Arya News - Today, laap is being promoted as part of Laos’ culinary soft power, offering a taste of Lao culture to people beyond the country’s borders. But for Lao people, laap is more than a popular dish. It is closely connected with traditions, memories and a sense of home.
VIENTIANE – For many Lao people, no celebration feels quite complete without laap. This traditional dish is commonly served at weddings, housewarmings and on other auspicious occasions, where its name is associated with good fortune and prosperity.
Today, laap is being promoted as part of Laos’ culinary soft power, offering a taste of Lao culture to people beyond the country’s borders.
But for Lao people, laap is more than a popular dish. It is closely connected with traditions, memories and a sense of home.
This can be experienced at the Nang Kheat restaurant in Fai village, Xaysettha district, Vientiane, where it is one of the main attractions.
During a recent visit, the aroma of roasted rice powder could be smelled even before the plate reached the table. The beef laap was served with fresh vegetables and warm sticky rice.
The first bite revealed the freshness of the meat, while the distinctive bitter flavour, herbs and roasted rice powder created the familiar taste of the dish. Paired with fresh vegetables and sticky rice, it was tempting enough to order another plate.
The owner of the Nang Kheat restaurant, Chantha Lertthavone.
The dish also tells a personal story. The owner, Chantha Lertthavone, left Laos in 1984 and went to the United States. He initially worked in a factory before moving into the restaurant business, where he helped run a Lao-Thai restaurant.
After more than 40 years abroad, Chantha retired and decided to return to Laos.
“Home is where I was born,” he said, explaining that family, tradition and the familiar way of life were important to him despite spending most of his adult life overseas.
He had been back in Laos for about eight months when he became involved with the Nang Kheat restaurant.
Before taking over the business, he returned home to ordain in honour of his mother who is now 106 years old.
For Chantha, returning to Laos has meant more than simply coming back to a familiar place. It has meant reconnecting with a way of life built around family, friendship, traditions and the sharing of food.
His connection with laab began when a friend introduced him to the restaurant.
After savouring it several times, Chantha said it reminded him of food prepared by his parents when he was young.
“It tasted like home,” he said.
He eventually decided to take over the restaurant and to use its original laab recipe and keep on the existing kitchen team.
Customers enjoy traditional dishes at the Nang Kheat restaurant in Fai village, Xaysettha district, Vientiane.
For Chantha, maintaining the familiar taste is important. He says the secret to good Lao food is fresh ingredients, including meat, vegetables and fish, while ensuring that fermented fish sauce is clean and properly prepared.
The restaurant has been open under his management for just over two months and offers laab starting at 60,000 kip, along with a variety of soups and other dishes.
The appeal of laap goes beyond its taste. It brings people together around the same table, carries wishes for good fortune and is an integral part of important occasions.
For someone who spent more than four decades abroad, it can also provide a reminder of where he came from.
At the Nang Kheat restaurant, a plate of laap is more than a dish of food it offers a taste of Lao tradition, memories and home.