Soop Pak

Last but not least, another impressive food on the local menu in Laos is this sour, herb and vegetables filled mix with sesame seeds. You can find many variations of sooppak, some with string beans, others with spinach like greens, and possibly my favorite, a local version with cashew tree leaves.

The vegetables are typically blanched, mixed with herbs, and the most necessary ingredient is a huge amount of sesame seeds to wrap it all together and give it its unique nutty taste.

Not ‘soup,’ but ‘soop!’

Where to go: Sooppak is common at Laotian food stalls selling a variety of different stews and jaew. Ask them for sooppak, and they will surely have some variation of it. Find it at the night market just off the walking street in historical LuangPrabang.

Conclusion

Let me tell you clearly, this is by all means not an exhaustive list of Lao food; This is just the beginning of the amazing world of dishes you can eat in Laos.

What stands out to me, just about more than anything, is the way Laotian food makes extreme use of fresh natural herbs, and when it comes to protein, doesn’t shy away from eating nose to tail – everything from bile to rumen.

SOOP PAK, A MUST EAT VIBRANT LAOS VEGETABLE DISH

Keep enjoying and exploring the glorious cuisine of Laos!