Best Asian Dining
 

I'll be in SE Asia for 3 weeks in Feb '06
I'm looking for great food. It doesn't have to be fancy and dress up
I'd love to hear if anyone has recommendations about top notch dining experiences (but mostly about the food)
I'll be in
Bangkok
Chang Mai
Siem Reap
Phuket
Saigon
Hue
Hoian
Hanoi
Koh Samui

Thanks for any help GRF

Phuket: Some of the best restaurants are at My Favorite Restaurants on Phuket - and of those the one I like best is the Lotus Restaurant right on Bang Tao Beach next to the Banyan Tree. Relatively inexpensive - great Penang Gai.

In Bangkok - my favorite for a birthday or anniversay is Lord Jim's at the Oriental.

My suggestions are:-
Bangkok - Salathip at the Shangri-la, the thai restaurant at the Oriental and the restaurant at the top of the Banyan tree.
Phuket - The Boathouse, On the Rock, Ruam Thep Inn, (these last 2 are at the southern end of Karon Beach) and the Savoey and Ban Rim Paa in Patong.
Can't remember any memorable food in Koh Samui although that doesn't mean we didn't eat well!

Siem Reap
 

Without question the best food in Siem Reap (and perhaps of your trip) is at the Hotel de la Paix, which is also a wonderful place to stay. Chef Paul Hutt is truly one of Asia's greats, making the very best of local ingredients and incredible presentation. Very nice room also.

While you are in Siem Reap, be sure to stop in at my brother-in-law's night spot, Linga Bar. It is the hot spot in town and most folks who get out at night seem to wind up there sooner or later.

Have fun.

How does Hotel de la Paix compare to Shinta Mani? (Even though I live close by in Phnom Penh, it's been a while since I've been to Siem Reap, so I'm a little out of touch on the restaurant scene.)

For the OP, I suggest you look at the international board on www.chowhound.com -- there are a number of threads discussing eating in the places you list.

I'll also be posting some recommendations here (though later - no time now).

- Michael

I've written a couple reviews, here on flyer talk, over on travel and dining--you can peruse them for more detail.

In short...

Chiang Mai: Aroon Rai--top notch
Gallery--nice setting

Bangkok: Seafood Market--a must do in Bangkok
Sala Nim Raam--dinner theater, great show.

Siem Reap: Soupdragon for US$0.65 "asian" breakfast. I like it for dinner, too. And, then, you're close to random bars.

Crunchy frog out by Bayon if the woman across the road from the tent restaurants is cooking and can be tracked down. Otherwise, pick a chair across the road under the tent and get the shredded ginger chicken for $1.25 or so.

Or, back to the discussion of more luxe places, already in progress.

Paul Hutt is the former Shinta Mani Chef. If you liked him there, you will be blown away by his work (and Johannes as well) at de la Paix. Much more to work with in the new venue.

In Saigon you must eat at Co Do (pronounced Coe Doe) in district 5 on An Duong Vuong street. The food is in the style of the old capital Hue but is much better than anything you'll find in Hue. The lotus rice is to die for. Get there before 7:00pm even on weekdays as it fills up fast.