Vietnamese food and More Food update from Northeast Thailand 12.11.12

In the past 4 weeks or so I have visited Mukdahan, and Nakhon Phanom with the aim of getting a handle on Vietnamese food in the area. The latest quest began in Ubon Ratchatani a couple months ago and of course Sakon Nakhon.
As of today, in my opinion the town of Mukdahan offers the best chance of consuming authentic Vietnamese food, with Ubon in second.
Let make 1 thing clear before I go on, I do not consider Naem Nuang, Nam Nuang, Nem Nuang or any of the spelling Vietnamese food. As I understand it, it was invented by a restaurant in Nong Khai oddly enough named Daeng Namnuang.
In talking with a restaurant owner here in Sakon Nakhon I have learned there is 1 I missed in Ubon which is painted purple as opposed to the pink 1. He is working on getting me the name of the establishment. The general consensus in my non scientific survey Vietnamese restaurants in Isaan can serve some authentic dishes,but due to lack of custom have to provide the pretend vietnamese dishes as well. The best example of the is Pauw Pia Thawt in Thai and Cha Gio in Vietnamese.There are some places that will use the proper Vietnamese name while most will use the Thai. As one proprietor said Thai people like to say they are going out for Vietnamese food, but prefer something else. The Vetnamese Cha Gio is a whole different game than the Thai spring roll. For one the rice paper is much more delicate, lighter than the Thai cardboard creation. It might be related, but only a distant cousin
Pictured above is from an establishment near the Muk police station,. The food Vietnamese, a specialty in Hue, The rest of the menu Thai. Throught the region Banh Xeo, which is different in different regions in Vietnam is sold here in Isaan is some good and some dreadful forms.
Okay I am getting way to wordy and will carry on this discussion again

A Frantic Food Moment in Sakon Nakhon Thailand

It is all about food in Thailand, especially in Northeast Thailand, Isaan. From meals shared at the many little restaurants to the foodcourts at the shopping centers, ther is always time for at leat a quick snack.
And yes I am still playing with the Viddy Application. A 15 second view with filters and music. Sort of a visual snack of Northeast Thailand.

Foodgasm at the fair, Sakon Nakhon 26.1012

So we slipped over to the fair to see what was going on early this evening. By the fair I mean all the stuff at Ming Muang Municipal Park in Sakon Nakhon. Tonnes of the usual this and that are being sold but I was after food. It looks like the BBQ on a stick is a favorite again. There was plenty of Phad Thai in various forms as well as duck and for those with absolutely no tastebuds the Isaan weanie was the in abundance.
One way or the other there is something for everyone at the fair,

A little bit of Thailand in Udon Thani

From the New Cetral Mall through Soi Sampantamit in Udon Thani you are hrdpress to find Thai food, but a new place has finally open and welcome it is Baan Bongkotch serves good Thai food at Thai food prices in a Thai restaurant.
Yes you can wonder into the bowels of the Mall to the foodcourt and get a sanitized version of Thai good at inflated prices, but to sit down in a normal Thai restaurant has not been easy to find in an area I call Pattaya without the Sea.
Fair portions of Thai food at Fair prices. I look forward to eating there whenever I have to be in Udon.

Krua Vietnam Restaurant Mukdahan Thailand

Banh Xeo

(Replacing an earlier Post) The Tourism Authority of Thailand, local travel guides and some enthusiastic copy paste travel bloggers call this restaurant Vietnam Noodle and Food. Not only do they get the name wrong, but they also have it in the wrong spot. Now before I am once again informed that Travell Bloggers are not map makers one might note that if they even visited the place they would see what they were copying and pasting was incorrect. As to the mane I can see why it is listed incorrectly as the owners were dumb enough to post it clearly in a number of places. And to all congratulations they do not have Vietnamese noodles.
The first thing I ordered, after a beer was the Banh Xeo, which they know by its Thai name and then took a chance with the Spring Rolls. One of the customers congratulated me on knowing the Vietnamese name of the foods and we carried on a conversation throughout the meal. Real nice customers and mighty fine staff here. The Banh Xeo was 8 out of 10. Well prepared ,but a bit on the small size. The Spring Rolls were Vietnamese style using the proper rice paper not that cardboard stuff Thais seem to prefer.
The Nooles they do are Quaiytiaow, Thai Style. It seems many of the restaurants in the region have to mix authentic foor with the more basic foods that fit the less  refined Thai pallet.
The Restaurant location can be found where it actually exists on my Mukdahan Map

