google Maps, but on Facebook you can find a map (Laap Pa Kham Tan). The location is in a neighborhood very close to the Patuxay Monument, near the Vietnam Embassy (which has since moved). Look for a big Samsung store on the corner, and the police station nearby.
Opening Hours: Breakfast and Lunch (we were the final customers for the day, and we left at 2pm)
Prices: 20,000 LAK per plate for most meat dishes.
Also, be sure to check out my Vientiane travel guide for helpful information about your trip.
Get exclusive updates
Enter your email and I'll send you the best travel food content.
cloud erp software
2 years ago
The dish looks really stunning. I am going to make similar to it.
webengrave
2 years ago
wow
arnold dk
2 years ago
Yum!
Concrete Contractors
2 years ago
I loved it! Many variations to come.
Tree Trimming
2 years ago
Yum!
idviking.ph
2 years ago
How Much Does Credit Repair Cost?
Subrato Saha
2 years ago
A salad and its with pork is really amazing. It’s also looking so spicy.
vishal kaushik
2 years ago
Amazing food blog. Keep sharing!
James Alex
2 years ago
Vientiane is very beautiful country. In Vientiane there is city Laos. there is best Restaurant of Vientiane. There are Plenty of Delicious dishes. Laap this is one of the famous dish of this Restaurant . Thanks for sharing very informative knowledge about Loas Restaurant. And I think they have to start doing social media marketing of this Restaurant so new people know about this. And also takes benefit of this Restaurant.
Laap – A Perfect Plate of Laap at This Restaurant in Vientiane, La
sankar singh
2 years ago
spicy blog this time amazing video
Robert
3 years ago
After watching so much content I’m amazed that how many places you have visited.
Appslure WebSolution
3 years ago
Hello Admin, This is a very informative article.
Mobile App Development Company in UAE
VapeSpring
3 years ago
Nice trip to plan with delicious food.
Nischay
3 years ago
I think cheapest food are there! Facebook bio
online news
3 years ago
This has been pretty inspirational, even for us. Thanks for sharing this!
Rajib
3 years ago
All the plate looks amazing…. After Watching the plates… its makes me more hungry…
white maeng da kratom capsules colcord
4 years ago
There is a final bill is very cheap.
Joel Bruner
4 years ago
Kalyan, did you visit this restaurant? Thanks for the comment, cheers!
Mahadev chilam
4 years ago
Your website is very intersting and informational ……good work
Lots of love with my family
Joel Bruner
4 years ago
Hi Mahadev, thanks for reading, and greetings to your family!
Guru Mann Wiki
4 years ago
I’m hungry now
Joel Bruner
4 years ago
Guru Mann, thanks for the comment, take care!
caja fuerte
4 years ago
This plate looks amazing ! I miss Asia so much for the food !
Here in South America it’s not that fancy.
Joel Bruner
4 years ago
Hello, Caja Fuerte, when did you visit Laos? Glad you enjoyed this content, I have to say though, I had an absolutely awesome time in South America this year, full of GREAT food.
Matt
4 years ago
This article is made to read or eat. Because I’m hungry now.
Joel Bruner
4 years ago
Hey Matt, thanks for reading, take care, enjoy the day today!
Bernz JP
4 years ago
I had the chance to try blanched intestines when I was in Hongkong and it was delicious. I even asked the chef how it was made and as far as I can remember he said the key ingredient was oyster sauce and pepper. One thing I forgot to ask him was whether it was from a cow or a pig.
Dil Dosti
4 years ago
Wow that’s look delicious. Plus the final bill is also cheap. We should live there I think :p
Joel Bruner
4 years ago
Laos is a wonderful place, to visit, or to live.
Savefrom
4 years ago
Very nice article, Thank you for sharing
Alvin
4 years ago
The Google Maps link doesn’t work.
I’m an expat that works in VTE, I really do want to go to this place you recommended.
Joel Bruner
4 years ago
Hi Alvin, sorry about that! I will make a new location on Google Maps now.
hassan
4 years ago
nice one
Joel Bruner
4 years ago
Hi Hassan, glad you enjoyed it! Cheers!
