Phimphone MarketMARKET$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 94/6 Th Setthathirath; h7am-9pm Mon-Sat; aW)
This self-catering oasis stocks everything from gleaming fresh veg, to ice cream, imported salami, bread, biscuits and chocolate, as well as Western toiletries and magazines. It also stocks Hobo maps of the city. It's located in the same building as Benoni Café.
oLe BannetonBAKERY$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Th Nokèokoummane; breakfast 45,000K; h7am-9pm; aW)
Get here early before the country's best croissants run out. The simple interior makes for a nice place to read a paper over a tart, salad, panini or omelette, or you can sit outside on the small terrace. Tasty breakfasts and home-made marmalade and jam.
oMakphet RestaurantLAOTIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-260587; makphet-restaurant.org; Th In Paeng; mains 40,000-82,000K; h11am-10.30pm; aWv)S
Makphet, managed by Friends International (www.friends-international.org), helps disadvantaged kids build a future as chefs and waiters. The stunning villa sits in lush gardens, lit with fairy-lights at night. The interior is no less inviting, the service a cut above average, and the cuisine superb, with Lao fare like green papaya salad with aquatic beetle or buffalo láhp. It's a romantic spot.
AcquaITALIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-255466; www.acqua.la; 78 Th François Ngin; mains 40,000-200,000K, lunch buffet 98,000K; h11am-10pm; aW)
Considered by many residents to be the finest Italian restaurant in the city. The 98,000K lunch buffet is justifiably popular and includes a choice of entrées. Indulgent mains include sockeye-salmon ravioli and some sumptuous imported cuts from land and sea. The owner also runs Vinoteca, a leading wine importer, so the Italian wine list is top notch.
Khop Chai DeuASIAN, FUSION$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-251564; 54 Th Setthathirath; mains 25,000-90,000K; h8am-midnight; aWv)
In a remodelled colonial-era villa near Nam Phu, Khop Chai Deu has been a travellers' favourite for years because of its range of well-prepared Lao, Thai, Indian and assorted European fare. Upstairs is a new low-lit bar with slick urban swagger.
Benoni CaféASIAN, FUSION$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-213334; Th Setthathirath; mains 40,000-60,000K; h10am-6pm Mon-Sat; aW)
A stylish place on Th Setthathirath, Benoni is only open till early evening, which seems to be making it even more popular. Come lunchtime its contemporary interior is packed with NGO and Lao urbanites. The menu is Asian-fusion-meets-Italian, and includes super-fresh snacks, salads and pasta dishes.
AmphoneLAOTIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 10/3 Th Wat Xieng Nyean; mains 35,000-100,000K, set menu 80,000K; h11am-10pm; aW)
Featured on celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain's Discovery TV series, this upscale oasis of wood floors and salmon-coloured walls is refined and cool. Aside from an encyclopedic wine list, Amphone's menu replicates traditional Laotian dishes based on owner Mook's grandmother's creations. 'Luang Prabang sausage' and 'fish citronella' are but a couple.
Le VendômeFRENCH$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 39 Th In Paeng; mains 40,000-90,000K; h5-10pm Tue-Sun; a)
Located behind a cascade of ivy, it's almost as if this vintage French restaurant is in hiding. The menu comprises very reasonably priced soufflés, pâtés, salads, wood-fired pizzas, terrines and steaks. The candlelit interior, peppered with vintage bull-fighting posters, is perfect for a romantic escape.
La TerrasseFRENCH$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Th Nokèokoummane; mains 40,000-100,000K; h11am-2pm & 6-10pm Mon-Sat; aW)
With its old-fashioned French ambience of white-topped tables and custard-cream interior, this is a good spot for well-executed Gallic cuisine. There's plenty of choice, including steak au frites, steak Provencal, boeuf bourguignon, pan-fried fish, quiche, soup and thin-crust pizza. It's also popular with French expats for its tempting wine list.
OsakaJAPANESE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-213352; Th Nokèokoummane; mains 30,000-80,000K; h8am-10pm; aW)
A lively hole-in-the-wall, with slatted chairs on a plant-filled verandah, cosy Osaka tempts you inside with its lipstick-red booths. Oodles of noodle variations, sashimi, vegie dishes, sushi and tempura.
