New & Cool in Luang Prabang: Le Calao Restaurant

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The L’Elephant family of fine dining restaurants in Luang Prabang opened the doors to Le Calao in October 2017, to present authentic royal cuisine and traditional Lao, ethnic, and seasonal dishes.

Le Calao was born from a wish to keep track of all the authentic recipes from Laos. The restaurant stalwartly maintains an extended menu presenting a complete selection of all former royal table dishes. 

Le Calao’s menu also features a sizeable selection of offerings using traditional ethnic recipes. The restaurant work with the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre to ensure the authenticity of the dishes, and alters the menu with the seasons to follow the cultural traditions.  

World travellers have long recognized Luang Prabang’s refined gastronomy, which relates to the UNESCO city’s status as the Lao Kingdom’s ancient capital. To maintain this status, the restaurant imports fine-dining food and ingredients, while the area’s lush vegetation brings multiple opportunities to enrich Lao dishes and recipes.   

The Mekong’s large fish population provides a major source of protein for many local dishes. The “Mother River” also adds interesting riverweed snacks to the menu.    

Le Calao sits in a World Heritage Site-listed building on the Peninsula’s main road, which dates to 1904.The restaurant presents multiple indoor and outdoor dining options including private saloons and air-conditioned dining rooms.

The restaurant’s multiple terraces facing the Mekong present the perfect venue for hosting parties and holding meetings.

Le Calao also offers a selection of appropriate fine Western wines to match their fare, a range of spirits, as well as cigars for those who wish to indulge in excellent tobacco.

As part of “Secret Retreats/ Secret Tables”, Le Calao is eyeing a dining cruise with the Satri Hotel’s boat, as it is docked down the stairs to the Mekong, directly across the street from the restaurant.

With the development of tourism and the arrival of Western food, some of the traditional dishes are no longer featured in restaurants menus, but Le Calao has changed that.

Other offspring of L’Elephant family include the original L’Elephant Restaurant, Coconut Garden, Bistro Ban Vat Sène, and Elephant Vert.

Visit Le Calao  

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