Eat Healthy! Be Happy!
For an intrepid traveler looking to discover and connect with the locals, one need not look further than the streets. Eating by the sidewalk may raise some eyebrows and pop in hygienic concerns. Yes, there are risks but having gastronomical ailments in truth is as rare as hitting the 5 numbers of a 6-digit lottery lotto. So going beyond the risks, eating along with the locals is a great immersion in their culinary culture. And in Laos, it's not such a bad thing as most eating establishments are along the sidewalks.
I was feeling adventurous when I was in Laos, so when I met with my local guide and he asked me where we want to eat I told him, “we'll eat where you guys eat”.