Sputnik BurgerBURGERS$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-56386386; www.facebook.com/SputnikBurger; Th Setthathirath; mains 45,000-75,000K; h11am-10pm; aW)
A contemporary burger joint featuring great beef burgers with Swiss cheese, bacon, eggplant and many other additions and sauces. Salads and milkshakes too. Exposed-brick walls, low lighting and a bisected VW bug outside – which serves as two little booths – make this a fun spot. It's in the same building as Jazzy Brick.
oL'Adresse de TinayFRENCH$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-56913434; Wat Ongteu; mains 80,000-200,000K; h5-10.30pm; aW)
Alchemising an eclectic gastronomic landscape of snails and scrambled eggs, sea-bream fillet, beef tenderloin, rack of lamb and rosemary, plus to-die-for crème brûlée perfumed with Madagascan vanilla, Chef Tinay is one of the city's top chefs. Happy hour on bubbles and wine is from 5pm to 7pm daily. It's located behind the temple.
oPimentónSPANISH$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-215506; www.pimentonrestaurant-vte.com; Th Nokèokoummane; mains 60,000-200,000K, set lunch 75,000K; h11am-2.30pm & 5-10pm Mon-Sat; aW)
Pimentón, with its high ceilings and sleek bar, is widely considered to be the best steak restaurant in the capital. Only the choicest cuts of sirloin, chateaubriand and rib-eye make it to its fiery open grill. At lunch there's tapas: think imported jamón ibérico (a type of cured ham), calamares (squid) and charcuterie of cured meats. Run by a lovely husband-and-wife team.
oLe SilapaFRENCH$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-219689; 88 Th Setthathirath; mains 80,000-250,000K, set lunches 65,000-120,000K; h11am-11pm; aW)
Recently relocated Le Silapa is beautiful in its chichi whiteness complemented by the wood floors, raftered ceiling and birdcage lights. A contender for Vientiane's finest Gallic restaurant, it features favourites from foie gras to salads, and steaks to veal brains casserole. It's upstairs at the excellent iBeam bar. Magnifique, especially the excellent-value set lunches.
Thanon Samsènethai & Around
oKung's Cafe LaoLAOTIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-219101; near Ministry of Health, Phiawat Village; mains 12,000-20,000K; h7am-4pm)
Approaching cult status with Vientiane residents in the know, Kung's Cafe is hard to find, but well worth the extra effort. Affable Kung has decorated the local diner with hanging gourds and has a simple and effective menu that is superb value. Try the sticky rice pancake or phat Lao and wash it down with a signature coffee and coconut.
Vieng SawanVIETNAMESE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-213990; Th Hengboun; mains 20,000-50,000K; h11am-10pm; W)
In the middle of Chinatown, Vieng Sawan is a bustling open-sided restaurant that offers a fun eating experience. It specialises in nǎem néuang (Vietnamese barbecued pork meatballs) and many varieties of yáw (spring rolls), usually sold in 'sets' (sut) with khào pûn, fresh lettuce leaves, mint, basil, various sauces for dipping, sliced carambola (starfruit) and green banana.
Han Ton PhaiLAOTIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-252542; Th Pangkham; mains 10,000-20,000K; h9am-10pm)
An escape from carb-heavy bakeries, this Lao mainstay is earthy and authentic, its menu spanning pork láhp (spicy Lao-style salad) to kôy pąa, a chunky salad of freshwater fish and fresh herbs (10,000K to 20,000K). There's no English-language sign, so keep an eye open for the billboard that says 'traditional food'.
PVOVIETNAMESE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-454663; off Th Simeuang; mains 15,000-25,000K; h6am-7pm Mon-Sat, to 2pm Sun; Wv)
This fresh, no-frills Vietnamese-run eatery is one of the better places in town to grab lunch, and in addition to several tasty spring-roll-based Vietnamese dishes, PVO does some of the best khào jįi pá-tê (baguettes with liver pâté, veg and cream c
heese, dripping with sweet chilli sauce) in town.
That Dam NoodleLAOTIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-214441; mains 15,000-30,000K; h8.30am-2pm)
Hidden away down a side street near That Dam, this place is run by an affable Lao chef who is clearly proud of his noodle-soup creations. Duck is a speciality, but chicken, pork and fish variations are also available. Look out for the larger-than-life sign of the owner with a steaming bowl of soup.
