Kualao Restaurant

Vientiane, the capital of Laos, is not quite what you imagine. I must strongly recommend this restaurant, Kualao Restaurant. It is really super delicious, especially the rice ball dessert, the coconut flavor is endless. The restaurant is very close to the Black Pagoda, so you can go there by the way. During the day, visit the Arc de Triomphe, That Luang Temple, Simeon Temple, and the Emerald Buddha Temple. You can buy a ticket to climb the Arc de Triomphe to see the capital~ And taking a taxi here is really a rip-off. The starting price for a taxi from the hotel is 50rmb... I even doubted whether I was in Southeast Asia.

Nice to visit for an occasion but pricey and rushed Felt a bit rushed and the waiter wasn’t very friendly but maybe because we were quite dressed down. The bill was 250,000 KIP for 2 people (1 starter, 1 beer, 2 x main meals). Felt pricey and didn’t really enjoy the chicken laab (they didn’t tell us you’re meant to eat it wrapped up in lettuce and we only realised after we’d had most of it). It’s a nice place to celebrate an occasion but there a better local places to try Lao food without feeling like you’re in the wrong place.

The first meal in Laos was chosen here. It is a restaurant with traditional Laotian characteristics. You need to make reservations in advance. There are performances here. Mekong fish soup and Mekong fish are recommended. Mekong fish is cooked with curry. Bamboo rice is made of sticky purple rice. When eating, you pinch it into balls with your hands. The more you pinch, the chewier it becomes. I strongly recommend their dessert: coconut milk sago, which contains various fruits and pearl glutinous rice balls. It is sweet and delicious! The performances here are also very local. It is worth coming here to dine and enjoy! After dinner, you can stroll to the Arc de Triomphe to see the night view!

Only when you come here can you know the authentic Laos. Several Japanese prime ministers have dined here, including Abe and Koizumi, who are not liked by the Chinese. The traditional and authentic Laotian cuisine and songs and dances are definitely a window to understand Laotian culture. The price per person is 35 US dollars.

The environment is really great. It was my first dinner in Laos. It was a great experience. We didn't make a reservation and the location is not very good, but we could still hear performances, singing and dancing. It is near the Prime Minister's Office, a little south of the Black Pagoda. You can come and sit here after visiting the Arc de Triomphe in the evening.