Tamarind is the most consistently praised restaurant in Luang Prabang for traditional Lao food. It sits in a wooden house near the Royal Palace and focuses on dishes that many restaurants in town don't bother with: jeow (Lao dipping sauces served with sticky rice), mok pa (fish steamed in banana leaves), and a wide selection of the fermented and preserved ingredients that define authentic Lao home cooking.
They also run popular cooking classes where you visit the morning market, select ingredients, and return to cook a multi-course Lao meal. Booking ahead is recommended, especially in high season (November to February). The tasting set menu gives the best overview of the range of Lao cuisine.