A Taste of Lao Cuisine in Luang Prabang

While we were in Laos, we stayed at the picturesque La Residence Phou Vao in Luang Prabang. It's beautiful outdoor Phou Savanh Restaurant served traditional Lao cuisine fused with inventive French touches, courtesy of the inspired panache of Executive Chef Gilles Galli. One of the staples of Lao cuisine is sticky rice, and popular herbs such as galangal, limes, lemongrass, coriander and of course hot chilis. Lao food has many influences, such as Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese and French, but the former royal seat of Luang Prabang is considered to be the country's culinary heart. Chef Galli prepares a dish called Khao Lam to accompany his Coriander and Garlic Infused Chicken on Lemongrass Skewers, which is sticky rice cooked in coconut milk and dotted with black beans, and served in bamboo, however it's sometimes served in coconut shell too. Each of the dishes we enjoyed were a treat for the eyes and the environment, with each meal artfully presented using materials found in nature, from banana leaves, coconut shells, hand made wooden bowl and rustic wood or stone platters. And eating under a blanket of stars amid dozens of glowing lanterns, made dining at Phou Savanh a memorable experience. 

Coriander and Garlic Infused Grilled Chicken on 

Lemongrass Skewers with "Khao Lam"

Coriander and Garlic Infused Grilled Chicken on Lemongrass Skewers

Serves 8

2 tbsp finely chopped ginger 

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander 

4  garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, finely chopped

4 lemongrass stalks, cut in half and pared with sharp points

2 kg chicken thighs and/or breasts

1 cup light soy sauce

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp white sugar

Pound ginger, coriander, garlic and lemongrass with a mortar and pestle, or process in a small food processor, until smooth, then transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mix well to coat chicken, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat barbecue to low heat. Remove chicken from marinade, thread onto lemongrass skewers and grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through about 10-15 minutes. Serve hot with Spicy Peanut Sauce and Khao Lam sticky rice.

Spicy Peanut Sauce

1 tbsp peanut oil

1 tbp red curry paste

1/4 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup chicken stock

3 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp chili sauce 

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp sesame oil

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add the red curry paste and saute until fragrant. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer to thicken, about 2-3 minutes. Serve with Chicken on Lemongrass Skewers.

Khao Lam (Sticky Rice and Black Bean) - Wrapped in Banana Leaf
Serves 8

2 cups Thai sticky rice, soaked in water for 3 hours or overnight, then drained
3/4 cups coconut milk
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup canned black beans, drained
8 8"×8" pieces of banana leaves (or parchment paper)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir sticky rice, coconut milk, water, sugar and salt in a large pan over medium heat. Stir until all coconut milk is absorbed. Stir in black beans and fold gently to mix. 

Put equal amounts of the sticky rice mixture onto 8 banana leaves. Form the rice into a cylinder about 6″ long and lay it in the center of the leaf so that you have about 1 inch left on either end. Fold the banana leaf in half around the rice, then roll it around the cylinder. Fold in both ends and secure them with a toothpick, poking down and then up, or you can twist the ends and tie them. Each bundle will make a round tube about 6 inches long and 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. 

Grill for 5 minutes on each side until the sticky rice is translucent and cooked, or bake in the oven for 10 minutes. For a dramatic presentation, serve the rice hot in the banana leaves and let your guests unwrap the little parcels.

South-East Asia: The Best and the Worst Hotels

Hotels are often the key to really enjoying a destination, and the ones you chose can often make, or break, a travel experience. If you are considering travelling to Vietnam, Cambodia or Laos in the next while, it's always helpful to get a candid view on what some of the top hotels are like before you book your holiday. So, without further ado, the Best and Worst of Southeast Asia...

THE ABSOLUTE BEST 

Park Hyatt Saigon

BEST HOTEL - BEST SERVICE

Park Hyatt Saigon

2 Lam Son Square, District 1

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Vietnam

Tel: +84 8 3824 1234 | Fax: +84 8 3823 7569 

An extraordinary hotel on every level, The Park Hyatt Saigon was our absolute favourite hotel in Vietnam. Located in the heart of Saigon on Lam Son Square overlooking the Opera House, the Hyatt is within walking distance to Ben Thanh Market and many of the cultural and historical sites. The staff at the Hyatt Saigon are outstanding — unbelievably courteous and friendly — and the restaurants, Square One and Opera, consistently excellent. The Park Lounge Bar, perfect for cocktails, is elegantly appointed with leather wing back chairs and intimate seating arrangements, where a wonderful pianist plays for guests each evening. The Park Deluxe rooms are the way to go, with private terraces and direct access to the beautiful pool and landscaped tropical gardens. The hotel and service were impeccable, with staff greeting us by name throughout our stay! We could not have been more impressed. 

