Beyond the Five Boroughs: Lao Street Food in Luang Prabang

Street food in Luang Prabang, from top left pork noodle soup with fried garlic; sweet Lao-style roti with banana, egg, and sweet milk; fried and fresh spring rolls; fiery papaya salad

I spent a month travelling around Vietnam and Laos. Here is the second entry in our Beyond the Five Boroughs feature on Vietnam and Laos. The first was on Hanoi street food. The third entry explores the enchanting city of Hoi An and the fourth the imperial city of Huế.

The first thing I noticed about the food in Laos is that it was closer to Thai food than to Vietnamese. It has a primal quality with strong, spicy flavors and lots of chilis, garlic and galangal, as well as a far stronger fish sauce than I saw in Vietman (which, unfortunately, they do not let out of the country).

Luang Prabang

One cannot go to Laos without visiting Luang Prabang. This enchanting and relaxing city of beautiful French-colonial architecture is nestled between soaring karst mountains. We intended to stay there for only 3 or 4 days but ended up there for almost 10.

Naturally we had plenty of time to sample the city's street food, which is some of the best in Southeast Asia. Most of the street food in Luang Prabang is sold at the city's superb night market where literally hundreds of stalls line a main street selling handmade wares and of course food. The market is a serene and enjoyable place for a nightly stroll; a far cry from the night market in Hanoi where the density of people crowding the streets can be as bad as a NYC subway during rush hour.

Beyond the Five Boroughs - Basque Country Part 1: Hondarribia, Saint Jean-de-Luz and Espelette

Cod Pintxo at Gran Sol; Mixed Seafood Grill at Abarka Jatetxea; Smoked Salmon Salad at La Ruelle; Axoa at Aintzina

This is the second installment of our Beyond the Five Boroughs series on Northern Spain and the first of three on the Basque Country. The next post will cover pintxos in San Sebastian, and the third will be a review of the renowned Restaurante Arzak. The first post was on Barcelona.

I knew I had fallen in love with the Basque Country when, a few hours off the plane from Barcelona, I found myself standing at a wooden table over a small but elaborately prepared pintxo featuring grilled shrimp. The shrimp were grilled to perfection and piled on top of juicy roasted tomato and a smooth white puree of cabracho, a funny-looking fish. The whole thing was sitting in a pink seafood broth with a drizzle of bright green herb oil and topped with trout caviar and vinaigrette foam. It was perfect. The shrimp had just the right texture and the cabracho had just enough body to stand up to the flavorful sauce.

Grilled Shrimp Pintxo at Gran Sol

I was at Gran Sol, a well-regarded pintxos bar in the quaint seaside town of Hondarriba. Pintxos (pronounced "PEEN-chohs") are small plates or finger foods, sometimes simple and sometimes intricate, that are traditionally served on little toasts and speared through with a toothpick. The name "pintxo" derives from the Spanish word "pincho" (a "spike", or a "skewer"), which refers to the toothpick holding the whole thing together. Traditionally, pintxos bars are self-serve; you grab a plate and go to town, grabbing whatever looks good to you in the moment. Some modern pintxos, like my shrimp at Gran Sol, are prepared to order and dispense with the toothpick.

My wife and I had come to Basque Country to enjoy its beautiful beaches and dynamic culture, and also to sample what is reputed to be some of the best food in the world. From elaborate pintxos in Hondarribia and San Sebastian, to French Basque specialties across the border, we were not disappointed.

Corn and Tomato Salad with Fresh Mozzarella

For me, late summer in the New York area is all about corn and tomatoes. Sweet and crisp, they go beautifully together in a simple salad paired with any seasonal green vegetable and some creamy fresh mozzarella cheese. A gentle hit of red wine vinegar cuts the sweetness and some fruity extra virgin olive oil ties it all together.

A trip to the farmers' market this past weekend yielded some glorious Chinese long beans, a two foot-long vegetable similar in texture and flavor to green beans. The crisp, slightly bitter long beans were an excellent counterpoint to the sweet corn and tomatoes, offering a light crunch to counter the juicy tomatoes and creamy mozzarella. Green beans or sugar snap peas work equally well.

Beyond the Five Boroughs: Hanoi Street Food

From top left, crunchy eels with glass noodles, pho bo, bun cha, and grilled pork sandwich

I spent a month travelling around Vietnam and Laos. Here is the first entry in our Beyond the Five Boroughs feature on Vietnam and Laos. The second entry is on Lao street food in Luang Prabang, the third entry explores the enchanting city of Hoi An, and the fourth covers the imperial city of Huế.

Hanoi is the street food capital of Vietnam - in addition to being the political capital. Every motorbike-strewn street still has room for numerous street-side shops and vendors that crowd the sidewalks. Even the streets themselves are packed with tasty dishes, some of them mere snacks or desserts, others whole meals.

The food in Hanoi more closely shows the influence of the centuries of Chinese occupation of the country than in areas of Vietnam further South - the food is generally less spicy, more rustic, and more noodle-focused.  All those concepts are reflected in the city's street food - with the focus on street; most were eaten either sitting on plastic stools on the road or sidewalk, or in small open-air store fronts.

Flatbush Farm

A corn cake with fresh corn and a plump poached duck egg at Flatbush Farm

As food movements go, the "farm to table" movement may be the one I approve of the most. It is concerned with growing food locally and sourcing it directly to restaurants, so that fresh seasonal ingredients can be served to customers without the need for elaborate preparation. I am particularly happy with this idea in the summer, when the tomatoes and corn in this area are glorious and sweet and fresh herbs are plentiful.

Flatbush Farm brings the farm to table concept to Park Slope, offering seasonal produce from Long Island, eggs and apples from upstate and cheeses and lamb from Vermont, among many other local staples, all served in a setting more appropriately thought of as rustic urban chic. Rows of tables are covered with light brown paper and simple candles, surrounded by dark brown leather benches and wooden chairs. In nice weather, a surprisingly large garden unfolds in the back.