Vietnam Noodle and Food, Mukdahan, Thailand 27.09.1. It

Up the street from the Hua Nam Hotel just Past the Chinese shrine is the little Restaurant. It's name is Doa or Hua, but you can easiest recognize it from the photos in the album, or go to the Picasa Album and view the map, or go to my Mukdahan Map. The sell generally Thai food to include quaiytiow and stuff, but do have a few nearly Vietnamese entrees. The Banh Xeo, although a bit on the small side, is quite good and not soggy on the inside. The fried spring rill use the more delicate rice paper wraps and are much nicer than the Thai style thick papered ones. I will be back, but the place is not only worth a visit, but a revisit as well. Staff and fellow diners were a polite helpful bunch, a friendly place as well

Mighty Fine Laap or Larb or a Foodgasm in Mukdahan Notheast Thailand

Now finding good Laap in Isaan is not impossible. But to find what surly competes for the best duck laap in Isaan is a real find. Not only does this guy specialize in Laap is all he does. If you want somtam it gets imported from place  down the soi. There is no river view only beer and a whole lot of other e afficianandos of fine duck laap. You will be able to find the location on my Mukdahan Map. And a special thanks to Ralph who I will provide a link to soonest

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Vietnamese Food in Ubon Ratchatani, Thailand 04.09.12

1st meal at Golfhouse

First of all, I became acquainted with Vietnamese food back in the late 60s ans early 70s during the war. Part of my time was spent coordinating between a Vietnamese and American unit and was well looked after by the Vietnamese command, war or no war. Back In the U.S. I was familiar with quite a few of the people in the Vietnamese communities in San Diego, New Orleans and Northern Virginia where many settled and opened restaurants. And finally I spent a year helping the Vietnamese temple in Seattle out of some major zoning problems and was well looked after by the restaurant owners.
On arrival in Thailand some 17 years ago I was amazed by the lack of authentic Vietnamese food available and still am to this day.
Some years ago there were a couple Vietnamese restaurants in Nakhon Phanom the served Vietnamese food , closed some time ago, but I have heard rumors of a couple new ones that I will be checking out.
I had read a post about a place in Ubon named Golf House so marked it on my map and read a post done by Chris for Mr Memock and to retry the Indochine and find the place that did the banh mi, called Kanom Paeng Pate Saigon, a cart.
Got to lunch at the  golfhouse at 1100 as I like to check a place without the rush. As usual in Thailand if you are with a Thai women the staff assumes she is the person in charge and as Daeng my companion was aware of what I was up to we quickly got the conversation pointed in the right direction. The staff there were polite, patient and prompt. They have the menu in both Thai and in Vietnames and accurate pictures on the walls. I was on a roll having a great time. The food was Vietnamese and the portions manly. One dish we ordered is called a yahm in Thai usually a Spicy salad. Afetr she had a couple tastes I asked Daeng what she thought and she was amazed by how it was spicy "but not like thai" and sweet, but not stoo sweet. That I guess sums up the difference between Thai and Vietnames food. The Vietnames have subtleties in their cooking a finely balance seet, sour, spicy and salty. Don't mistake I absolutely enjoy Isaan food, this is just a different thing. While there we enquired about banh mi and were told by a few people that unfortunately the place was gone. I also called their number got a voice mail, left a message and never got a reply.
Dinner at the Indochine was another story. The staff tere is used to a more obedient class of customer and no exceptions are to be made. I cannot say the food was bad it is just that it ws only an imitation of Vietnames food and the portions were smaller and prices higher, and a real letdown after lunch.
The surprise came out side as I had always tried to figure out the restaurant just ti the west of the Indochine as some Thai foods looked the same.
Dang confirmed my suspicions. So if you like Indochine food just go to the non air simple place next door and pay 50 baht for what is 80 baht in the Indochine.
Back at Golfhouse it was the same again. As I had visited the Vietnamese restaurants in Sakon Nakhon that do not serve vietnames food with Daeng I asked her what she thought about the whole thing and to paraphrase she seemed to think Thai people like to say they are going out for Vietnames food (face) but prefer what is more like Thai food, and about the food she ate in ubon, she's ready to go back.
My opinion is if you want Vietnamese food in Ubon, value for money, a polite staff and good service head to the Pink place, Golfhouse. For some reason you cannot see the captions in the album. Go the the picasa web album for captions and locations