BEST SERVICE

Park Hyatt Saigon

MOST ELEGANT BAR

The Lounge Bar, Park Hyatt, Saigon

The Park Hyatt Lounge Bar

Park Hyatt's Square One Restaurant 

featuring Vietnamese cuisine, Seafood Bar and Steak Grill

BEST COCKTAIL 'LOUNGE'

Hotel de La Paix, Seim Reap

Hôtel de la Paix 
Sivutha Blvd, Siem Reap
Cambodia

Tel: +85 5 6396 6000 | Fax: +85 5 6396 6001

Hotel de la Paix is a wonderfully modern hotel in central Siem Reap, and only a short distance to the magnificent Temples of Angkor. The scent of fresh jasmine is everywhere, with gorgeous handmade garlands presented to us upon our arrival. A fusion of ancient Khmer and art deco design, the hotel has 107 rooms and suites, 2 restaurants, a fabulous swimming pool and the extraordinary Fire Garden Courtyard and Reflecting Pool with fabulous swing dining-beds. A magnificent gnarled Ficus tree sits in the middle of the water with four torcheres in each corner, making cocktail hour spectacular! With a bound volume of cocktails to choose from and complimentary hot hors d'ouevres brought on a silver tray, The Fire Garden is unquestionably the most impressive ambiance for cocktail hour during our whole stay in south-east Asia. We were also fortunate to stay in the Pool Suite, with it's private pool deck, dining area and direct access to the swimming pool and water garden. And with the heat we experienced in Cambodia, slipping into the pool each afternoon was only topped by the Green Land Cocktail I ordered in The Fire Garden each night! 

BEST COCKTAIL LOUNGE

Fire Garden, Hotel del Paix

BEST COCKTAIL

Green Land Cocktail, Fire Garden, Hotel del Paix

BEST TASTING MENU

Khmer Tasting Menu - Meric Restaurant, Hotel de la Paix

BEST GIFT SHOP

Hotel de la Paix

BEST TOURS

Temple Complexes - Siem Reap

FAVOURITE GUIDE

Mr. Ta

Swing Dining in the Fire Garden Courtyard

Our Pool Suite with private pool deck

BEST RESTAURANT

Hotel Metropole, Hanoi

Hotel Sofitel Metropole Hanoi

15 Ngo Quyen Street Hoan Kiem District 10000 Hanoi,

Vietnam
Tel: +84 4 3826 6919 | Fax: +84 4 3826 6920

Located in the heart of Hanoi, the Hotel Sofitel Metropole is an oasis of charm and sophistication, combining Vietnamese hospitality with European luxury. With two wings of the hotel to choose — the original french colonial charm of the historic Metropole wing, and the neo-classic elegance of the newer Opera wing, we chose one of the original suites with sumptuous finishings of a bygone era. The three Metropole restaurants are all famous dining venues, with past guests including famous heads of state and renowned celebrities including Charlie Chaplin, Catherine Deneuve and Mick Jagger. We dined twice at Spices Garden, famous for it's Vietnamese cuisine and incomparable Seafood Nights, which feature an extraordinary selection of fresh whole fish and seafood, custom grilled on an outdoor BBQ, in addition to over 20 seafood appetizers, from stuffed crab, raw oysters and shrimp dumplings to lobster bisque and chilled langoustine. I was so impressed, I asked to meet the chef. Madam Kim Hai indulged me and gave me a tour of her kitchen too!

