Laos - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 359

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lemonade (11,000K). Views of the fountain have been all
but obscured by new buildings, but the coffee makes up
for it. Daily 7am-9pm.

and on Friday and Saturday evenings, moules (cooked in
local or Belgian beer) are added to the extensive menu.
Mon 4.30-11pm, Tues-Sun 8am-11pm.
Noy's Fruit Heaven Heng Boun Rd T 030 9960913.
Need a fresh fruit fix? This relaxed smoothie bar makes
great shakes for 15,000K, blending in plenty of sweet
coconuts and bananas. Also does decent Western break-
fasts. Daily 7am-7pm.
Ray's Grille 17/1 Sihom Rd, west of the petrol station
T 020 5896 6866. There isn't a proper sign outside this
no-frills American burger joint, so keep your eyes peeled
for the little whiteboard, which has the menu scrawled on
it. The house special - a whopping philly cheese steak
dripping with gooey cheddar (39,000K) - has tourists and
expats coming back for multiple visits. Daily except Sat
11.30am-2pm & 6-9pm.
Via Via Opposite V Hotel on Nokeo Koummane Rd T 020
7749 2776. Hugely popular with tourists, Via Via manages
to pull off decent Lao dishes alongside its selection of
Western staples, including good, Italian-style pizzas
(around 55,000K). Jugs of wine and well-made mojitos get
solo travellers chatting. Daily 10am-10pm.

ASIAN FOOD
Jamil Zahid Off Khoun Boulom Rd T 030 9909456.
Tucked down an alley near the western end of Heng Boun
Rd, this shed-like Indian place does superb Punjabi curries,
plus tandoor-cooked naans and tasty dhals. The eccentric
owner is a camera fanatic, so expect to have your picture
taken and shown on the restaurant's dusty TV screen.
Daily 11am-10.30pm.
★

Lao Kitchen Hengboun Rd T 021 254332, W lao
-kitchen.com. Excellent, reasonably priced option for
first-time visitors who want to experiment with Lao food
and know exactly what they're ordering. The house special
is a fresh-tasting chicken larp (34,000K), but the menu
also extends to regional dishes like spicy, Pakse-style
sausage, with a good selection of dips. Daily 11am-10pm.
Katenoy Chao Anou Rd, opp Nazim restaurant T 020 5539
4290. Simple Lao place with plastic tables and chairs set
outside on a dusty plot of land, doing cheap fruit shakes
(10,000K), draught beer by the jug, and an excellent spicy
rice salad with holy basil (20,000K). Daily 6pm-late.
★

NIGHTLIFE
Vientiane is not a great city for partying. Frequent govern-
ment crackdowns have hamstrung the development of
Vientiane's clubbing scene, especially when it comes to
late-night places that appeal to Western visitors. The
locals' favourite spots for drinking and dancing are a
quick tuk-tuk ride west of the town centre along Luang
Prabang Avenue.

Makphet Behind Wat Ong Teu, south of Setthathilat
Rd T 021 260587. Upscale, not-for-profit restaurant on a
quiet backstreet in the centre of town offering a modern
take on classic Lao dishes. The place is run by former street
kids who were trained up for the job. Hugely popular,
especially with business crowds. Bookings advised. Mon-
Sat 11am-9pm.

WESTERN FOOD
Chokdee Café Fa Ngum Rd W chokdeecafe.com. A statue
of Tintin points travellers and expats into this sociable
Belgian bar/restaurant on Fa Ngum Rd. The drinks list
features dozens of strong imported beers (from 40,000K)

BARS
Khop Chai Deu Setthathirat Rd. This big, French-period
house is by far the most popular hangout for foreign
tourists. Downstairs in the patio bar you can get cheap
glasses of draught beer (10,000K); up the big spiral
staircase you'll find another very pleasant bar on the roof.
You can eat here, too - the mixed menu has reasonable
Lao and Indian dishes, though the falang food (and
service) is a bit hit and miss. Daily 9am-11pm.
The Spirit House Fa Ngum Rd, next to Beau Rivage
Mekong T 021 243795, W thespirithouselaos.com,
Travellers flock to The Spirit House for delectable cocktails
(from 20,000K) and views over the river, broken only by a
narrow road. One of the best places to watch the sun set
over Thailand. Daily 7am-midnight.
Sticky Fingers François Nginn Rd T 021 215 972. With a
pleasant outdoor seating area opposite the Best Western
hotel, this small Australian-run bar has picked up a loyal
following among expats. A good crowd is almost
guaranteed 6-8pm on Wed and Fri, when the famously
good cocktails (from 15,000K) are half price. Tues-Sun
10am-11pm.

TREAT YOURSELF
The stunning colonial-era hotel, Settha
Palace (6 Pangkham Rd T 021 217581,
W setthapalace.com), is undeniably the
most atmospheric place to stay in town.
Though the room rates are rather out of
the reach of most backpackers ($207),
the unstuffy belle époque restaurant is
much more achievable, serving delicious,
high-end Lao food using the best local
ingredients. Particularly recommended
are the fragrant mok pa ($9) and the spicy
Lao sausage ($9.50). Alternatively, pop by
the hotel for a dip in its gorgeous blue
pool ($28/day).

★