Vientiane may be the capital of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, but the charm it exudes is definitely small-town. (There’s scarcely a building taller than four stories.) And just like in Luang Prabang, much of that charm is colonial. French mansions border 18th century temples, heaps of baguettes are sold alongside bundles of lemongrass, signs read in Lao and in French. But what has people coming back is the mood—utterly laid back and chilled.

Between sights (see box), one must eat. In Vientiane, the star is Lao food, of course. But it’s hard to resist the city’s other culinary treat: affordable, quality French cuisine. The restaurants we sampled would easily command prices twice (or more) as expensive in Bangkok. And you might already know that wine in Laos comes without the prohibitive taxes with which we are burdened here. So tie that giant white napkin around your neck and bon appetit!

Baguette and Crêpe Intro

The cheapest gateway to French food is the baguette sandwich. At fresh markets, these are prepared with pork rind and local vegetables that give them a very exotic twist. They make for a tasty snack, but are pretty far off what you’d find in a Paris café. For a more authentic version, head to the city center. A stone’s throw away from Namphu (the fountain square in the center of town), at 350 Samsenthai Road, there’s a street stall with a sign that reads “Baguette with Paté” where LAK14,000 (B50) will get you a paté or Vache Qui Rit (a bland cheese spread) sandwich. Salad seasoning and sweet pickles are not exactly authentic but it’s close enough. For an aperitif before dinner, sample white and red French wines, accompanied by cheese, and cold cuts for a mere US$6.90 (B231) next door at World Wine Asia (364 Th. Samsenthai, 856-21-217700, www.worldwineasia.com). While you’re there, grab some nearly tax-free bottles to take back to Bangkok.

Travelling a tad upscale, we find that pillar of French comfort food, the crêperie. Crêpes have long gone global but the people from Brittany (France’s western peninsula) are still the unrivalled masters of the salty crêpe, called galette, which is made from buckwheat flour. Ty-Na Crêperie’s (68 Pangkham Rd., by Namphu Square, 856-21-219314) owners are true-blood Brétons, and it shows. The campagnarde comes loaded with crème fraiche, bacon, mushrooms and cheese (LAK45,000 [B158]), and tastes fantastic. It’s not that easy to pull off—the ingredients can get greasy, the dough chewy, neither of which happened. They also do desert crêpes, but we advise you stick to simple ones, even a plain lemon and sugar crêpe, or one with apples and Calvados liquor. Ty-Na’s décor is a modern rustic affair that works best at night, but the view from the top balcony makes it a great lunch spot, too.

The Top Three

By now, you should be ready for some serious French dining. Le Central (077/8 Th. Setthatirath, 856-21-243703) is perhaps the most typically French restaurant in town, in a provincial bourgeois way. Chef Philippe Boucley is from Lyon, but don’t expect bistro style service—the wide tables have plenty of room between each other. The salmon and cucumber appetizer (US$6 [B207]) is nice and simple—light cream, fresh dill and salmon that doesn’t taste farmed—and a great excuse to eat loads of their amazing bread, cut from a wide, country-style loaf. The fondant de camembert (US$6.5 [B220]) cooked in a North African “brick leaf” came out flavorful, but not to the point of turning off those who equate French cheese with durian. Other recommendations are the classic côte de boeuf (a hefty slab of beef, US$26 [B873]), or pan-fried foie gras on ginger bread (US$13.50 [B467]). This is not the lightest cuisine, but the chef is from Lyon, not the Riviera.

Le Silapa (17/1 Sihom Rd., 856-21-219689) owner Frederic Dionne-Vachon and chef Anthony Dewald grew up together in Quebec—and you know the Quebecois can be more French than the French themselves. The décor is a little bit cosier here due to the narrow building, twisting staircase and beamed ceilings, but the cuisine is bolder than looks would suggest. Dewald uses local ingredients like mango (with a scallop carpaccio, US$7.75 [B263]) or kathiep flowers (with magret de canard [duck breast], US$10.75 [B364]). But even simple dishes like chicken breast with grilled vegetables (US$6.50 [B220]) or grilled shrimp with butter and garlic emulsion (US$7.75, B263) are bursting with flavor despite their wonderful lightness.

Finally, you must eat at Na Dao (by the Patuxai monument, 856-20-550488). The décor manages to combine a corrugated iron roof and plain wood structure with refined touches (great artwork, embroidered napkins, perfect lighting) that make it both elegant and original—adjectives that would fit the food just as well. The generous slab of foie gras (LAK150,000 [B508]) had superb texture (rich, not fat) and exploded with delicate flavors, almost a culinary oxymoron. It came with a beetroot mousse that played off the liver and the crisp salad’s garlic seasoning to create a match made in heaven. We could rave on and on about everything on the menu—the Alaskan snowfish with a squid ink risotto (LAK155,000 [B526]) and the lamb with goat’s cheese in a “brick leaf” (LAK130,000 [B440]) are to die for—but you’ll just have to try for yourself.

Do The Sights

1. Pha That Luang

Hold your hands to your eyes as the giant golden stupa sends you into mystical confusion. It’s so big, so bright, the sky seems somehow dark in comparison and the grass an unearthly green. As far as national symbols go, it’s hard to beat.

2. Wat Si Saket

Wat Si Saket is from 1818—and it looks it. The weather-worn textures, the deep, aged ochres, and the nearly petrified woods are a beauty. Across Th. Setthathirat, you can see where the Pra Kaew used to be. Yes, that Buddha image we’re so proud of, we “borrowed” it!

3. Patuxai

And you thought our anusawaree looked silly. This one was built from concrete stolen from the Yanks and copied off the Arc de Triomphe. Think of it as the architectural equivalent of a Lao baguette sandwich—pretty much the right shape, but very exotic ingredients.

4. Talad Sao

This is where Chinese iPod knockoffs, beaks of endangered jungle birds, baguette sandwiches and a sprawling fresh market all lie within walking distance of each other. There aren’t really any deals to be made, but it’s a fun walk.

5. The Mekong

The Mekong is a different river everywhere you see it. In Vientiane, the Lao bank is so wide and flat most of the year that it’s like a beach on the North Sea. People come down in the evening to play sports, fly kites, chill out and eat a few Lao delicacies washed down with succulent Beerlao.