FOR LOCAL DELICACIES AND A DREAMY RETREAT
Amantaka in Luang Prabang, Laos, provides a dreamy escape with unforgettable traditional dining courtesy of head chef and Raymond Blanc protégée, Charly Gomes. Beautiful, spacious colonial-style suites surround a courtyard with a feature swimming pool, next to which you can enjoy Charly’s take on Laotian cuisine after accompanying him to the local food market, where you’ll get a full run-down of the ingredients on offer. Outside the hotel, breakfast like a local with khao jie pate, a breakfast that features pickled papaya along with three types of pork. In Luang Prabang, most meals feature a side of sticky rice and there’s no better way to eat it than rolling it into a ball and using it to scoop up smoky aubergine (djeo mak kua), spiced tomato (tomato len) and fiery chilli paste (djeo mak bet) dips. Add plenty of side dishes such as Mekong river weed and ceviche-style koi pa and a bottle of Beerlao, and you’ll feel like a local in no time.
Roxanne Fisher