Joel Bruner
4 years ago
Ok Alvin! Found it. Google is approving the new location now… but here are the GPS coordinates if you want to go today! Enjoy a plate for me please
https://goo.gl/maps/rbJyijcFZuEi13gu6
Indian army status for boys
4 years ago
Nice post thanks for sharing….
Lots of love
Joel Bruner
4 years ago
Thanks for your support! Have a great day.
cool maths games wheely 6
5 years ago
Nice blog. Fantastic! I love this much
Joel Bruner
4 years ago
Thanks for reading, glad you enjoyed it!
Saim Ahmad
5 years ago
Delicious and mouthwatering dishes, Thanks for this list will definitely try the new one.
Joel Bruner
4 years ago
Have a great day Saim, hope you enjoy the food!
Praveen Rai
5 years ago
All the images you shared are really awsm.
Know i feeling hungry.
hahah
Joel Bruner
4 years ago
Praveen, yes! It is delicious as it looks, this restaurant is wonderful.
Seyahat rehberi
5 years ago
I feel very hungry now because of you. Thank you for this excellent food menu.
Joel Bruner
5 years ago
Seyahat, thank you for writing 🙂 And good luck on putting that hunger to good use!
tugce makarnaci semiz
5 years ago
I am planning a trip to Laos. I am vegetarian. Are there some traditional vegetarian dishes in Laos cuisine?
Joel Bruner
5 years ago
Hello Tugce, thank you for writing! I know that most of the articles we post are not the most light-on-meat-menus, but for your question, yes I think in SouthEast Asia there will always be options for vegetarians. There is so much natural and fresh produce here, you will always be able to find some foods made beautifully without needing any meat at all. In Laos, the thing you have to watch for here is the addition of either fish sauce, or pork fat. Actually many of their dishes would be vegetarian if not for these things being added… try ordering at a restaurant and just saying that you would like it without meat (and of course, the entire food style of ‘Tam,’ none of those include meat besides the fish sauce). Enjoy your trip, Laos is a BEAUTIFUL country.
video download
5 years ago
great and mouthwatering post you have written well i will try to visit there once thanks a lot
Joel Bruner
5 years ago
Thanks very much for your response! Good luck in making it yourself to try this wonderful food!
video download
5 years ago
I’ve been to this restaurant actually! Great reading this article; bringing back some good memories to my time in Vientiane.
Joel Bruner
5 years ago
Thank you very much Sofiya, for taking the time to respond! I hope you have a wonderful day today yourself.
Ali
5 years ago
Hi Mark, my name is Ali from Iran. I know many people in Iran like you and your films. I am also one of your fans, please visit Iran and write an article about our foods.
Thank you for this nice article. we love you
Alberto Andrio
5 years ago
Thanks For sharing Such informative things among us that will help the readers a lot. I am very much agree.
A Couple for the Road
5 years ago
Unreal how much value you can get in terms of food quality for the cost… the photos are really, really remarkable. Love the post!
day outing near delhi
5 years ago
great and mouthwatering post you have written well i will try to visit there once thanks a lot
Silver Service 24×7 Cabs
5 years ago
Hi Mark,
The Asian food taste much better then other like its little spicy and your tongue never forgot the taste of it.
Rambharat
5 years ago
Hiii,
Great article! All the articles you have, they enjoy reading and learning a lot. Your article is very helpful for me. I hope you will continue to write such good articles as well.
Thank you
Ekta Kapoor
5 years ago
Wow…hey Mark, I’m new here but I must confess I’m love already, with your enthusiasm for local foods and culture. That’s remarkable,
This food really looks spicy, I wonder how you were able to cope with it all. Amazing!
Joel Bruner
5 years ago
Hi Ekta, welcome to the site! Actually Laos food was not nearly as spicy as Thai, so I am used to it here. Thanks for writing, have a great day!
Lai Chan
5 years ago
Saibadee Mark! I love your energy, your passions for food and your enthusiasm about the local culture and mostly the people you have met along your journeys. Thanks for sharing your video about Laos. I am from Laos but left my homeland at the age of 7. So I don’t remember anything but thanks to you, I wanted to go back to visit. Keep doing what you do because so many people like this type of adventures and get to share the experience that you take us through your journeys. If I do decided to go visit Laos, I will definitely go to all the places you’ve recommended in your video.