Aug 4, 2012 lunch Sakon Nakhon, Thailand

If in town in Sakon Nakhon on the weekend lunch usuallly takes place across from Somdet Phra Srinakarindra Park. Somtom, now with my favorite "heavy on the tomatoes", chicken, sticky rice (missing from the pictures and a beer. Posrk skin and or peanuts also occasionally make the mix. Also avaulable is a fish which is no problem as well. The chicken dipping sauce is hot or not, up to you.
If you are in town it is easy enough to find and it's right there for you to point at if you need to. The prices are right as well. Enjoy!

Buffet Sakon Nakhon 17.07.12

Join us at the Buffet , also known as Korea BBQ in some parts of Isaan, And I was too lazy to get up and shoot the buffet table, But join us as I nag about not overcooking the shrimp.

Sakon Nakhon Food Update 08.07.12

Well here it is Sunday morning and will probably have what is becoming a weekend tradition. a bowl of Khao Tome Moo. Which is a rice soup with minced pork, pork balls, parsley and an egg thrown in and I spice  to my taste. Along with that a small baguette with some meat, which I quite enjoy and my only bread for the week. Unfortunately some places have taken to calling these Banh Mi (pictured here, and borrowed from a website) which these small sandwiches have no relation too. Cafe Bawrahn, real coffee with sweetened condensed milk, known as cafe sua dah in VietNam and fresh squeeze orange juice finish the breakfast.
And the album shows the rest of the past few days in food here in Isaan.

Duck and DimSum, Khon Kaen, New Menu and More

I quite enjoy every visit to this restaurant that is located on Naa Muang Road right across the street from in "SYNC" nightclub at the Khon Kaen Hotel.
The first thing I noticed was the new many and second some additions to the menu.
I ordered the new springroll and was quite suprised when it arrived, There is much more gravy than in the photo, and that is not a complaint. I was too full to get more info about it, but it is not your everyday por pia (spring roll). Not Thai or Vietnamese it sure seems to be of Chinese origin. As usual the duck was perfect, meatly, lean, with cripsy skin. The dimsum types are not extensive, but it is no small selection.
If duck and or dimsum are what you are looking for this is an economical foodgasmal place to stop

The Roti Lady is Back, Khon Kaen, Thailand

She has been gone for way too long, Back to Pakistan, said her son who sells vegetables at Beung Kaen Nakhon, here in Khon Kaen. Sweet or Savory she can satisfy the belly. The folks here seem to favor her sweet banana roti, but my weekly treat is the chicken roti,  Bits of chicken, fried onion and please no one tell me how many eggs, She also does a saffron rice and chicken leg, By the numbers buying and the smile on her face I am pretty sure the neighborhood is glad to have her back.

It's about Food Jun 11, 2012 #AmazingThailand

Isaan food is best when not eaten alone, Food should be shared and enjoyed with people whose company one enjoys, Last week wa wonderful for a number of reasons one of which was not eating alone. And the selection of Isaan food through the week was not so varied, but good old standard fare. The exception was Friday dinner. A Foodgasmic curry soup with prawns and omelette and fried lahp balls. The balls were even better after a swim in the curry soup.

Vietnamese Food Sakon Nakhon, 28.05.12

I spent 3 years in Vietnam, I did a project for the Vietnamese Buddhist Temple in Seattle Washington, I ate for years with 1000s of Vietnamese in Northern Virginia outside Washingon DC and feel comfortable to saying I know a bit about Vietnamese food. Here i Isaan Naem neuang is the favorite Vietnamese food and as far as I know does not exist in Vietnam, An no self respecting Vietnamese wold produce that type of stodge. Anyhow Sakon Nakhon has a very large Vietnamese community, and when I began my quest for Vietnamese food I started at what I thought would be the worst place to find the food, and I was not disappointed. This chain was cold and the food was not only disappointing ,but in no way Vietnamese. Some of the food might be tasty?, but nothing I saw was Vietnamese.