Jamil Zahid Punjab RestaurantPAKISTANI$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-58871133; Ban Haysoke; mains 25,000-50,000K; h10am-10pm; Wv)
Run by the irrepressible Jamil, who likes to take photographs of all his customers to post on Facebook (although there's is no offence taken if you decline the opportunity to be immortalised). The predominantly Pakistani and North Indian menu is excellent and good value, but the place is a little hard to find as it's tucked away down an alley.
Noy's Fruit HeavenCAFE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Th Hengboun; mains 20,000-30,000K; h7am-9pm; aW)
Noy's is a homely, colourful juice bar with Chinese paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Stop in to pick up a few of your 'five a day' or decimate your hangover with one of its dragonfruit, coconut, mango, or tomato-juice shakes (10,000K). It also turns out super fresh fruit salads and burgers, and rents bikes (10,000K).
Temple View CafeCAFE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-262359; mains 19,000-89,000K; h10am-5pm; aW)
A popular bolt-hole for those in the know, this cafe offers a temple view of Wat Haysoke. The menu is very affordable and includes a mix of light Lao bites and general cafe fare of salads and wraps. It's a funky little spot with the added bonus of air-con on a hot day.
Baguette & Pâté VendorSTREET FOOD$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Th Samsènethai; half/whole baguette 11,000/22,000K; h6am-8pm)
Serves great khào jįi pá-tê (baguettes with liver pâté, veg and cream cheese, dripping with sweet chilli sauce). There's no English-language sign here, but the stall is directly on the corner of Th Pangkham and Th Samsènethai.
Once Upon a TimeCAFE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %030-5809988; Th Dong Palan; mains 20,000-40,000K; h7am-6pm; aW)
Feed your inner princess with a trip to this fairy-tale-themed cafe in the Phonthan part of town. The owner-barista here has won multiple awards in Thailand and the coffee will definitely deliver a caffeine fix. The breakfasts are a cut above the guesthouse and budget-hotel offerings.
oLao KitchenLAOTIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-254332; www.lao-kitchen.com; Th Hengboun; mains 40,000-70,000K; h11am-10pm; aWv)
This superb contemporary Lao restaurant is unfailingly creative in its execution of trad-Lao dishes. Colourful walls, alt tunes and decent service complement a menu spanning stews, Luang Prabang sausage, láhp variations, stir-fried morning glory (water spinach), spring rolls, Mekong fish soup and palate-friendly sorbets. Choose the level of spice with chilli gradings of one to three.
La Cag du CoqFRENCH$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-54676065; off Th Hengboun; mains 40,000-100,000K; h11am-11pm; W)
Named after the fighting-cock cages that ornately decorate the garden, this is a classic French restaurant offering duck confit, buffalo fillet and coquilles San-Jacques (angel-hair-encrusted scallops in this case). Popular weekend brunch, plus the owner is known for his penchant for big-screen rugby.
Korean RestaurantKOREAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-22087080; Th Hengboun; mains 30,000-180,000K; h9am-11pm; aW)
Lacklustre name aside, this Korean-run place is great for sampling what is currently the most popular foreign cuisine in Southeast Asia. Most locals go directly for the Korean barbecue (80,000K), but we liked the kimchi stew (30,000K), served Korean-style with heaps of side dishes.
XayohSTEAK$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-261777; www.inthira.com; mains 40,000-800,000K; h7am-10pm; aW)
One of the more popular steakhouses thanks to its hugely tasty Japanese Kobe steak: soaked in beer it's massaged daily for 30 days before it arrives impossibly tenderised on your plate. At US$100 it's not cheap but for a special occasion, it may be the best steak you ever taste (or share!).
Pizza Da Roby (PDR)ITALIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-59989926; mains 30,000-90,000K; h11am-2.30pm & 5.30-10.30pm; W)
Paying homage to its location in Laos People's Democratic Republic (PDR), Pizza Da Roby turns out some of the best oven-baked pizzas in the country. Choose from a greatest-hits combination of toppings, pizza by the slice or a luscious lasagne, and follow up with a creamy caffeine kick from the homemade tiramisu.
