“No Reservations” season 4, episode 11: Laos

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Location: Mr. Bourdain kicked off a new round of episodes last night with Laos. As one of the last “untouched” destinations of Southeast Asia, Laos sits nestled along the Mekong River, a mountainous country filled with mist-shrouded hilltops, orange-robed monks and a fascinating history both recent and ancient.

Episode Rating: Four bloody meat cleavers (out of five) in honor of Chef Bourdain.

Summary: Laos is one of those mysterious destinations romanticized by 21st century travelers. Still scarred by violent memories of the Vietnam War, it is a country largely untouched by the typical tourist trail of Southeast Asia but ripe with beautiful places to visit and delicious new foods to taste. In other words, it’s one of those places that Anthony Bourdain just knows how to do best – seeking out the remote, the fascinating and the cringe-inducing for our viewing pleasure.

Tony kicks off the episode by briefly stopping in the capital city of Vientiane before heading out for his “obligatory Asian noodle breakfast” in the small city of Phong Savan. Much like its Vietnamese cousin Pho, the spicy Lao soup he tastes is filled with a combination of noodles and meat, typically either chicken, duck or pork. Give Bourdain his bowl of noodles and he’s generally a pretty happy customer.
Reinvigorated by the magical Lao broth, Tony heads to the Plain of Jars for a quick visit. We are offered with an interesting sight – hundreds of giant stone vessels lie scattered across a huge field. Though there is much speculation as to their purpose, Tony’s guide suggests they either served as burial vessels for the deceased, a storage method for commodities like rice, or as a method for mythical Lao “giants” to store their whiskey (my favorite explanation).

Then, as you have come to expect with many Anthony Bourdain episodes, it was time for stuff to explode. As Tony explains, Laos was an unfortunate bombing target during the Vietnam War. Needless to say, the country is still feeling the effects. Tony watches on as the country’s team of UXO volunteers searches for and detonates a few of the millions of unexploded shells that lie hidden all across the nation’s countryside.

To further illustrate how Laos is still affected by the war, Bourdain has a simple fish lunch with a man who lost an arm and leg to an exploding shell. For someone who has built a reputation as cooking’s bad boy, I found Tony’s examination of the issue both emotional and thoughtful. Considering he’s usually ready with a sarcastic reply and a snotty comment, Bourdain seemed amazingly humbled by this very touching scene.

And then with barely a pause, it was once again time to chow down on some of the country’s many delicacies. Tony gets his morning off to a good start with an ant egg omelette. In typical Bourdain style, he relishes the dish, describing the flavor as similar to that of the fish roe typically found on sushi. While insect eggs do have a certain “squeam-factor,” I have to admit I was craving a taste to see what it was like. Not one to slow down while he’s on a roll, Tony then spends his day catching swallows, a traditional Lao food. The day’s catch was then prepared both grilled and fried and consumed bones, feathers and all in a single crunchy bite. Our normally iron-stomached travel host met his match with this dish, which he describes as “bitter” and “not enjoyable.”

As is to be expected with any “Hey look, I’m a tourist in Asia!” travel show, Bourdain takes a few self-indulgent minutes enjoying a ride on an elephant. Don’t get me wrong – elephant rides have got to be amazing fun – but the ride seemed a bit gratuitous and not particularly relevant to the episode. Let’s skip this next time, ok?

To make up for his sins, Tony heads to a Lao-Lao distillery to enjoy some freshly made samples of the country’s home-made rice whiskey brew. Though his bottle didn’t contain a serpent as in the sample photo to the right, Bourdain and his filming crew do an admirable job polishing off numerous shots with their hosts. All the while they nibble on small Lao snacks like freshwater shrimp, a typical accompaniment to the drink.

To wrap things up, Tony joins his local hosts for a traditional Lao religious ceremony along with a huge feast. A friendly send-off for a visit to one of the more fascinating places on earth.

As Tony points out in his closing words, Laos is a completely magical place. It feels frozen in time, divorced from the modern habits and ways of life with which most of us are familiar. For tourists looking for a life less ordinary, this is prime real estate. Soon the very things that make us romanticize a place – it’s unspoiled charm, friendly people and intriguing customs – become the seeds of its own destruction. That restaurant that served you the ant egg omelette becomes a fast food chain and the charming street you meandered now hosts a youth hostel. But nevertheless, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the simple charms of a place like Laos – and that is something that comes through loud and clear from Anthony Bourdain’s visit.

Galley Gossip: Airline Bashing, bringing the world together

by Heather Poole on

“So what do you do for a living?” asks…oh…whoever it is asking that day, which on this day happened to be a client of my husband, a very important client with a very impressive job.

“I’m a flight attendant,” I say with a smile.

The two second pause, that’s usually the initial response from the person asking the question about my job. During this never ending pause, I always find myself holding my breath, because the pause is always followed by one of two responses, and nine times out of ten it’s not the good response.