Elizabeth Higgins
5 years ago
After reading through the post, I got curious as to how the raw version of the Laap Pia looks like, Mark. And man was I blown away! I honestly don’t know if I would dare myself to eat it or just settle with the cooked version. I have met a few Laotian friends and I am excited yet nervous for our upcoming get-together. By the way, your pictures of the other dishes make them look so enticing. I love spicy foods but am hoping theirs won’t be too spicy for my taste.
Joel Bruner
5 years ago
That sounds amazing, I would love to join you! Yes, the Laap Pia might look intimidating, but it is absolutely wonderful.
Ankara gezilecek yerler
5 years ago
Oh my god! I just ate my dinner and I was browsing your blog. Now I feel hungry again. Look what you have done! ???? I am very fond of Sandwiches and this one look yummy. I can’t help wondering its taste. Lucky you!
Joel Bruner
5 years ago
Thats awesome Ankara 🙂 . Thanks for writing (dont get too hungry!)
Nick Kembel
5 years ago
OMG the fresh herbs in that laap look SO good. Any idea if they do a vegetarian version?
Joel Bruner
5 years ago
Hi Nick, actually there are wonderful versions I have had in Bangkok using mushrooms, and/or tofu, try Laab Het (thats the mushroom version), I had it near the Pahurat area of BKK. In Laos its a bit harder to find veg/jae/vegan friendly restaurants, but if you take the time to explain then I guarantee you will find chefs ready to accommodate any diet. Laos are some of the most friendly people in the world.
Nick Kembel
5 years ago
Thanks for your reply!! Will definitely seek out next time in SE Asia!
amazon
5 years ago
This plate looks amazing ! I miss Asia so much for the food !
Here in South America it’s not that fancy
Stephen Robert
5 years ago
Waw! it’s looking very delicious ????????
Marie
5 years ago
I’ve been to this restaurant actually! Great reading this article; bringing back some good memories to my time in Vientiane.
Rakesh Khushwaha
5 years ago
Waw! this is really amazing blog very entertaining, Thank you for sharing????????
Keith
5 years ago
Laap is a favorite of mine, though I can’t take the truly spicy versions. I have a couple recipes that I have made in the past. However, none quite live up to the versions I got in Laos. Any tips on making it?
Joel Bruner
5 years ago
Thats a great idea Keith, I really should make a video of Laap. So far I have really only done some Central and Southern Thai dishes, but there is a video for Som Tam. But you’re totally right, Som Tam in Laos is just incredible!
Jenny
5 years ago
The food looks so yummy, perfect for a foodie like me… Do they serve chicken?
Hiroko
5 years ago
Hi Mark, I have lived in Vientiane for 3 years. I really enjoyed your recent videos of Lao food. I know most of the food is super spicy to most of non-Lao people including me, but how come you have such a resistance to the heat? I liked watching you eating a full scoop of Lao chilies, but I don’t want you to give others an wrong idea that Lao food is “just a little bit spicy”. I think I have an ordinal taste bud for the spices and I can take only half a chili in the papaya salad, while the average Lao papaya salad has 10 chilies in it. Do you think you may want to say something like, “I like to put a lot of chilies but this may be very spicy for most of you.”? Maybe it helps the viewers guess how spicy the food here is.
I am leaving the country in 2 months and your videos introduced me some new food I haven’t seen before. So thank you very much for coming here. Hope you feel like coming to my next country some time!
William K.
5 years ago
My wife is from Vientiane. Every trip I take with her home is an culinary adventure. There are so many different foods to choose from, from the morning khao jii pate, the mid day bowl of steaming pho, to an afternoon banquet at the Kong View on the shore of the mighty Mekong River. Everyday a different dish, a different taste, a world of flavors to experience all in one city. Whether you choose to dine in a fancy sit-down restaurant, a quaint roadside eatery or on a boat floating down the Nam Ngum, you will not be disappointed you came to Vientiane Laos.
