Region: Northwest Vietnam> Province: Son La> Location: Yen Chau
Yen Chau
Rife with dining opportunities, Yen Chau is not. Com. Pho. Pho and Com. That's a good summation. It you happen to be here, you'll do as well on your own as you would following our advice. There are some Com joints oriented towards group tour feeds on the western side of berg, and unremarkable eateries scattered throughout the rest of the town (which ain't big).
One standout place place is west of the road into town on the south side -- Hai Chau restaurant is set in an old wooden building with seating on the second floor, which is of the bouncy planks of wood variety.
Looking for a bit of nightlife in the evening? Who wouldn't be? Well, we happened to be stuck overnight here, so here's the skinny. There ain't none. But there is one place that attracts the late crowd. Partly because it's open from 4 PM to 4 AM. It's called Phuong Men and it's located along the main road (as everything is) west of the town centre. It's the one place you're actually likely to see locals making merry in the evenings, mostly due to their rice wine, which is of an excellent vintage. But the menu is also noteworthy, though, sorry to say, there is no menu. Groups go for chicken, served grilled (nuong) or boiled (hop, tastes much better than it sounds) at about 50,000 VND for two diners. Satisfying Chao Ga (rices soup) is also available, at 10,000 VND a bowl, and most notably Banh Cuon Nhan Thit, which is a cheap and delectable dish that is nothing so much as a pork dumpling bedecked with grilled onions. Oh, yeah. At 8,000 VND per person, there's no reason not to try it. Be sure to check out the proprietor's collection of 'Chicken Feet with Way Too Many Toes' on the back wall of the restaurant. It's on the main road, west of the intersection where the Huong Sen hotel is to be found, on the north side of the street. Sorry. this is Yen Chau. There are no addresses. The rest is up to you.
Phuong Men Restaurant: Tieu Khu 1, Yen Chau. T: (022) 840 977. Hours: 16:00 to 04:00.