Rimping Supermarket is also very close and is an experience in itself. Everything you could wish for is there including imported items and Thai packaged foods to take as gifts as well as small cafes with ice-cream and sandwiches.
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Rimping Village
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Rimping Village is hard to beat for value, location and service (including a free airport transfer if you book directly).
Spacious rooms are located around a lovely pool and or garden area.
Deluxe rooms are around $140 including breakfast in the busy season and worth the extra cost (Superior rooms are around $110) for a balcony and extra space.
Deluxe rooms 421 and 425 are the corner rooms with additional space that is not needed for the walkway.
There are open communal areas that are pleasant.
Breakfast is served near the pool and includes a buffet of interesting and inviting choices including a coffee machine and eggs made to order.
Staff cannot do enough for you and all their tips are winners.
The night market is an easy walk across the iron bridge (turn left) and you will also find a good money exchange if you turn right on the night market road.
Rimping Supermarket is also very close and is an experience in itself. Everything you could wish for is there including imported items and Thai packaged foods to take as gifts as well as small cafes with ice-cream and sandwiches. 7 Eleven before crossing the iron bridge is open after the supermarket closes. Riverside restaurants are also within walking distance and bikes are provided.
Saturday and Sunday Walking Streets
StandardNot for the faint-hearted, Chiang Mai’s Saturday and Sunday night Walking Street Markets (4pm-10pm) seem to go on forever and are perhaps the best in Asia.
The street food is great, but if you prefer to sit down, The Sunday Walking Street has a lot more restaurant options. It also passes a number of interesting temples.
Makphet Restaurant, Vientiane, Laos
StandardVientiane, the capital of Laos, is not an essential stop on a Laos itinerary as sadly, it lacks the charm of Luang Prabang and the laid back nature of the Mekong 4,000 Islands. However, it is the home of the fabulous Makphet restaurant ( one of the Friends International hospitality training restaurants) which you must not miss if you are in Vietianne.
Red Hibiscus Sorbet with Coconut Ice-cream and Meringue
Steamed Pumpkin Cake with Palm Sugar Caramel
Crispy Rice Sesame Dumplings with Roselle Hibiscus Syrup and Coconut Gelato
Watermelon and citrus freeze
Tamnak Lao cooking class, Luang Prabang
StandardTamnak Lao Restaurant, across the road from Villa Santi Hotel, also offers good cooking classes that also include a visit to the local Phosy Market.
The main differences to Bamboo Tree Cooking Classes are that Tamnak Lao’s are run by men not women (so perhaps not as chatty) and Tamnak Lao offers has more opportunities for hands on preparation, whereas Bamboo Tree does much of the work for you.
Bamboo Tree also has the lovely riverside tables to enjoy your meal afterwards, whereas Tamnak Lao’s tables are in a lane way.
But the Tamarind Restaurant also runs classes that are well worth considering. Tamarind has a particular interest in passing on Lao cuisine wisdom (and also the best sticky rice dessert ever).
Tamarind’s classes fill quickly so book early.
Villa Saykam, Luang Prabang
StandardVilla Saykham is good value for a guest house stay at $30-35 US per night approx. (Book via hotel website)
It has a good location near the night markets (which is where everyone generally ends up at night) and it is very close to good restaurants like Cafe Toui and the new friends International restaurant Khaiphaen, as well as the Mekong riverfront and Xiang Muane area. Room B1 is a good pick on the ground floor, nearest to the outdoor eating area.
However, possibly a room upstairs would be more private and quieter.
Breakfast is eggs, baguette, fruit, juice and coffee and is included in the price.
Villa Saykam
Room B1
Breakfast area
Room B1
Courtyard
Villa Champa, Luang Prabang
StandardVilla Champa is well priced and located near the to the start of night market with some good restauants like Cafe Toui and the new Friends International restaurant Xiaphen close by as well the Mekong River for sunsets.
It doesn’t have a kitchen, but just across the road is a pretty cafe to sit outside and eat breakfast.
Rooms range from $US20 to $US56 a night and upstairs rooms have balconies.
Room 104 is a small $20US Room
Harmony Week, Street Food, Food Court Lunch, a very easy idea for sharing food with friends
StandardAnother good and very easy idea for celebrating Harmony Week is to head to your local food court with a group of friends and create your own ‘global cuisine street food tour’.
While someone finds a table, everyone else collects a food from a different national cuisine and brings it back to share.
It can be good to take along a sharp knife, extra serving cutlery and extra plates. If you’ve time to plan ahead it can even be good to share a bit of background to the dish you’ve each bought (or otherwise just sit back and enjoy travelling the world through food.)
Woden Westfield Mall Food Court
Spice of India Marsala Dosa $9 (Excellent choice)
Roll’d 2 soft shelled crab soldiers $7.80 (not as good as some of the other picks)
And 2 classic pork Bun Mee $17 (not as good as some of the other picks)
Ethiopia Down Under Meat Combo (with rice and injera bread) $12 (Excellent choice)
2 Brown rice, chicken and avocado sushi from Hero Sushi $7 for 2 (Excellent choice)
Harmony Week lunch, great idea for sharing food at work
StandardThere are lots of opportunities to create food sharing events at work and Harmony Week is one of the best. It’s well supported by the Taste of Harmony website where you can download ideas, flags and labels as wells quizzes and other resources to enrich your event.
A pot luck lunch where everyone brings a food to share from a particular national cuisine (possibly reflecting your heritage), is easy to organise and lots of fun. Those who are short of time can whip up quickly to the local food court or take-away.
Mekong Riverweed crisps (Laos) Turkish bread and dips (Turkey)
Cornbread (USA) Sushi (Japan)
Dutch custard cake (Netherlands) Upside down pineapple cakes (Australia)
Spicy meatballs and dip (Italy) Knodel dumplings (Germany)
Fresh spring rolls (Vietnam) Bacon buns (Lithuania)
Vegemite and cheese scrolls (Australia) Cardamon Kulfi (India)
Oreo truffles (USA)
Also a great opportunity to dress for the occasion if you happen to have an appropriate outfit from your heritage or travels.
Taste of Bangladesh & India, Manuka, an amazing discovery
StandardTaste of Bangladesh & India, Canberra’s new Bangladeshi cuisine restaurant in Manuka is a wonderful discovery. The flavours are unique and delicious, serves are generous, hospitality is warm and the value for money is second to none.
Pleasantly cozy with thick carpet for easy chatting, it is ideal for couples or groups.
Wine is BYO and corkage is free.
The naan is huge and lovely ($2.50 each)
Pappadoms are complementary.
Great choices are….
…the samosas (2 for $7)
Fish Bengali – snapper fillet cooked with eggplant in Bangladeshi spices $16.50 (beautiful flavours)
Dum Murgh – boneless chicken marinated in special herbs and spices and cooked on a slow fire $15.50 ( a standout dish)
The mango kulfi $4.50 is a generous serve that can be shared and makes a fine finish to the meal.
1 dish, one rice and one naan with one serve kulfi is just right for two people.
Suggested menu for a group of six:
pappdoms
3 serves Samosa (6 pieces)
1x Dum Murgh
1 x Fish Bengali
1x Palak Paneer
3 naan
2 serves rice
2 x kulfi
$15 per person (corkage free)
Fine Eating 