Saravan roadside restaurant serves up south’s best grilled chicken

If you are travelling to the south of Laos, a stop for lunch or dinner at the popular Maelae Ping Kai Napong restaurant in Saravan province is highly recommended.
This restaurant has been serving some of the best grilled chicken and other local food to passers-by for over six years and has become a legend of sorts.
Napong grilled chicken is a popular food in Saravan province since it first received attention 10 years ago. It is a favourite dish among Lao people and tourists love it too.
The restaurant owner’s daughter, Ms Dam Xayyaphet, told Vientiane Times the chicken sells for 25,000 to 50,000 kip.

Grilled chicken served at the Maelae Ping Kai Napong restaurant.

The restaurant also serves beef and fish salad sets for 20,000 kip, beef soup at 20,000 kip, fried rice for 15,000 kip, noodle soup for 15,000 kip, papaya, bean and cucumber salads for 10,000 kip, and sticky rice for 5,000 kip.
“Most of our customers are locals or foreigners who are travelling from Vientiane to the south. We also get some local residents,” she said.
The menu cater to all types of people – tourists, government officials, private sector employees and families.
Every day, about 30 people visit the restaurant and it is open from 7am to 9pm Monday to Friday.
“Maelae Ping Kai Napong restaurant is different from other eateries because it offers the best grilled chicken and popular local food. It is of the best quality and the products are fresh and sold at reasonable prices,” Ms Dam said.
A customer, Mr Khamdy Douangsavanh, said “I always visit this restaurant whenever I travel to the area because I like the grilled chicken they sell.”
Maelae Ping Kai Napong restaurant is easy to find as it is located in Napong village, Khongxedon district.
You can travel from Vientiane to Saravan province by bus or private vehicle. It may take about six hours by private vehicle and 10 hours by bus.

By Viengdavanh Banphahaksa
(Latest Update November 3, 2018)