BEST RESTAURANT

Spices Garden, Hotel Sofitel Metropole, Hanoi

MOST LOVELY FLIRTY WAITER

Ling at Le Club, Hotel Sofitel Metropole, Hanoi

Hotel Metropole Lobby

Spices Garden Kitchen

Chef Madam Kim Hai

Hotel Metropole's Vietnamese Restaurant - Spices Garden

Spices Garden Menu

BEST HIDEAWAY ESCAPE

Six Senses, Ninh Van Bay

Six Senses Ninh Van Bay

Ninh Van bay, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa 

Vietnam

Tel: +84 5 8372 8222 | Fax: +84 5 8372 8223

Six Senses Resort, overlooking peaceful Ninh Van Bay, is a tranquil oasis of rustic charm and natural beauty. Accessible only by water, the resort's beachfront villas are all beautifully integrated with nature, using all natural materials and finishes from sustainable and natural resources. Stepping ashore, we are greeted by our Butler Ahn, complimentary with every villa, who escorts us to BFV #18, our secluded 2-story beachfront villa with its own pool, outdoor shower garden and private beach access. The cuisine at Six Senses is outstanding, with four restaurants from which to choose, everything is freshly made using traditional Vietnamese ingredients from the resort's organic garden, and locally caught fish and seafood. With the only mode of transport being buggies or bikes, guests quickly become at one with lazy pace of this sandy corner of paradise. For the more active, there's scuba diving, kayaking, and cooking lessons to an extensive menu of spa treatments and therapies at the Six Senses Spa. Or you can just float around in your private pool and mull over what you might have for dinner. Six Senses is a wonderful escape from the real world and just the place to recharge one's emotional batteries.

BEST HIDEAWAY ESCAPE
Six Senses, Ninh Van Bay

BEST COOKING CLASS
Six Senses, Ninh Van Bay

BEST PRIVATE POOL VILLA
Six Senses, Ninh Van Bay

BEST CORE VALUES
Six Senses, Ninh Van Bay

Our wonderful Beach Villa #18

Dining by the Bay Restaurant at Six Senses,
rather like dining in a tree house!

THE RASPBERRY AWARD FOR 

THE WORST SERVICE

The Nam Hai, Hoi An

The Nam Hai 

Hoi An, Hamlet 1, Dien Duong Village

Dien Ban District, Quang Nam Province,

Vietnam

Tel: +84 51 0394 0000 | Fax: +84 51 0394 0999

The Nam Hai is undeniably the most gorgeous hotel. A breathtakingly beautiful all-villa resort with private gardens, lush landscaping, swaying palm trees and unobstructed views of Vietnam's East Sea. It is regarded by many to be Vietnam's finest resort. The villas are unique. Ultra modern in design, they combine a sleeping area, writing desk, divan and bathtub on a raised platform in the middle of the space, which is enclosed with drapes in the evening and candles lit in each corner of the room. Nice. The details and finishings are all impeccable. Unfortunately, the service is not. A buggy collects guests when they want to be picked up for dinner...sometimes. Room service arrives...sometimes. The management at the front desk...rude. The staff in the restaurant...pleasant but nervous. Vietnamese hospitality has been overwhelming everywhere else we've stayed, so we ask ourselves, "What on earth is going on here?" The Nam Hai is a jewel, being run by a cadre of sullen, ill-mannered drones that give the Politburo a good name. And it's such a shame. The architecture is stunning. The interiors inspired. The landscaping breathtaking. The cuisine excellent. But without the essential 'service with a smile' and the high quality of customer service one expects from a property of this calibre, the Nam Hai just doesn't measure up to what it promises to be. It has great potential but is a long way from achieving it.

Our ultra mod beachfront Villa overlooking the East Sea

A beautiful water feature outside The Bar, 
located above the main restaurant

BEST JAZZ
Rain, Nam Hai Bar, Hoi An

MOST BEAUTIFUL HOTEL DESIGN + LANDSCAPING
Nam Hai, Hoi An

THE ABSOLUTE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE
Nam Hai, Hoi An

Mekong Stir-Fried Seafood and Pork Noodles

Mekong Stir-Fried Egg Noodles with Seafood

While floating down the Mekong on our sampan, the Violet, we were treated to delicious fresh local fruit, jasmine tea and tasty Vietnamese dishes, courtesy of our stalwart steward, Lan. 

Mekong Jackfruit which tastes a bit like banana

One of our lunches on board featured a very yummy noodle dish with mixed seafood and seasonal Mekong vegetables. If that weren't enough, a lovely steaming plate of Mixed Vegetables with Prawns and Pork arrived, followed by a platter of sweet young Jackfruit. Lan knew that I wanted to try as many traditional Vietnamese fruits as possible, and even produced a spiky Durian, notorious for it's horrible smell which some say is like gym socks. It wasn't that bad actually, with white flesh and a very soft texture, it tasted more like rotten onions. As the day progressed however, the Durian became even more pungent and offensive. Even Lan didn't object when I tossed it overboard!

