Tucked into the hills of Luang Prabang, Lao-Lao Garden serves a wildly interactive Lao barbecue that turns dinner into equal parts cooking, theatre and communal ritual.
First impressions of a Lao barbecue in Luang Prabang
I don’t profess to being a world-renowned expert on barbecues.
The last time I tried to cook one, I took the slug-covered tarpaulin off the barbie to discover that everything had rusted and it was totally unusable.
I’ve also been known to serve up cremated sausages and pretty-much-raw burgers in the past too.
But I do know what one looks like.
Meat, on a grill, turned over fairly regularly by a man who, otherwise, has absolutely zero interest in cooking.
This is not the case in Laos, it seems.
Arriving at Lao-Lao Garden in Luang Prabang
It was suggested that a Lao barbecue would be a good dinner option while in Luang Prabang.
I wasn’t overly enthused by the idea, but couldn’t be arsed to argue.
I’m glad I didn’t.
The Lao-Lao Garden is an odd bar/ restaurant that climbs up numerous levels of a hillside.
It boasts that it’s the only place left in town that does proper Lao barbecues, and it does them for a relative pittance.
How the Lao barbecue experience works
It turns out that the meal is a mixture of dining and theatre.
First come the bowls of chilli, tamarind sauce, salad and noodles.
Frankly, the salad and noodles constitutes a meal in itself.
But it’s what they take away that’s important.
The waiter comes over to the table and removes a large tile in the middle of it – underneath is what can only be described as a metal holster.
It’s used for holding in place the new addition – a fiery bowl of smouldering, burning wood.
On top of that goes a metal contraption that looks a little like a sunhat with the rim upturned.
Cooking your own Lao barbecue at the table
Then even more arrives – a tankard of broth, two unshelled raw eggs and a platter of raw meat.
The latter is pork, chicken or buffalo, depending on what you chose.
Lao buffalo is way juicier than Lao beef, incidentally.
The usual muscular, tough South-East Asian beef problem is cancelled out.
On top of the meat are two slabs of pork fat.
They go on top of the metal grill/ hat thing, the juices slowly seeping down the sides as it is heated.
The broth is poured into the channel created by the upfolded rim, and the veg and noodles are tipped into that watery moat to cook.
Then come the eggs – tap them on each end, then push a chopstick through, letting it slowly pour into the broth, digging out the yolk as you go.
The meat comes last, laid in strips against the slopes of the mountain topped by the pork fat.
It sears beautifully, cooked by the fiery wood underneath.
Eating the finished dish
Then, when the meat is cooked sufficiently, you slide it down into the veg and egg-packed broth, and transfer the lot into a bowl.
Add peppers and the tamarind sauce as you see fit for flavouring, scoff, and repeat with whatever’s leftover.
It’s an extraordinary feast, one that’s equal parts playground, science lab, ceremony, performance and din-dins.
It’s so resolutely different that it brings a gleeful grin to everyone’s face.
Even those who just wanted to eat and get away as quickly as possible find themselves wrapped up in the experience.
If barbecues were always this much fun, I’d scrape off that rust…
Nearby attractions in Luang Prabang
- Mount Phousi for panoramic views over the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers.
- Royal Palace Museum to explore Laos’ royal history in the heart of town.
- Luang Prabang Night Market for street food, crafts and evening atmosphere.
- Wat Xieng Thong, one of the city’s most important Buddhist temples.
- Morning Alms Giving for a glimpse of daily monastic life at dawn.
Lao-Lao Garden barbecue FAQs
| What is a Lao barbecue? | A Lao barbecue is a table-top cooking experience where meat is grilled above hot coals while broth, vegetables and eggs cook in a surrounding moat. |
| What meats are served? | Guests can usually choose between pork, chicken or buffalo. |
| Do you cook the food yourself? | Yes, the barbecue is entirely hands-on, with diners grilling the meat and assembling their own bowls. |
| Is it suitable for first-time visitors to Luang Prabang? | Yes, it is an accessible and memorable way to experience local food culture. |
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