The newest Friends International restaurant was scheduled to open in November 2014 in Luang Prabang at 100 Sisavang Vanatana Road, Ban Wat Nong, down from Cafe Toui, the French Institute, Villa Champa and the Lao Airlines office and close to the Mekong River River.
If it’s anything like Romdeng, Marum or Makphet, it will be a top spot not to miss.
Sayo Guest House Xieng Mouane may not be the top guest house pick in Luang Prabang, but might be worth considering. The upstairs double suites for $50-70 US are incredibly sapcious with another mezzanine bed included and large bathroom.
(Room A3 but A6 is simiilar)
It also has a great location near to the Mekong River, the start of the night market and good restaurants like Cafe Touri and Kaiphen.
And the other end of the range are the downstairs double or twin standard/small rooms startting at $20 US.
B3 is a standard twin for $25-35 US.
Breakfast is not included, but can be ordered separately and includes eggs cooked to order, ham/bacon, fruit salad, baguette with butter and jam, juice, tea and coffee.
However the breakfast seating lacks charm and you might prefer to eat at one of the other eateries close by as it is not included in the price.
15% discount offered to groups.
Villa 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 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
The test of a good nepalese restaurant is it’s momos and Chomolungma has the best momos I’ve tasted outside of Kathmandu. They come with a delicious tomato and sesame chutney and a tasty clear soup.
Recently opened Chomolungma in Manuka, fills the spot left by the Himalayan Restaurant in Palmerston Lane.
Chomolungma’s menu is short and focuses on a thali style meal with variations. But boy is it good.The Nepali spiced gravy is absolutley delicious and the dahl smoky and flavoursome. The sides include a crunchy vegetable mixture that provides a great texture contrast and a dahl that is smoky and flavoursome.
The roti $3 is an essential addition.
The service is very friendly, warm, welcoming and efficient.
Three people could share 1 serve of momos, two main thali meals and two roti.
It is the type of meal that is memorable and makes you look forward to going back to have the same meal again…even the next day.
ten chicken momos $12 (excellent) with a tasty clear soup
khassi ko masu $18 – braised goat meat (on the bone) with a nepali spiced gravy, rice, dahl, sautéed spinach, mango pickle and crunchy vegetable side
pappdoms are complementary and corkage for BYO wine is $2 per person.
Desserts include a hot millet pancake served with banana, strawberry and honey $9 and ice-cream with a trio of toppings mango, berries and chocolate $6.
The pork momos and the chicken thali style meal (Kuyhurako Masu $15) are well worth a try.
Closed Sundays
Phone: 0450 317 346
Another 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)
There 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, 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)
Sharing in the recent Indian Australia Association of Canberra hosted Holi celebrations at Stage 88 in Commonwealth Park was a great opportunity to support the local Indian community, enjoy some colourful dress, dance, and dry colour ‘play’, henna painting and wonderful Indian foods.
Particularly good were the goat and chicken biryani $8, palak paneer $8, samosa $2.50 and rashgulla and gulab jaman $2 from Taste of Bangladesh in Style Arcade Manuka.
Aso for sale were choley kulcha $5, pani puri $6 and papdi chaat $6
Pack Luck Villa is a guest house with plenty of charm.
Located in a quiet but still central spot near the Mekong River, just down from Villa Santi, it faces Le Elepahnt French Restaurnat, a temple, a cultural centre.
The better rooms cost $65 which includes a continental breakfast.
Room 3 upstairs is an attractively decorated double and possibly the pick of rooms with it’s balcony overlooking the street.
There are also two other double rooms downstairs.
Fine Eating 