Restaurants in Asia
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Bedudal Café
For bread, beer and English menus, try Bedudal Café or Canyon Café. They also prepare the local speciality, dadiah campur, which is a tasty mixture of oats, coconut, fruit, molasses and buffalo-milk yogurt.
reviewed
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Cream Centre
An excellent ice-cream parlour in a bright, slick interior. Oh, and real food, too: a pure-veg hodgepodge of Indian, Mexican and Middle Eastern.
reviewed
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B
German Bakery
Leafy and filled with prayer flags and jolly lights, this is a perfect place for a huge lunch chosen from an equally huge menu. Tofu balls in mustard sauce with parsley potatoes and salad is a piled-high winner at Rs150. Wi-fi is available for a fairly steep Rs100 per hour.
reviewed
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C
Brothers’ Dhaba
Amritsar is famous for its dhabas (snack bars) such as Brothers’ Dhaba which has (mainly Indian) meals averaging Rs80, and open early to late. Brothers’ is the current sweetheart, but only by a whisker.
reviewed
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D
Friends
The delightful Friends restaurant is run by the Mith Samlanh Friends NGO. Staffed by street youths training for the hospitality industry, it offers healthy international dishes and delicious fruit cocktails.
reviewed
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E
Brown Bread Bakery
Not only does this place lead the way socially and environmentally – it supports a local school, runs a women’s empowerment group, uses organic produce wherever possible, and refills your water bottles for you (Rs5) – but the food is also terrific. The fabulous menu includes more than 20 varieties of cheese and more than 30 types of bread, cookies and cakes as well as main courses from around the world. The ambience is spot on too, with seating on cushions around low tables and live classical music performances in the evenings. Admittedly, it’s pricier than most, but part of the profits go to the charity Learn for Life.
reviewed
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V Cafe
A travellers’ favourite, this cute bistro hung with Chinese lanterns serves a mix of Asian and Western mains. Service is very good and you can choose dessert from the small spread on the counter.
reviewed
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Am/Pm Organic Café
This shack run by a Nepali trained as a barista in London has organic Himalayan coffee from Palpa and tasty pastries from its German Bakery. There’s a second branch in Lakeside.
reviewed
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G
328 Katong Laksa
As controversial food subjects go, the source of the original, authentic Katong laksa is one of the most emotive. Several laksa stalls along this stretch have been engaged in Singapore’s infamous ‘Laksa Wars’ for years, bickering over who was first. Decide for yourself. You won’t go wrong at any of them, but this is, commercially at least, the most successful.
reviewed
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JoMa Bakery Café
JoMa is the first-choice lunch stop for many expatriate workers in Vientiane, partly because the large and stylish café is a good place for meetings but mainly because it does a brisk trade in delicious pastries, sandwiches, quiche, muesli, fruit, shakes and coffee. Wi-fi is available for US$2.50 an hour.
reviewed
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Big Chill
Khan Market has two film-poster-lined branches of BC, packed with chattering, well-manicured folk. The menu is a telephone directory of continental, Indian and other dishes. Have you ever seen so much cheesecake on a menu? Who’s to quibble when it’s this good?
reviewed
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Cargo Club
If you’re craving a hearty Western meal, come here for a full spread of international cuisine. The freshly baked patisserie and boulangerie selections are ‘to die for’, in the words of a Hoi An expat. It’s a great place for people-watching at any time of the day, and from the upstairs balcony there are lovely views of the river. After dark the place morphs into a groovy bar.
reviewed
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K
Blue Elephant
The Blue Elephant got its start in Brussels more than two decades ago as an exotic outpost of royal Thai cuisine. After spreading to other cities, the owners boldly chose Bangkok, the cuisine’s birth mother, as its ninth location. Set in a stunning Sino-Portuguese colonial building with service fit for royalty, the restaurant also features an impressive cooking school.
reviewed
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L
Dada Kafe
Promoting itself as a healthy alternative, this eatery is very popular for breakfast. There are simple but comfy chairs and tables and a menu featuring freshly prepared food that has a good stab at sandwiches, pasta dishes and Thai mains. It specialises in juices and claims to have the liquid fruit answer to many ailments including acne, heart disease and high-blood pressure. True or not, they are delicious.
reviewed
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Café Primavera
If the coffee was just a tad better, this dark-wood and marble-topped table trattoria is just the kind of place we’d like to make our local cafe. The pizzas and homemade gelati offer more hope, and the friendly and efficient staff seal the deal.
reviewed
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Or2k
This popular Israeli-run vegetarian restaurant is our current favourite for fresh and light Middle Eastern dishes. The menu spreads to crêpes, soups, zucchini pie, coconut tofu and ziva (pastry fingers filled with cheese). The mood is bright and buzzy. All seating is on cushions on the floor; you have to take your shoes off so make sure you’re wearing your clean pair of socks. A small stand at street level serves takeaway felafel wraps (Rs 110).
reviewed
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O
Top Spot Food Court
The double entendre definitely holds true. This excellent rooftop plaza has acres of tables and a good variety of stalls. Order anything from abalone to banana prawns or numerous varieties of fish, and chase it down with a cold bottle of Tiger. To get here, climb the stairs leading from Jln Padungan to Tapanga restaurant, and keep heading upstairs from there.
reviewed
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P
Babylon Beach Club
Accessible by dirt road are the seaside, polished, whitewashed environs of the Babylon Beach Club. Under new Italian management, lunch is more casual 'beach fare' such as burgers and salads while dinner gets more lavish with mains such as prawn and asparagus risotto.
reviewed
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Q
Dintaifung
With Taipei's most celebrated dumplings, Dintaifung is deservedly popular for Shanghai-style treats made fresh to order. Try the classic xiǎolóng bāo (steamed pork dumplings). Very popular with locals and visitors alike, so either phone in reservations (they speak enough English) or prepare to queue up.
reviewed
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R
Tamarind Café
A relaxed cafe-restaurant with lounge-around cushioned seating, plenty of space and wi-fi. Offers an eclectic menu but is best for tabouli, eggplant claypot and salads. Drinks include heavenly lassis, zesty juices and wine by the glass. Our only quibble is that it’s a tad on the expensive side and all prices are in dollars.
reviewed
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Saravana Bhavan
Massively popular, Tamil Saravana has a fast-food feel, but food is by no means junk: dosas, idlis and other southern specialities, accompanied by lovely fresh chutneys. Inventive sweets include cucumber-seed ladoos (sweet balls). Finish with a South Indian coffee. Arrive early or queue!
reviewed
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T
Kohinoor
There are several excellent restaurants along the Waterfront Esplanade, including this Indian place offering comfortable indoor seating and a breezy outdoor patio. Take advantage of their authentic tandoori oven and don’t forget to grab a side of pillowy garlic naan.
reviewed
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Ary's Warung
The name Ary's Warung is something of a misnomer; crisp table linen, architectural food presentation, well-trained waiters and high prices won't be found in any other warung. The spare design opens the ground-floor to the street. Alluring bar.
reviewed
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BK’s Place
This place has a well-deserved reputation for good old-fashioned chips (French fries), with a variety of sauces, as well as good momos. It’s a tiny place, west of the Rum Doodle.
reviewed
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Gerry’s Grill
The original location of the now-widespread Filipino restobar chain is across the street from the ABS-CBN television studios.
reviewed