Chor Lee
5 years ago
Hi Mark, thank you for this amazing Episode. Laos is my home country and I haven’t been back there for 25 years. Watching your videos on Laos brings back memories. The food looks so natural as if I’ve been eating that all my life. Hopefully I can make my way there sooner than later.
From central Wisconsin, THANK YOU.
Marisse
5 years ago
Thank you for featuring the delicious food of Vientiane, Laos.
I was born there.. I have a Filipino father and a Thai mother. I’m now based in the Philippines. Going back to Vientiane is one of my bucket lists.
V
5 years ago
Hey Mark i didn’t realise that the thai and lao language was very similar until i watched these videos and looked on Wikipedia. Do you think it would still be OK to go around vientiane without knowing the language?
Peter
5 years ago
Hi Mark
I have never eaten anything cooked in bile! Is it the most bitter thing you’ve eaten?
Behnam
5 years ago
Great as always
Tim
5 years ago
This plate looks amazing ! I miss Asia so much for the food !
Here in South America it’s not that fancy 🙁
Mark Wiens
5 years ago
Thanks Tim, glad you enjoy Asian food so much too.
Freda
5 years ago
The herbs, mixed with spicy, meaty stuff …yummy!
Mark Wiens
5 years ago
Thanks for reading Freda.
Anisa
5 years ago
A question mark, do they serve a chicken laap?
Mark Wiens
5 years ago
Hey Anisa, they do at some places, but I believe here it was only pork and beef.
Jenny
6 years ago
14 bucks for all this amazing food sounds like a good deal to me 😀 Can’t wait to visit Laos myself.
Mark Wiens
5 years ago
Thanks Jenny!
Orawan
6 years ago
Hello Mark and your quitie family’s.
Thank you very much for sharing all of these yummy food from all around the world and I am just loving it.
May GOD Blass you all.
Mark Wiens
5 years ago
Hi Orawan, you’re welcome, and thank you very much for your support. Hope you and your family are well.
Max Scott
6 years ago
Thanks a lot for sharing this perfect experience. I really appreciate your time and efforts for writing such a interesting article.
Mark Wiens
6 years ago
Hey Max, you’re welcome, thanks for reading. Hope you’re doing well.
Bertahan
6 years ago
I plan to go to Laos later this year and I’m a big foodie. I will definitely be trying Laap out! Thanks for the restaurant tip.
Keerthivasan
6 years ago
Hi Mark, I am a huge fan of your work. I have watched all your videos from beginning. Enjoyed every bit of it. Say hi to mica and ying. I have been to lao but never tried this restaurant. I love duck. Will try on next trip. Godspeed to you and your family.
Matilda
6 years ago
I wish I knew about this place before my trip to Vientiane. Hopefully I can go back to try laap one day.
Mark Wiens
6 years ago
Thanks Matilda, so much good food in Vientiane.
behnam
6 years ago
Hi, I am the name of Binhāmam. I am one of your fans. I have seen many of your films and I heard you want to go to Iran, is this news correct? I heard the news that I was very happy to come to Iran … please, if you saw my comment ………….. Thank you. _ Behnam
Mark Wiens
6 years ago
Hey Binhāmam, great to hear from you, thank you very much. Yes, I would love to visit Iran. Thanks and hope you’re doing well.
behnam
6 years ago
Hello mark,Thankyou for recpect to opinion and answer the comments.
thanks a lot for answer my comments.
Behnam
Birsel Gülmüş
6 years ago
I just saw your video from your food experience you describe. It’s almost midnight in Switzerland and we had a busy day preparing for Easter for my boyfriend who is a catholic. We just came home from church. But I was anticipating the whole day to see your vlog so I watched otherwise I can’t sleep! Thank you for your efforts????????????????????????????????
Lots of love to Ying and Micah and to you.
Birsel
Mark Wiens
6 years ago
Thank you very much Birsel, really appreciate your watching. Happy Easter to you and your family!
Nelson King
6 years ago
All that green. Wow! This is one of those places where you go on a binge and still feel awesome afterwards. The food with all that green looks amazing!
Mark Wiens
6 years ago
Right about that Nelson, an amazing place, meaty but light and herb filled.