Mekong Seafood and Pork Noodles

Serves 2-4

For the sauce:

1 1/4 cup chicken stock

2 tbsp fresh ginger, sliced

1 stalk lemongrass, sliced

1 teaspoon sugar dissolved in 1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

For the stir fry:

3/4 lb shrimp

3/4 lb pork, thinly sliced

1/4 lb cleaned squid, sliced into 1" strips

6 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms

2 carrots, julienned

2 cups baby bok choy

1 cup broccoli florets, sliced into small pieces

1lb fresh egg noodles, boiled 1 minute then drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp canola oil

Bring the stock, ginger and lemongrass to a boil, until it's reduced to 1 cup. Strain out the solids. Stir in the soy sauce and sugar then whisk in the cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok. Quickly stir fry the garlic then add the carrot, mushrooms, and broccoli. Stir fry until the broccoli is al dente. Push the vegetables to one side of the wok, then add the sliced pork into the empty space. Stir fry 2 minutes, then add the shrimp and squid. Cook until the shrimp and squid are almost completely cooked through, then add the noodles and sauce. Stir fry until the noodles are soft and the sauce is mostly absorbed. Serve hot with a nice cold beer.

Stir-Fried Mixed Vegetables with Shrimp and Pork

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken (Ga Xao Sa)

Lemongrass Chicken is one of the more common Vietnamese chicken dishes. Wonderfully light and refreshing, Ga Xao Sa features many of the bright vibrant flavours typical of Vietnamese cuisine. Caramelizing the chicken also adds an extra layer of complexity to the sauce, making this both an easy and delicious dish to add to your Vietnamese culinary arsenal. This recipe can be easily adapted to satays by threading 2-3 chicken pieces onto lemongrass spears or bamboo skewers and serving them as appetizers or small plates, with little bowls of the leftover sauce on the side.


Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken (Ga Xao Sa)
Serves 4-6 as a Main Course
Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine, October 2007

2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp mild curry powder (I prefer Bolst's)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 tbsp water
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 fresh lemongrass stalks, white tender inner part only, minced
3 tsp fresh ginger, julienned
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
3 fresh red chiles, seeded and minced
5 cilantro sprigs or scallion curls for garnish
Steamed rice, for serving


In a bowl, combine the fish sauce, garlic, curry powder, salt and 1 1/2 tsp of the sugar. Add the chicken to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

In a small skillet, mix the remaining 2 tbsp of sugar with 1 tbsp of the water and cook over high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Then cook without stirring until a deep amber caramel forms, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tbsp of water. Transfer to a very small heatproof bowl.

Heat a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the lemon grass, ginger, shallot and chiles and stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and caramel and stir-fry over moderate heat until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a pre-warmed decorative bowl and top with cilantro or scallions, and serve with steamed rice.


COOK'S NOTE: Sprinkle roasted unsalted peanuts over the finished dish for Ga Xao Sa Ot, or for a creamy curry variation of this dish, add 1/4 cup of coconut milk with the water and sugar at the beginning of the dish. Large prawns can also be substituted for the chicken, for a meat-free dish.

Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad

Think of this dish as the Vietnamese version of Chinese chicken salad, a dish of shredded cabbage and chicken with a tangy sweet and sour dressing, but better. With the addition of refreshing mint leaves, pungent fish sauce and a sprinkling of peanuts, Vietnamese Chicken & Cabbage Salad can be served as a light satisfying meal in itself, or served in smaller portions as a overture to an enhanced Vietnamese menu. The dressing and poached chicken can be easily prepared in advance, and refrigerated until needed. I ordered this salad twice while staying at the Saigon Hyatt, where they served it with a basket of addictive Banh Phong Tom, Vietnamese prawn crackers. Banh Phong Tom can be made easily at home by simply purchasing the pre-packaged discs and flash frying them in a wok over medium heat. Watching them magically puff up in mere seconds is part of the fun.

Shredded Chicken and Cabbage Salad (Goi Ga Bap Cai)

Serves 4-6

8 oz. chicken breast, poached until cooked, then shredded into thin strips

4 cups green or savoy cabbage, sliced into thin strips

2 cups carrot, coarsely grated

1 cup red bell pepper, cleaned and julienned

1/2 cup mint leaves

1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced

4 tbsp roasted unsalted peanuts

1/4 cup cilantro, for garnish

2 tbsp crispy fried shallots, for garnish (see recipe below)

Dressing:

1 red chili, seeded and minced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

3 tbsp fish sauce

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Combine the shredded chicken, cabbage, carrot, mint leaves, red bell pepper and onion in a large serving bowl, and set aside. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved, then pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to combine. Top the salad with chopped peanuts and garnish with chopped cilantro and crispy fried shallots. Serve on decorative plates with a basket of puffed prawn crackers. I dare you to try and eat just one!

