Region: Northern Laos> Province: Udomxai> Location: Muang La

General

Overview - Not a huge range of options
Muang La - Udomxai

Muang La is a small town, and restaurant choices aren't extensive. But because it is quite local to Udomxai, there are some options. The Hot Springs Resort has a restaurant down by the river with a limited selection of offerings, based mainly on what animal has been killed that day. No English menu. A couple of small restaurants line the main street, again none with menus or much of a range. Their standard dish is noodle soup, but the large one at the top of the intersection will prepare something a little different, if they have the ingredients.

The third option is up the main road towards Phongsali. It looks as though you've left the city limits, but keep walking past a small tomb-like altar that's used for cremation, and on towards the large bridge. On either side of the road are matching restaurants constructed of wood and bamboo, and facing out over the river in opposite directions. They are much of a muchness, with duelling stereo systems, balconies with attractive river views, and limited menus consisting mainly of riverfish. They serve tom yum pa, the traditional sour and spicy fish soup, fried fish, a kind of minced fish salad not unlike laap and grilled fish. Saynampak offers delicious sour spicy cucumber salad, while Khouvanying has friendly staff and serve steak, and fried mixed vegetables. Neither place has menus in English.