The Great Escape- That Little Place by the Mekong River
Bangkok Foodies discovers a river fish restaurant in Nakhon Phanom for the Mekong Tourism Forum 2018
Ok, so a few of us got “shanghaied” willingly and slipped out for a few hours over the break period of the Mekong Forum by one of Bangkok Foodies very own members, David. You may recall some of his notorious cookie posts here. Anyhow, we just could NOT visit Nakhon Phanom without trying out some of the local food and David devised a plan in the shape of a getaway car to take Bangkok Foodies, and fellow foodies rogues, from Cookly and Khriri Travel for a special excursion.
Everywhere that needs to visit is no more than a twenty-minute ride, well at least from the outskirts of the Nakhon Phanom University, where the forum was held. David wanted to take us to a little place tucked away beside the river that his mother in law sent him to buy her favourite whole fish dish, and since then it’s been his go-to spot.
We arrived at this charming little hut-like entrance with a simple bamboo doorway and and a little hand-painted sign that read “Lan rat lim Kong” meaning, shop by the Mekong. Only a few steps down from there, the restaurant reveals an uninterrupted view of the river and it’s pretty damn breathtaking.
On the bed of the river by the restaurant are fishing traps, which David pointed out why these restaurants make for ultimate freshness. The food comes from “ urban” river farm to the plate, and we were already salivating at the very thought of it.
We’re served a large whole river fish with fluffy fried pieces on top. Alongside this, a plate of local herbs and greens and a round plate with dividers containing peanuts, ginger, chilli, tomato, shallots, lemongrass, raw garlic and kanom jeen (fermented rice noodles).
This dish, in its entirety, is called “Pla” (fish) and “Miang”. Not a dish known to be borne of this area but widely loved Northeastern Thai adaptation, given the fish here is so good and so darn fresh.
The combination of hot and succulent river fish, which is not dense or muddy in any way, combined with the explosive combination of herbs and spices are perfect for atmospheric riverside dining, absolutely refreshing and healthy for you, too. Pair that with a few bottles of Singha beer (ice is a must) and take in that all that peace and serenity of the still-flowing river.
Special thanks to The Mekong Tourism Forum organised by Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office.
The Mekong Tourism Forum provides a cooperative platform for stakeholders in the tourism industry to discuss the development, marketing and promotion of travel to, from and within the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). It presents an inclusive, interactive and results-oriented opportunity to encourage public and private sector participation in representing the GMS as a single destination.
Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) organized the first Mekong Tourism Forum in 1996 and led it for 10 consecutive years. The hosting of this influential annual event rotated among destinations within the GMS until 2005. In subsequent years the private sector initiated similar events around the region and continued to work to promote the Forum’s objectives
The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office: Collaborative effort between Cambodia, China, Lao, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam to promote the Greater Mekong Subregion as a single tourism destination.
Find out more: https://www.mekongtourism.org/
