Lao cuisine is the cuisine of Laos. It is distinct from other Southeast Asian cuisines, with its closest relative being the cuisine of the Isan region of Thailand. The staple food of the Lao is sticky rice, although Laotians enjoy a very wide variety of foods and ingredients, including wild plants and insects. Galangal and fish sauce are important ingredients. The Laotian national dish is larb, a spicy mixture of raw, marinated meat and/or fish (prepared like ceviche) with a variable combination of greens and vegetables.
Laotian cuisine has many regional variations, according in part to the fresh foods local to each region. A French influence is also apparent in the capital city, Vientiane, such that baguettes are sold on the street, and French restaurants (often with a naturally Laotian, Asian-fusion touch) are common and popular. Vietnamese cuisine is also very popular in Laos.
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