Crispy Fried Shallots

4 tbsp vegetable oil

6 shallots, thinly sliced

Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat and stir-fry the shallots for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Store immediately in an airtight container to keep crisp.

Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup (Bun Rieu Cua)

Soup is customarily served for breakfast in Vietnam. Phó, as it's known, translates as "your own bowl," since it's one of the few meals where the food is not passed around and shared. Phó are big bowls of steaming noodle soup, with raw meat or seafood and any number of other ingredients added at the last minute, like bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, chili peppers, lime slices, and green onions, that all cook in the broth while it's brought to the table. Phó can be spiced with fish sauce (nuoc mam), chili-garlic sauce and hoisin sauce, which are served on the side in small dishes. Small soups, by contrast, are served as first courses, and generally  don't have noodles. They're served in small portions and are called Sup.  The famous Sup Mang Tay, or Crab and Asparagus Soup is in this category,  as well as Sup Nam Trang, a wonderfully complex soup of crab, shrimp,  and dried white fungus. Finally, the class of soups known as Canh are generally served family style, out of one big bowl, and are then often spooned into smaller bowls at the table with rice. They are generally light, and can be served as a first course to whet the appetite. These include Canh Sa Lach Soan (Watercress-Shrimp Soup), Canh Chua Tom (Hot and Sour Shrimp and Lemongrass Soup), and Canh Chua Ca (Hot and Sour Tamarind Fish Soup). While staying at Six Senses in Ninh Van Bay, I enjoyed Bun Rieu Cua, a Vietnamese Crab Meat and Noodle Soup, for breakfast one morning.  It's wonderfully flavourful and could also be served for lunch or dinner,  as a main or soup course. One garnish that I noticed was served  with many Vietnamese dishes, was Fried Shallots. They are sprinkled  overtop soups, Pho, noodle dishes and even inside fresh spring rolls,  and add a mild crunchy texture to otherwise mild flavoured dishes, as  well as adding a decorative flourish to any presentation. Vietnamese Crab Meat and Noodle Soup (Bun Rieu Cua) Serves 5

2 tbsp dried shrimp, soaked in warm water

1 packet of vermicelli noodles (bun)

12 cups chicken stock

1/4 lb of ground pork

1 cup of crab meat, fresh or canned, drained
14 oz can of crab meat paste in spices (Lee Brand or other)
1 tbsp finely chopped shallots

1/2 tsp fine shrimp paste

1/2 tbsp of fish sauce

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/2 tbsp of sugar
4 large eggs, beaten
16 small grape tomatoes, halved
2 cups medium sized fried tofu, cut into 1" pieces
2 tbsp tomato paste

Garnish:

chopped green onion, sliced on a diagonal 

cilantro and mint sprigs

lime wedges
bean sprouts
crispy fried shallots (see below)

Soak dried shrimps in warm water until softened, about 1 hour. Then finely mince in a small food processor and set aside.


Cook the vermicelli noodles according to packet instructions, and set aside. Add chicken stock to a large pot and bring to a boil.

In the meantime, make the crab mixture. Combine ground pork, fresh canned crab, crab meat paste in spices, shallots, fine shrimp paste, fish sauce, coarsely chopped dried shrimps, pepper, and sugar. Add the beaten eggs and mix well. When the stock comes to a boil, slowly add this crab mixture into the stock. Then add the tomatoes and tofu and bring to boil again. Finally, season stock with additional salt or fish sauce. Mix in tomato paste for a nice distinctive reddish coloured broth. This is the Bun Rieu.

Add vermicilli noodles to individual serving bowls and ladle on the Bun Rieu. Serve alongside a  platter of mixed garnishes: chopped green onion, cilantro, mint, lime and bean sprouts.




Crispy Fried Shallots


4 tbsp vegetable oil
6 shallots, thinly sliced


Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat and stir-fry the shallots for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Store immediately in an airtight container to keep crisp.

Desserts in Vietnam usually follow one of two directions: french-inspired sweets such as creme brulé, bananas flambé, rice or tapioca pudding; or an assortment of fresh local fruit, such as passion fruit, jack fruit, papaya or watermelon, as pictured above. Light and refreshing, a mixed platter of exotic fruits offer guests an opportunity to sample a little taste of Vietnam's seasonal bounty. One note on the passionfruit: it can be a bit sour, but if you add a teaspoon of simple syrup overtop, it makes a very tasty and dramatic presentation.