OtafukuJAPANESE$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-55518561; Th Phanompenh; mains 25,000-75,000K; h10am-9.30pm; aWv)
This Japanese restaurant supports the work of international NGO IV-Japan in educating the underprivileged children of Laos, so dining here is for a good cause. It's also good for your wallet, as this is some of the best-value Japanese food in Laos. Otafuku means 'happiness' and we are happy to recommend this leafy spot.
Suntara RestaurantINTERNATIONAL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-261165; Vientiane New World; mains 30,000-90,000K; h7am-midnight; aW)
Part of the expansive Inthira group, this was one of the first restaurants to open in the new Vientiane New World shophouse development on the Mekong River. Occupying a grand corner building, it offers a panoramic menu of world food, including traditional Lao dishes, popular international favourites and barbecued meats.
Bistrot 22FRENCH$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-55527286; Th Samsènethai; mains 65,000-250,000K; h11.30am-2pm & 6-10pm; aW)
Moved a little further out of the centre to a less bubbly locale, Bistrot 22 is nonetheless enjoying great reviews for Chef Philippe's lustrous cuisine, with dishes like pear salad, deep-fried apple and camembert salad, tender steaks and cauliflower soup. This intimate little restaurant is one of the gastronomic highlights of Vientiane.
Mekong Riverfront & Around
Khambang Lao Food RestaurantLAOTIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-217198; 97/2 Th Khounboulom; mains 10,000-70,000K; h10.30am-3pm & 5-9pm; W)
The Lao food in this powder-blue joint, located a little up from the river, is worth the wait. Expect fresh grub so spicy it leaves a zingy footprint on your palate. Delicious láhp (spicy Lao-style salad of minced meat poultry or fish), roasted Mekong fish, fried frogs' legs; áw lám, described on the menu as 'spicy beef stew', and tasty Luang Prabang–style sausage. Yum!
Common Ground CaféMEXICAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-78727183; Th Chao Anou; mains 25,000-40,000K; h7am-8pm Mon-Sat; aWvc)
It's air-con cool in this family-friendly Mexican cafe. Sofas to read on, a cold-selection counter boasting wraps, quesadillas, falafel, salads and homemade cookies. Best of all though, if you've got kids, is the enclosed shaded play area out back with a slide and climbing frame.
Han Sam Euay NongLAOTIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Th Chao Anou; mains 8000-20,000K; h8am-7pm)
Cheap and tidy, this busy family-run restaurant features tasty must-have dishes like nǎem khào (crispy balls of deep-fried rice and sour pork sausage shredded into a salad-like dish) and the delicious khào pûn nâm jąew (thin rice noodles served in a pork broth with pork, bamboo and herbs). The restaurant is unmarked and is located directly adjacent to the Lao Orchid Hotel.
La SignatureFRENCH$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-213523; www.ansarahotel.com; Ansara Hôtel; set menu 95,000K; h11.30am-2.30pm & 5.30-10.30pm; aW)
With gentle jazz drifting onto the fan-cooled terrace of glass-topped wicker tables (and upstairs in the ochre-hued restaurant), La Signature is perfect for throwing on your smart clothes and taking a romantic supper. Pan-fried salmon with blue cheese, lobster, roast lamb and thyme – these are just a few of the delights awaiting you in this beautiful French villa.
IstanbulTURKISH$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-77978190; Th François N
gin; mains 40,000-100,000K; h9.30am-10.30pm; aW)
An authentic slice of Istanbul, this welcoming place has doner and shish kebabs, meatballs, hummus and falafel. Try the Iskender kebab: grilled beef with pepper sauce, yoghurt and green chilli. All meats are fully marinated and the supercharged Turkish coffee will put a spring in your step.
OODLES OF NOODLES
Noodles of all kinds are popular in Laos, and Vientiane has the country's greatest variety. The most popular noodle of all is undoubtedly fĕr, the local version of Vietnamese pho, served with beef or pork and accompanied, Lao-style, by a huge plate of fresh herbs and vegetables and a ridiculous amount of condiments. Also popular are kòw Ъûn, the thin rice noodles known as kànǒm jeen in Thailand, taken in Laos with a spicy curry-like broth or sometimes in a clear pork broth (kòw Ъûn nâm jąaou). There's also kòw Ъęeak sèn, thick rice- and tapioca-flour noodles served in a slightly viscous broth with crispy deep-fried pork belly or chicken.
Lonely Planet Laos Page 26
