Luang Prabang: Kitchen on the Mekong at the Xiengthong Palace (February 2012)

My spouse and I enjoyed an outdoor lunch at the Kitchen on the Mekong at the Xiengthong Palace. The restaurant (on the grounds of the beautiful Xiengthong Palace hotel) boasts great river views, tasty food, creative presentations, and excellent service. We had a multi-course meal (soup, entree [with four components], and dessert, and bottled water was included. (We paid about $5 total for two additional soft drinks.) This quaint Mekong riverside restaurant in the former royal residence (now a luxury boutique hotel) serves up some excellent food in a charming and serene location. Try the divine Mekong Boat, which is a salad with croutons, bacon, and feta cheese tossed in a vinaigrette and wrapped in a toasted Mekong seaweed (specialty of Luang Prabang) boat. Entrees include duck Shiraz, New Zealand lamb, and Tasmanian salmon (which is served with mushroom risotto and sundried tomato salsa). Lao dishes such as whisky-flavored buffalo steak are also on the menu, and make sure to leave room for dessert. The ebony chip chocolate mousse heated with Bailey's cream is particularly lovely.