Vientiane: Khop Chai Deu (February 2012)

My spouse and I enjoyed happy hour on three separate days at Khop Chai Deu in February 2013. The fruit shakes at Khop Chai Deu are delicious, as they were at nearly every restaurant in Laos: we particularly enjoyed the banana and mango.  (The name of the restaurant means “thank you very much”.) We loved the huge courtyard and large outdoor (but covered) bar fronting the French-colonial building, from where we could watch the traffic on busy Sethathirat Road as well as pedestrians on the adjacent sidewalk. The restaurant is located in the “downtown” area near the Namphu Fountain. The restaurant has air-conditioned indoor seating, as well as some outdoor balcony seating that can be reached by a circular staircase with a small fish pond at the bottom. (The balcony appears to be open during the evenings only.) There are some large floor-standing fans in the courtyard area to keep it cool during the hot afternoon sun. The cafe features complimentary Wi-Fi, so be sure to request the password. The menu features Lao, Asian, Indian, and Western cuisine, as well as an extensive beverage menu. The fruit smoothies/fruit milkshakes were delicious; we particularly liked the banana and mango. The menu is in English and features some photographs. The staff is numerous, and the servers are competent. Beginning in the late afternoon, the staff includes young, attractive local girls who encourage the patrons to purchase featured drinks (it is done in a tactful way). You can smoke in the courtyard of the restaurant, as you can in most outdoor spaces in Laos. The restaurant supposedly features live music every evening, although we were never present at the appropriate time. Prices are really reasonable for what is a heavily touristed restaurant - each afternoon we ordered approximately three to four rounds of drinks, and our bill never exceeded $10 total. The bill was listed in several different currencies: Lao Kip, Thai Bhat, US Dollars, and Euros. This restaurant/bar was a favorite of ours! A French-colonial structure houses this very popular downtown restaurant and bar, which serves as an excellent meeting point for happy-hour cocktails or dinner. The long menu is crammed with Lao, Asian, and international dishes, and a daily buffet is also served. For a tasty introduction to traditional Lao cuisine, try the Lao Discovery, a set menu including larb, a semi-spicy salad; tom yum, a sour chili-and-lemongrass fish soup; khao niaw, Lao sticky rice; and a glass of lao-lao (rice whiskey). Draft beer is on tap, live music plays in the bar nightly, and the kitchen is open until 11 pm.