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

General

Guesthouse and Restaurant Sinphet - Clean and airy rooms, good budget choice
Tel: (020) 558 0881;(020) 568 0709;

Once called Pholay Guesthouse, the old signage is still on display. Downstairs is a restaurant that serves a good range of Lao food, with all the usual suspects present on the menu.
Type of Food: Lao /

Keomoungkhoun Restaurant - One of the biggest in town

This restaurant is one of the largest in the area, and while the back is set up like a huge living room, complete with cuddly toys and parked motorbike, the front opens up on to the road and is filled with tables and chairs. Right at the front is a display of plastic cannisters filled with coloured powder, used to make tasty fruit shakes for 3,000 kip. The menu itself boasts a variety of dishes, fairly similar to the other restaurants in the area, but prices are a little cheaper. The food is good and the service friendly, when the family can be torn away from the TV. They are also happy to make dishes on request.
Type of Food: Lao /

Khemko Restaurant - A good place to come with a crowd
Tel: (081) 211 109;

With a lovely wooden balcony overlooking the river and the greenery on its banks, this restaurant has a great atmosphere. It has those popular large round tables, making it a good place to come with a crowd, and with the Chinese-inspired menu it's more appropriate to eat shared-style too. Most dishes feature just one item, so to get a balanced meal you need to order several dishes.
Type of Food: Chinese / Lao /

Supailin Restaurant - Delicious food

This small, bamboo-fronted restaurant is the only place serving standard Lao-style food in a town full of Chinese-run businesses. Menu includes soups, noodle, rice and stir-fry dishes, papaya salad, and laap, all at good prices. It has a book full of recommendations by travellers from all over the world. Praise is mostly for the very friendly woman who runs the place, but also aimed for the delicious food. The pad Thai is particularly well-reviewed and is indeed tasty. Hanging in the shop are shirts for sale - some from ethnic minorities such as Tai Dam, Khmu, Lue and Yuan - for between 50,000-100,000 kip, along with some pretty modern Lao-style shirts too. Slightly off the main street, it's a quieter spot to relax.
Type of Food: Lao /