  • The good response: Is full of excitement and ends with an exclamation mark. It goes something like this; “I’ve always wanted to be a flight attendant!” or “My sister is a flight attendant!” And always leads to a very nice conversation about travel, which then leads to other interesting topics related to travel.
  • The bad response: Always starts with the same four words, “On my last flight…” which is then followed by another pause, accompanied with a weird look, which of course leads to a very bad story about the last flight. Needless to say, the conversation usually doesn’t go so well after this. How can it? I’ve now been linked to the worst flight this person has ever had. No matter how well we’d just been getting along.

“Computers,” said a friend, and CEO of a well known watch company that I worked for thirteen years ago. “I always tell people I’m in computers and then they leave me alone. Try it.”

“Oh I hate telling people what I do for a living,” said Mark, a fellow coworker, as we stood in the first class galley of a New York to Los Angeles flight, a flight I wasn’t working. We were talking about the job, and what people tend to think of those of us who do the job, which is the main reason Mark hates talking about the job with those who work on the ground.

Flight attendants aren’t the only ones who dread talking about it. On a flight a few years back, when things weren’t nearly as bad as they are now in the aviation industry, a super 80 co-pilot once confessed, “I never wear my uniform outside the house. I don’t want my neighbors knowing what I do for a living. When I get to the airport I change clothes.”

“Really?” I asked the first officer who, at the time, seemed a little…well…weird. I mean this was a pilot – A PILOT! Something to be proud of.

Now, years later, I often think of that guy when I’m dressed in my uniform and not on the airplane, the guy who may not have been so weird after all. Perhaps somehow he knew something about the future of aviation we could not imagine back then when things were…well…good, even though back then we still didn’t think things were all that great.

Like most flight attendants, I miss the good old days, but I still love my job, even if I’m selling sandwiches down the aisle and constantly apologizing because we don’t have this and we don’t have that to a full flight of miserably cramped passengers. Otherwise I wouldn’t do it. I certainly don’t have to do it. Really, I don’t. I want to do it and I like doing it. Which is why I’m going to tell you something I told my husband five years ago while we were seated across a dimly lit table from each other on our second date. I won’t quit. Ever! Oh yeah, I’ll be one of the ones using the drink cart like a walker forty years from now. Why? Because I love my job, remember? So it’s a shame that talking about the job has become such a sore spot with so many people.

“You’re the new whipping girl,” said Margo Candela, one of my few friends who does not work at 35,000 feet for a living. She said that after I had told her how people usually react when I tell them I’m a flight attendant.

“Whipping girl?” I repeated, because this was news to me. I’d never been called that before. In fact, I’ve been called everything BUT that, so whipping girl sounded nice, for a change, and also kind of exciting. “Whipping girl,” I said again, because I just liked saying it, and couldn’t stop saying it, as I imagined myself, the girl, actually holding the whip, as I stood in the aisle surrounded by passengers. “So what do you mean, exactly, by whipping girl?” I asked Margo, even though I had a pretty good idea what she meant, which I knew wasn’t at all like what I was fantasizing about.

“What I mean,” said Margo, the writer. “Is nowadays the dislike for airlines and ticket prices are the only thing people can agree on. It brings the world together. Trashing airlines, customer service, you name it, is a fairly safe and enthusiastic topic of conversation. For instance, I won’t talk religion or politics with some people, but airline complaints are fair game.”

It was an ah-ha moment. Everything Margo said made sense. And guess what, she actually made me feel better, so much better, in fact, I could go on with my day and face whatever negativity that might come my way with a first class smile on my face.

So go ahead, say what you like about me, my job, my coworkers, it’s okay. Because we’re doing great things with our lives. Yeah, I said it, great things, people! I mean how many of you are actually bringing this crazy mixed up world together by creating a unified hatred not based on religion, race, or political belief, but by working in an industry that’s struggling just to stay afloat? I mean who would have thought that one job could spark so much emotion? From so many people. And from all walks of life!

Now seriously, why can’t we all just get along?

Please!

Because we’re all stuck in the flying tube together.

Big in Africa: Bizarre foods from across the continent

by Matthew Firestone on

This month, Big in Japan is on vacation in Africa, and will be bringing you travel news and happenings from around this often misunderstood continent.

One of the joys of traveling is sampling the local cuisine, even if it pushes your comfort zone and makes you question whether or not it is actually edible. Indeed, appreciating food is all about culture and perspective, which is why it is always good to travel with a hungry stomach and an open mind.

On that note, today’s posting is about some of the more bizarre foods you might come across in your travels across the continent. From stir-fried creepy crawlies to ostrich-egg omelets, Africa has its fair share of culinary oddities.

1) Ugali One of the first foods you’re likely to encounter on the continent is a boiled cornmeal mush that goes by many names including ugali, pap and sadza. While the taste is not unlike really bland mashed potatoes, it will sit in your stomach like a brick, which is why it comprises the bulk of most African diets. Ugali is anything but gourmet, but it is finger-licking good fun, especially since the food acts as its own utensil. Grab a gob and dig into the accompanying sauce!