Sakon Nakhon Food Post 25.05.12

Okay everyone on twitter has been complaining about my lack of food posts, so after the live boadcast I shot a bit of Isaan food, still photos from the new samsung note. so here is a phang khon foodgasm for you.

A light Dinner and a look around the Food Court in Udon Thailand

Having done tours of the clothing and dry good markets in Udon Thani, Thailand it was time to wet my whistle, have a bite to eat and comment on the world going by. With a fine TRUE 3G signal I continued to twitcast live.

Join me in an Omelet in Khon Kaen Thailand

People who join my twitcasts are always wanting me to go eat so 130512 I finally live broadcast my trip to a food area at beung kaen nakhon. Being in front of a 7-11 makes getting a beer a simple task. So join the food moment by the beung in khon kaen.

Join me in some ribs eggplant and a bit of chat in northeast Thailand

At a restaurant at beung kaen nakhon khon kaen. Ribs, eggplant, sticky rice and beer> all for less than 200Baht

Suki in Mahaarakham 02.04.12

what might be the longest food post ever. Me having a meal at mahasarakham at an all you can eat suki restaurant. 120 baht all you can eat, a bit more expensive than khon kaen, but good value if you bring your tapeworm. I am twitcastinf and talking to a viewer via twitter. TRUE 3G is doing the job in northeast thailand Isaan

Pad Thai Streetfood in Khon Kaen Thailand 28.03.12

She's been missing a couple weeks and has a new sous chef, but when the pad thai lady gets all burners going she has no time to chat. With the 7-11 as a backdrop you can have a beer with your meal and she has plenty of seating.
Not the posh pad thai with shrimp and all, but nort a bad feed for 30 baht

Twitcasting Isaan Food in Northeast Thailand

So after about an hour of twitcasting I decided to stop and get a bite to eat at a local restaurant, and why not twitcast it to continue the test of 3G speed and twitcast capabilities.
As you can see the slow fps (frames per second) brings down the quality. I will of course do more testing and see if things get better with wifi.

Somtam in northeast thailand comes many ways

I get quite amused by many of the posts and pictures I see of Isaan food, and people eating Isaan food. I especially enjoy seeing what people call somtam. Of course there is nothing wrong with any of it it is just lacks the Isaanness that makes it really Isaan Here's a somtam I would guess not many people outside certain areas of Isaan have ever experienced. It is a type of sohk lek with another twist. If you know Isaan food you should be able to identify all the ingredients.
 

OK Restaurant Mukdahan Thailand

There has been a restaurant at this site for as long as I have been visiting Mukdahan or for more than 12 years. I use this one for it's outside seating and reasonable priced beer. People watching is fair as it's one street up from Thai Immigration and the boat crossing to Laos and a bit around the corner from the Indochina market along the Mekong River.
Foodwise I am not the best to judge it as if I want Thai food I go to a Thai daytime or evening style place. I recently had the khao man gai ( chicken slices on rice) for 49baht. It was clean and tasty, but generally for 30 Baht I get quite a bit more plus a clear broth.
If you are new to Thailand or want some western food in Mukdahan or a cold beer this place is fine and clean and convenient.
For me the best place in town for an evening graze is the Mukdahan Night Food Market up the street.
click on the up arrow in the lower right hand corner to view the album full screenalbum up arrow to view full screen

kuay tiao, guay dtiaao, ก๋วยเตี๋ยวน้ำ however you spell it, it's noodle soup in Thailand

On street sides, in restaurants, what might be Thailands favorite soup. It is difficult to find anyplace in Isaan where you are out of reach of the soup.The noodles generally come 1 of 2 ways; the white rice "vermicelli in a variety of sizes or mama" packaged noodles. Most peopleseem to like sen lek, the skinny rice vermicelli.Meats can be pork,beef fish or anyting you might want. It comes in balls boiled and sometimes crispy. Greens, sprous and herbs often come as  an accompany the bowl.Peppers, vinegar, sugar and more have to be avaiable as every person must have it to their own taste. Always rememeber to taste it before youadd your condiments. Some soups have a strong flavor of their own while some are quite bland

Another thing you might like to learn to say is "kruuanhng nai" which means No Innards if you prefer to not have boiled liver or any other innard.
It's a filling healthy meal any time of day. and a fine option for those who do not want spicy.
So however you spell it guaitiaow