Khao piak sen — Lao rice noodle soup with chicken or pork and fresh herbs — is the national comfort food, and this riverside spot does it well and cheaply. A bowl arrives with a plate of bean sprouts, basil, chilli, and lime on the side for you to adjust as you go. It is the best kind of traveller's breakfast: warming, cheap, and filling enough to carry you through a morning of cycling or cave exploration.
The wooden terrace extends over the riverbank, and if you time it right you'll watch the morning ferry traffic and the occasional long-tail boat heading upstream. The cooking is done by the family who owns the place; the menu is short and doesn't change. Go for the noodles and the view, not for variety.