ATTN serious coffee drinkers. I seek enlightenment. (Like Kwai Chaing Kane...or maybe not.)

Anyway, I'm having a hard time finding GOOD coffee around here. Starbucks is actually fine by me, but hardly affordable. Not crazy about Lao Mountain Coffee, but maybe I should give it another go.

Most "super"markets don't even sell beans, for the love of Joe!

I'm hoping maybe someone knows about a market or somewhere that might sell nice, fresh, beans, from somewhere in the region. I know some Vietnamese beans are fine, but can't find them. And don't reckon they sell Sumatra or any Indonesian varieties around here. But VN should be possible.

I normally make Espresso with my machine, so really keen on beans that are good for that, make good crema, strong taste, and so on.

Thanks for your tips! ~Dude

Hmm, coffee, now that's a tricky one.

I haven't actually spotted anything else in Nong Khai other than Starbucks, like you mentioned, but you can get Bon Cafe beans from a few outlets in Udon although I have no idea as to their origin. I love a decent coffee, so I am also looking forward to seeing a few more constructive comments on this topic.

Come on guys, there must be somewhere to but them .

Hi, I've been in Nong Khai for a while now.

Whilst I don't know about coffee (beans and powders), for a cup of coffee I tend to go to places like:

Nano restaurant and coffee shop on Prajak Road
Coffee Corner at the Esso Gas station on Prajak Road
Suksant Hotel coffee shop & restaurant, Prajak Road

There's also a small bar/restaurant & coffee shop almost on the corner of Meechai Road, where the one way system starts (the hospital end). He also sells dark breads.

..Or of course if I want to splash out Starbucks in Tesco!!

Thanks Jaidee, didn't know about a couple of these places. Maybe one of them can enlighten me on beans, but kinda doubt it - most shops don't sell beans or know much about them either.

May just have to troll the markets, ask some of the elder (VN) vendors, see what I can learn.

Cheers, Dude

Dude, I'll make a point of looking, when I'm next out and about (on a mission)! ..... In fact, that can be my mission

Excellent! I eagerly await the results! Running low and can't afford Starbucks yet this month, accd to my self-imposed allotment (which is pretty high I gotta say). If you buy 4 bags at Starbucks, you get 1 free, which helps, but we're still talking about THB 2,000; but with the bonus bag comes to "only" THB 400 / bag i/o THB 500 / bag, and these are measly 250g bags!

Gotta find a local dealer/supplier, and that right soon! Sending out an SOS, dudes!

~Dude

Sorry Dude, for the long delay. The truth is I haven't seen any coffee (ground or beans) locally. In desperation I sought advice from A.N. Other, a local restauranteur, who recommended Tha Sadet market. Though I believe that may be Lao coffee.

The only other thoughts I have are to try somewhere in Udon like Carrefour, or as suggested by Sean, one of the specialist coffee suppliers.

I came across an old packet of Arabica ground coffee the other day, that someone had given to me a long time ago. It has a website address and contact details on the packet of: http://www.vppcoffee.com/

They seem to be based in Thonburi. You could see if they do mail order!

Cheers - you really are Jaidee eh?

Yeah, a proper trolling of the markets is definitely called for. They say NK Province is like 75% Vietnamese, so some of these industrious, ambitious ole VN vendors gotta have a source in the central VN highlands (like Ban Me Thuot or thereabouts) for some good beans - will see what I can find within a week or so.

Otherwise, will give a shout out to Steve Schneider (aka Feldscheider), maker of Lao Mountain Coffee - yeah I've gone to the mountain before! - who has occassionally met me here (he lives in Laos) with orders I've made from his site of different types of his coffee: http://www.laomountain.com/ like Arabica, Robusta, Peaberry, or even flavored if you're into that.

These can be had quite easily around here, such as at NK Direct, though he doesn't put all the varieties out there, and some are only occassional, or limited, such as the peaberry.

Now that I've been thinking about it, I think it is back to LMC for me - at least until the "new economy" kicks in.

Many thanks Jaidee, cya round, Dude

Hi guys,

i just picked up some Lao coffee at Tha Sadet. A one kilo bag for 90 baht. They have it both whole bean and ground. The ground appears to be an espresso grind, very fine. If you like the Starbucks stuff, you probably won't like this. It is very strong, the way I like it. I make it in my espresso machine and it comes out almost oily. Had to cut way down on the quantity.

I don't know how to describe the place but it's on the far eastern end of the shop near the end, on the left hand side as you're walking east. They also have a variety of chips, nuts, dried fruit, etc. on display. If you want to taste it first they also sell it by the cup. She makes it the Vietnamese way, straining it through a net.

It's the best I've been able to find in this part of Thailand. I used to be a customer rep for a coffee company in Vegas and this stuff compares favorably with our top line of espresso. We had a lot of Asian customers and they really liked our Vietnamese coffee, made with our espresso beans. And then they go ahead and put sweetened condensed milk in it .UGH!

If you don't like that, the only other coffee I've found is at Makro in Udon (don't know if they have a Makro in NK). It's a Thai brand, the name escapes me, but a half kilo bag of grounds or beans sells for about 200 baht if memory serves me correctly. But I couldn't swear to the price, because as you know, when you get old there are two things that go first. Your memory, and I've forgotten the other one.

Jimbo dude! You rule!

I'll head over there and check it out.

You say it comes out oily. How's the crema? Lots of foam?

I like it stong too! Thought S-bucks was pretty strong, but maybe I'll be proven happily wrong!

Still meeting Lao Mountain Steve next week, but will also hit Tha Sadet - the Phon Phisai side is East, right?

Should sort me out for a month or so - way cool, Jimbo!!! Probably longer!

PS: LV = 55, yeah? But it looks like you were born c. 1940, so...I GOT IT!!! Las Vegas!!!!! Mai pen rai, bo pen yang, & all that! Muchas gracias, dude!

Thanks Jimbo, you've made Dude a happy man methinks.

That's right Dude, the Phon Phisan side is East. The Lao stuff has a good crema, although I am sure you are aware that the crema depends on both the coffee bean itself and the machine.

LOL I never thought about LV = 55 for the nick. So somebody else knows Roman numerals? I didn't think they taught that in schools anymore. Reminds me of the Simpsons episode where Ms. Kroboppel is trying to teach them to her unruly class. "Pay attention now, children, otherwise when you grow up you won't be able to tell the copyright date of certain films". Perhaps my nick should be jimbo LXVIX.

Yes, the LV stands for Las Vegas, my former abode before chucking it all and moving to the LOS. Best decision I ever made.