2) Antelope jerky Something of a South African speciality, biltong is jerky made from wild antelopes such as springbok, oryx and kudu. Although the idea of eating Africa’s most majestic herbivores might be off-putting to some, antelope jerky is seriously delicious stuff, especially when it’s spiced up with peppercorns and hot sauce. Assuming you don’t have high-blood pressure and can overlook the high sodium content, biltong is relatively fat-free and decidedly Atkins friendly.

3) Ostrich egg omelets A single ostrich egg can weigh more than 3 pounds, which is one mighty omelet if you want a hearty breakfast to start your day. If you’re watching your cholesterol, you might want to share the meal with a few friends though as no right-minded person should eat a whole ostrich egg omelet by themselves. After all, it is really is hard to find a frying pan big enough to cook up this monster, let alone a whisk big enough to scramble the yolk.

4) Mopane A major protein source for rural Africans, mopane are sluggish caterpillars that are as colorful as they are delicious. Although you first need to de-spine them and dry them in the sun, they taste something like greasy potato chips, and are best when served up with curry sauce. Of course, mopane worms aren’t chips, but caterpillars – big, honkin’ caterpillars.

5) Termites Continuing on the insect theme, don’t miss the chance to snack on termites, which also serve as a major source of protein for rual Africans. With that said, it’s worth pointing out that termites’ jaws are seriously strong, so best to either bite their heads off quickly or stir-fry them dead before tucking into a few dozen.

Chakula kitamu sana! (That was delicious!)

** All images courtesy of the WikiCommons Media Project **

Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations starts up season 4

by Grant Martin on

One of the few reasons that I kept a television for so long was for Anthony Bourdain’s Travel and Food show No Reservations. Airing on the travel channel every Monday, No Reservations always seemed to me to be a real travel show, shot from the streets in places that you or I might visit, and for some reason, seemed to have a streak of authenticity and candidness to it. Perhaps that’s why it’s so popular among the young American demographic.

Regardless, we’ve nominated blogger Jeremy as our new Bourdain reviewer, so keep an eye out for his posts recapping the show every week.

If you want to get your Bourdain on before the episode tonight, check out the preview video kindly supplied by the PR engine at the Travel Channel — and keep an eye on Gadling — I hear we might get some sweet Bourdain schwag to give away to our loyal readers.

Wine bars, brew pubs, gin joints: Gadling wants your nominations for best places to kill time at the airport

by Jeffrey White on

Perhaps one of the most interesting inverse relationships in travel today is that between airlines and airports.

While most of us will agree that flying in America has grown insufferable in recent years, killing time at airports — and let’s face it, with flights always late, we have a lot more time to kill — has grown considerably more pleasant. There are offerings of WiFi, well-stocked book stores, chic shopping outlets and game consoles at most major airports.

And let’s not forget that anchor of time well spent at the airport these days: The upscale bar.

Gone are the days when you were forced to quaff Buds at some seedy ‘deli’ somewhere between Terminal B and C.

Most of the country’s busiest hubs now have wine bars and brew pubs where you can pass the hours actually drinking like an adult. You can try a flight of French whites, a hoppy pale ale from a local brewer or a sophisticated cocktail before heading off to Buffalo or Akron or wherever.

Yes, often you’ll need to take out a second mortgage on your house to afford a third drink; I’m not praising the prices at these places here. But simply to have the option of falling back on something more refined and civilized, during a travel experience that is usually anything but, has been a positive trend during the past several years — and one that is certainly in stark contrast to the direction our experiences seem to be going once we board a plane.

Joe Brancatelli, who pens the Seat 2B column at Portfolio.com, praises this trend in his latest dispatch. He singles out places like Cibo Bistro and Wine Bar at Philadelphia International Airport , with its 32 wines available by the glass, and Vino Volo at Dulles, which manages to pair a substantial offering of wines by the glass with appropriate small portions of food.

Both establishments have opened in other airports (Vino Volo just opened its eighth location at Detroit’s Metro Airport last week). Then there are the dozens of brew pubs that have sprung up at hubs nationwide (like Columbus Brewing Company at Columbus International and the Wasatch Brew Pub at Salt Lake City International), all owned by HMSHost, a division of Italy’s Autogrill (yep, Italy owns most of the brew pubs in which you like to kill time at your local airport).

So, things have gotten better on the ground even as they have gotten worse in the skies.

Gadling would like to hear from you: Nominate your favorite airport bar these days. Wine, beer or cocktails; chains or one-offs; upscale or old school — whatever. Extra points if you can tell us something about the place: what to expect, prices, a good menu recommendation, etc. Feel free to sound off on whether such places represent a positive or negative trend in travel today.

I’d like to dedicate a future post to publishing some of these tips and thoughts.