Vientiane, Laos, is a growing Southeast Asian city that combines traditions, modernity, and other cultures. Tourists visit Vientiane for its history, landmarks, and food.
SONA Vientiane is a café and bar that offers patrons bites and drinks throughout the day and night. This café and bar in Vientiane serves speciality coffee, mocktails, and cocktails that can be paired with its signature dishes.
This café and bar in Vientiane's interior fuses two iconic eras to create a unique and inviting atmosphere. The sleek lines and minimalist aesthetic of the 60s Mid-Century style, combined with the vivacity and flair of the colourful 70s disco lighting, create an inviting and refreshing ambience. This makes SONA Vientiane the perfect destination for a comfortable and enjoyable dining or drinking experience.
SONA Vientiane's food menu is a delightful fusion of local, international, and fusion cuisines. Each dish is carefully crafted and features a unique blend of locally sourced and imported ingredients, promising a culinary experience that is both familiar and exciting.
The breakfast category on the menu is a feast for the senses. One dish that stands out is a pair of bouncy with the rich yolk inside poached eggs, each resting on a slice of savoury ham, placed on a bed of fresh and vibrant sautéed spinach, which is laid on a bed of creamy mashed avocado, served on buttery toast and topped with a rich, velvety Hollandaise sauce that covers the egg. The dish is accompanied by sautéed asparagus with crispy bacon, adding a delightful crunch.
The salad options available at SONA Vientiane are far from boring. Tuna Salad is made from fresh tuna soaked in shoyu or Japanese soy sauce, coated with sesame, and then seared on a pan to create tuna tataki. The tuna is then cut into chunks, revealing the raw meat inside, and mixed with vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, lettuce and rocket leaves. The dish is then drizzled with a delicious orange ginger soy sauce. The nutty flavour of the sesame, combined with the slightly sweet and mildly salty tastes of the tuna tataki, pairs well with the vibrant flavours of the vegetables. The sauce adds a sweet, citrusy and refreshing taste to the dish.
The Jamón Serrano Salad is definitely a dish worth trying. It combines the earthy, salty, fatty, acidic sour and slightly barbequed tastes of the Jamón Serrano Grand Reserved for 36 months with peppery and somewhat bitter rocket leaves. The sweet and refreshing melon and milky, grassy, and floral notes with just a hint of tang fresh mozzarella balance the tastes of the ham and rocket. A drizzle of balsamic on top lends a rich fig taste to the dish.
A convenience one-dish meal like Pad Si Ew is packed with nutrients. This Thai dish is made by stir-frying flat rice noodles, chicken, vegetables, garlic, and egg in a wok. It's seasoned with Chinese dark soy sauce, fish sauce, and a little bit of sugar. Compared to Thai Pad Si Ew, the dish is slightly saltier. However, the local vegetables' sweetness helps balance the dish and adds texture.
Pad Thai is also available here. The dish features noodles with a slightly chewy texture that works perfectly with the sauce made from tamarind, palm sugar, and fish sauce. The sauce is absorbed by the noodles and covers the egg that has been stir-fried in a wok, giving them a tangy, salty and sweet flavour. The shrimp in the dish is cooked to perfection, with the meat being firm and crunchy. Sweet pickled radish adds a sharp, sweet, and different crunch. Adding bean sprouts gives an extra layer of texture and a neutral flavour that complements the other ingredients perfectly. The lime wedge is tucked next to the noodles, just in case someone needs extra citrusy.
Another one-dish meal option is the Beef Rice Bowl. This dish features a bed of fragrant rice cooked to perfection with the addition of smokiness from the stir-fried processing, garlic, and butter. The rice is then topped with generous cubes of premium wagyu beef cooked to a mouthwatering tenderness and slightly pink in the centre. The combination of the savoury rice and succulent beef creates a harmonious flavour profile that satisfies beef lovers.
A recommended pasta dish is Ricotta Ravioli. The house-made stuffed pasta is packed with ricotta and spinach filling. The ravioli are then cooked slightly al dente before being sautéed with the rich and refreshing spinach sauce. This is an appetising vegetarian dish.
Grilled dishes make great drinking snacks. Goong Yaang is a local Mekhong prawn char-grilled and served with a seafood pesto sauce. This Lao-Italian fusion dish is delectable due to the smoky and sweet prawn meat, which goes well with the spicy, citrusy, yet rich sauce.
Nam Mu Yang is another grilled dish worth trying either on its own or paired with a strong cocktail. The dish consists of succulent slices of pork belly marinated in a mixture of garlic, coriander, soy sauce, and fish sauce before being grilled over a charcoal flame to perfection. The pork's crispy and caramelised skin contrasts with its tender and juicy meat. The dish is typically served with a dipping sauce made from beef bile, which adds a slightly sour and bitter flavour to balance out the richness of the pork. The grilled pineapple that accompanies the dish helps clean the palate. This dish is a must-try for anyone who loves grilled meat and bold flavours.
SONA Vientiane's Sai Yaang is an elevated version of the street delicacy. The dish is made from skewered pork intestine that is carefully cleaned and cut into small pieces. The intestine pieces are then marinated in a blend of fragrant spices and seasoning, adding a depth of flavour to the meat. After marination, the pork pieces are skewered on metal sticks and grilled over an open fire until they are crispy and golden brown on the outside and succulent and juicy on the inside. At SONA Vientiane, the dish is served with a tangy and savoury seafood sauce that perfectly complements the smoky and spicy flavours of the pork.
On the Late Night Fix menu, diners can find a delicious Lao-style crostini made with pork liver mousse. While most liver pâté is typically made from poultry liver, Lao-style pâté is made exclusively from pork liver. This variation of liver pâté is a popular delicacy in Lao cuisine, and it has a unique flavour and texture that sets it apart from other types of pâté. The pork liver is first cooked with spices and aromatics before being blended with butter and cream to create a smooth and creamy mousse. The mousse is then served on top of toasted bread. To enhance the flavour, cornichon and pickled chilli pepper are placed on top, making it an irresistible appetiser or late-night snack.
SONA Vientiane offers two drink menus — one for daytime and one for nighttime. One of the daytime signatures is the tea-tail named Dark Forest, made with green tea, jasmine syrup, aloe vera, and pandan. It is garnished with lychee. The drink has an excellent balance of sweet and sour flavours and a refreshing aroma.
The nighttime drink menu offers a diverse range of signature beverages, catering to everyone's preferences. One of the cocktails available is the Plum Old Fashioned, a strong cocktail with bourbon as a base. Green Chartreuse is added to provide subtle sweetness and herbaceous and vegetal flavours, while red plum gives a sweet and sour taste. Finally, orange bitters are added to give it a fruity sweetness and a bitter flavour.
Lip of Geisha is a gin-based cocktail worth sipping. Several gins are blended with aloe vera, which gives it a smooth and silky texture, while sencha green tea adds a subtle yet satisfying earthy note. Finally, pandan is added to the mix, bringing a fragrant, sweet aroma that perfectly complements the other ingredients.
For those seeking a versatile dining spot in Vientiane with a diverse menu featuring a variety of cuisine options and a cosy, inviting atmosphere, SONA Vientiane is worth checking out.
SONA Vientiane
Hours: Daily, 07:00 - 00:30 Hours
Tel: +856 20 59 659 512
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sona_vte/
Location: Lane Xang Avenue, Vientiane, Laos