It was recommended by TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet. It turned out to be a Thai fusion place that was disappointing. At least the crab was real. The food was good, but nothing special. Salt or MSG was the main ingredient.
Bangkok ~ Taling Pling
Category: Food
Chiang Mai ~ Babylonian Restaurant
After stuffing myself with salty noodles and mango juice, I was aimlessly strolling through the same same stalls of stuff for sale and saw a small sign. It said “Iraq Restaurant.” It’s the kind of sign that you could chuff off as touristy or be intrigued. I was going. But not now, I was too full. In the hours leading up do my train departure, I ambled back to Babylon, in the bustling moments before the night market opens and ordered the 450 baht (<15US$) set. It included naan bread, rice, hummus, falafel, veggie curry, lamb meat, 2 chicken legs, tabuleh and a Coke. Each bite was delicious, but the falafel won best taste. This meal sustained me from 4 pm, when I ate it, until I arrived in Bangkok almost 16 hours later. Recommended.
Chiang Mai ~ Night Bazaar
I couldn’t find good food despite everything I read about this city. I ate a noodle dish that literally was without taste. I encountered a bite with some black pepper and nearly jumped out of my seat with excitement. I walked into a good looking place on Saturday night at 8pm, ravenous with hunger and delighted to find a clean restaurant, where I was immediately met with disappointment as they were closing the kitchen! At 8pm on a Saturday, good time to close down!? I was stuck eating Mexican burritos for the 3rd time in as many days. Because when you’re hungry and in a strange town, you take what you can get; especially when places are closing down an hour after sundown. I kept asking around and everyone said, “Night market, good food. Go there, many things to eat.” I went and it was cheap and salty. This city doesn’t get my award for fulfilling the culinary delights for which Thailand is famous.
You buy a coupon book, and find the food you want among the stalls. I went for soups.
The first was Khao Soi–a noodle dish with spicy red curry broth.
The second was just called yellow noodle soup and recommended by the loquacious employee.
Here’s another nice Khao Soi.
After all that salt and curry powder, I needed some mango. We took several pictures until she was pleased with this one.
Luang Prabang ~ Muay Xai Restaurant
I actually have no idea what the name of this restaurant was, but it was something like that. It’s on one of the side streets. Among the myriad of bugs swarming the halogen lights, we dined on some more traditional Laos food.
Simply titled: Rice noodles with Beef–balanced and not oily. (<3US$)
Vegetable Stew: Full of dill, eggplant and green beans, not spicy and tender, but strange chicken pieces. (<5US$)
Luang Prabang ~ Tamarind
It’s a famous restaurant in town that prepares completely traditional food for reasonable prices. I stumbled accidentally, in a dazed post massage pleasure stroll, into this restaurant. They offer cooking classes and have a three page history of Laotian food at the back of the menu. I got a good vibe from the place.
First, I ordered the Beer tasting platter. It’s just a big Beerlao, but it comes with a plate of nibblins, Laos nibblins.
Starting clockwise at the rice cake, under it was a sweet potato cracker, pumpkin seeds, dried ginger, dried mushroom, dried banana, sesame seaweed and salty peanuts in the middle. Perfect finger food with a cold beer.
The next dish was called “Five Bites.”
Starting clockwise at the amazing Luang Prabang sausage, (and ignoring the sticky rice) lettuce wrapped around peanut paste and lemongrass, minced pork in dill and coriander, pickled cabbage, and water buffalo beef jerky. I couldn’t have picked a better lunch for my taste buds. Total satisfaction for under 10US$.
Recommended*
Vang Vieng ~ Breakfast
It’s a tourist town. The party people tube, the adventurers ride 4 wheelers, the vigorous go rock climbing, the hungover/lazy go to the chill bars and watch Friends re-runs. No matter who you are, this was your breakfast most days. There is a glut of street vendors advertising any combination of meat, cheese, avocado and egg; as well as sweeter treats like crepes and shakes. I tried to switch it up one day and had a muesli and yogurt. I was hungry within 20 minutes.
Vientiane ~ A Walk about Town
Central Laos ~ Food
Since there were few options for quality Western food in these listless river cities, I ate local. My favorite way to eat local is by asking what is the waitresses’ favorite dish, but English isn’t widely spoken, so I took my chances. Menus usually have three options: rice with various meats, noodles with various meats or fish…with rice or noodles. I’m not complaining, sometimes it’s strange and delicious, but other times you are hungry for specificity, which can lead to frustration. That frustration goes simmering into the sunset when you get a dish like this:
Pakse, Laos ~ A Mopey Mekong City
This massive 40m waterfall was the highlight, I sat on the top, dangled my feet over the edge and giggled with that childish fear of height coupled with excitement.
Dine in the Dark
I had heard about a place like this once. Blacked out, curtained, dark dining. Simple enough idea, let blind people serve sighted people dinner. Two girls and I left our hostel with anticipation running high for this surprise tasting menu to be consumed in pitch black settings. The interior has mild purple lighting with trendy white leather seats. We all ordered the “international” four course meal. Our waiter, a blind man of slight build affectionately and inexplicably called, “Manbaby,” led us up stairs, through doors and curtains to our table where he helped us acclimatize to the darkness. There was no change when you blinked, so I just let my eyes rest. We were giggly and giddy. The wine poured, we gingerly toasted our goblets of red. The first course came and food is blindly shoveled onto a fork, perhaps avocado and shrimp? Second course, a lamb in light sauce with broccoli? Third course was three shot glasses of soups, we guessed cucumber, pumpkin and mystery. Dessert was unmistakably pineapple and some chocolate. Dinner was delicious, our waiter was extremely helpful in our sightless situation, and the taste was heightened by lack of visuals. We made jokes about “putting it in our mouth, can’t find it because it was too little, hold it harder, who touched my leg” and other “that’s what she said,” comments. Afterwards,each plate was explained in pictures via Ipad. It was a great experience, and this “dark dining” idea is found in many cities over the world. Check to see if you can support one in your area.
E.A.T. 