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WINE & DINE
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CAPITOL IDEA
Great food and an amazing view is no tall order. TEXT BY CAMERON DARKE
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY PHOONSAB THEVONGSA above: Ray's Capitol Grille offers stunning panoramas over the city 1. Guests may choose to sit at the bar or at comfortable tables 2. Royal Eggs Benedict 3. One of Ray's famous hamburgers 4. Sunset view toward the west
igh above Vientiane, atop one of the tallest rooftop restaurants in the city, breakfast is ready. Eggs flip, bacon sizzles, and the mixed aromas of milky pancakes and freshly brewed coffee waft about on the breeze. There is no doubt the view is a sight to see, but the kitchen is a site to smell, as well. Ray's Capitol Grille is the flagship restaurant of Daniel Buchanan, a man with no one left to one-up but himself. And in a country flavored with French heritage, Daniel has successfully brought the classic American menu to Laos. Wanting to create a space that captures the quintessential American dining expe-
rience, and with a panoramic view, Ray's Capitol Grille serves as breakfast balcony and evening bar and restaurant. Open from early morning for breakfast, diners can expect dishes such as blueberry pancakes topped with rich Marscapone cheese and homemade blueberry syrup, or the eggs benedict with smoked salmon or ham. Some of the more quintessential American breakfast dishes served include huevos rancheros with locally produced chorizo sausage, or the chicken-fried porksteak topped with a creamy southern-style white pork gravy. Meanwhile, the top floor of Capitol Residence provides a viewpoint seldom seen in low-rise Vientiane, and at sunup and sundown, it is a visual feast. Dinner hours include specialty gourmet burgers, "surf and turf, a wide selection of organic salads, and a nice variety of Tex-Mex dishes. But Daniel took a long, hard road to the top, with grits and wits helping him on his way. A long-time Bangkok resident, Daniel
