Nestled between Mango and Axara on Sihanouk Boulevard, there is a discreet sign atop an asymmetric arch which gently entices people up a set of floor-lit, geometric, stone steps.
The message it denotes is very clear: herein lies modernity; herein lies chic; herein lies fine dining.
Nothing is more specific for South East Asian countries than markets. They burst with activities, colours, smells and flavours. There is stuff to love alongside stuff you wouldn’t put in your mouth even if someone paid you a fair amount of money. I made a huge mistake that I had never really properly visited the food part of Ben Thanh market here in Saigon up to today. But the mistake was corrected and I am killing two birds with one stone, since finally I have a good enough reason to finally start blogging! So dear readers, welcome to my new blog and the biggest and best market in Saigon – Ben Thanh market!
It has been less than a month since the Rahu brand was launched.
Largely by word of mouth, the popularity curve for this Japanese Restaurant has proven to be something of a sprint up Mount Fuji, a fact all the more surprising, given its inconspicuous aesthetic amongst the neon lights on Riverside.
Finally the Frozen Yoghurt hype arrived in Laos. On June 12th YoQueen opened on Dongpalan Street, very close to the RBAC College. It is owned by Lao-Australians and provides the usual, but mouthwatering range of frozen yoghurts.
I tried the green tea with mango and almond, and yes, yummy yummy, yummy. The middle size was about 19.000 KIP, not cheap, but affordable. Most customers are Lao people, by the way.
Let's see how this business is going on, if it is successful, we may see the same development as in Vietnam, where many Frozen Joghurt shops opened up in a short time.
We do not have Starbucks here in Laos, and that might be good, cause it allows the local coffee shop scene to develop. A new kind of gemstone just opened a few days ago. The Name is Ban Tonmali Cake, what translates House of the Yasmin Cake, and is a small cute fancy place to have coffee and - cakes. Owner Phanumad Disattha is a filmmaker, and decided to create a place where filmmakers and photographers can meet. The filmmaking business got a boost recently, having two filmfestivals in Laos and a growing interest in locally produced movies.
While some hotel owners might throw in a café by the lobby as an afterthought, the management at the Nine Hotel wants to make Lime Nine a destination for Phnom Penh locals as well. “We’re very proud of the café,” says the owner of the Nine Hotel and Lime Nine, who as a Phnom Penh dad became intimately familiar with the Sunday afternoon hotel pool circuit and business lunch scene; with Lime Nine café, he hopes to combine the best of both.
There are not so many places to go in Vientiane, when you are looking for fine dining. But Aria Mixai is for sure one. Chef Gerado and his team opened this Italian Restaurant just a year ago and already made it to the top of the culinary scene in the capital.
so what is his recipe of success? First of all it is highest quality. Gerado worked in 5-Star-Hotels before, and he wants the same level of food quality and experience in his own restaurant. While he is still getting many vegetables and ingredients from local markets, this is limited by his extraordinary taste and requirements. If something doesn't meet the standards, it will be imported. Like the excellent Buffalo Mozzarella, my favorite appetizer.
The owners of the Phimphone supermarket made a good decision: They extended the already popular coffee shop to the former Chez Phillipe (who has now opened Bistro 22 opposite the Catholic church) upstairs. The name remains:'Benoni' - and it quickly became popular with expats and local business people in Vientiane.
The coffee: Well done. I love coffee latte, and this one is one of the best in town. They recently added chocolate and cakes, and I tell you, they are gooooood.
My initial response to this transformation is a slightly furrowed brow. The Lunchbox, upwardly morphing into "The W" inside a new boutique hotel, "The Willow"?
Perhaps slightly less sensational than Prince’s re-branding as "The Symbol", or the revamping of the Marathon as the Snickers bar, but, this is nonetheless, in the Phnom Penh macrocosm, a bold move.
The pizza is gourmet and inexpensive, probably some of the best Phnom Penh budget riche has to offer in this delivery-only format (oh, and they deliver wine and beer as well). Pram dollar ($5) gets you a 30cm pizza with a flaky, rustic-style crust made fresh from a secret Italian-imported recipe. and a nearly unbelievable range of gourmet toppings.