Category: Cuisine: Thai

Beyond Khao Soi: Michelin-recommended noodles in Chiang Mai

Khao Soi is Chiang Mai’s signature noodles. I have reviewed several joints. But there are also other types of noodle shops in town. In this review I will share my experience with those included in Thailand 2020 Michelin Guide. One is really superb.

Guay Jub Chang Moi Tat Mai

99/11-12 Chang Moi Tat Mai Road, Mueang Chiang Mai.

Guay Jub Chang Moi Tat Mai occupies a fairly large diner in a backstreet among hardware stores. You have a choice of fillings for the noodles. I chose the Northern Sausage (that came in the plain version) and tofu. The friendly owner was sorry that the crispy pork belly was finished (it must be their best seller). What impressed me was the herbal flavor of the soup that for a moment reminded me of a Vietnamese pho. Price: 60 THB (less than 2 USD).

Rote Yiam Beef Noodles

164/4 Chang Khlan Road, Mueang Chiang Mai.

This diner, located almost across the Shangri-La hotel, claims to serve top quality beef. You can choose a bowl with one topping or mix several. They have beef balls, sliced beef, stewed beef, and more exotic parts such as tendon, liver, heart, tongue, spleen, and intestine. Then you can choose the type of noodle: flat rice noodle, thin, or vermicelli. I had a bowl with vermicelli rice noodles with beef balls and stewed beef. I was not particularly impressed. Price from 50 to 100 THB depending on size and number of toppings.

Thana Ocha

Thana Ocha is a diner serving Hakka-style noodles and other Chinese dishes. The bowl comes with a cornucopia of ingredients: fried wonton, fish balls, sausage, blood. Honestly, I could not finish them… many things did not click with my Western palate. I also had the spring rolls, very fresh and juicy. For the two dishes I spent 90 THB (less than 3 USD).

Sanpakoi Kanomjeen

Soi Thasatoi, Mueang Chiang Mai.

Sanpakoi Kanomjeen is a popular stall in the food court of a local market. Open only after 3pm till late, it is the star of the place. Lines will form often. It serves fermented vermicelli noodles with various curries and fillings. I tried the vegetarian one and the bowl with chicken and vegetables (the chicken was not great but the zucchini were great). They have a self-service station where you can add herbs, vegetables, and other condiments at your leisure. Overall quite good. A bowl was 40 THB.

Guay Tiew Pet Tun Saraphi

80 Moo 3, Liap Thang Rotfai Road, Saraphi.

This is a road side diner 15 kilometers from Chiang Mai’s Old City serving duck noodles. This was my favorite. The duck meat was exquisitely stewed and seasoned and the soup was thick and flavorful. Worth the detour, even if the car to go and come back cost me almost 20 times the bowl of noodles (40 THB), a personal record.

Racharos

Closed.

Racharos used to be a DIY noodle shop in Nimman. You could choose among a long list of ingredients, including wagyu beef. It was out of business during my time in Chiang Mai in early 2020, but the store had not been replaced yet.

Traditional Northern Thai: Han Thueng Chiang Mai

Han Thueng Chiang Mai (but the Englih translitteration is all over the place… Hanthung, or Han Tueng, etc.) is a traditional Northern Thai restaurant with less than 10 years of operations but already a darling among locals.

The visit

I went for an early dinner (last order at the time of my visit was at 8.30pm). The restaurant has its own parking lot (a rarity in the area) and is spread over a number of traditional bamboo houses with triangle roofs re-created with some modern touches.

They had a very large menu with detailed English descriptions. So ordering was not an issue.

I had their Khantoke “set menu” (really an appetizer platter). This is a classic in Northern Thai banquets and is a set of small dishes. Mine included stewed meat, a boiled egg, pork rinds, green smashed chili paste, sausage, minced pork. In general I liked the dishes, except maybe for the sausage, but the level of spiciness was very high!

Then I had one of their rice dishes with mackerel dip sauce (and also egg and pork rinds for good measure). I liked it, but again, very spicy.

I regret that I did not have a chance to try their Khao Soi that I found recommended by other reviewers and even by the Michelin Guide. The place opens at 9am so it is good for breakfast as well.

The check

Including a drink, the check was 310 THB (around 10 USD). Real local prices.

I regret that I did not have more chances to explore this menu. The cuisine appeared authentic to me. But you need to be ready for some spicy action.

Where in Chiang Mai:
63/9 Soi Suthep 4, Suthep Road Mueang Chiang Mai.
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thungchiangmailocalfood.

Cherng Doi Roast Chicken in Chiang Mai

There is no scarcity of chicken restaurants in Chiang Mai. Cherng Doi Roast Chicken stands out for its secret recipe conferring a unique crispiness to the chicken skin.

The visit

The restaurant is located in a quiet alley in Nimman area. (Attention, the closing time may vary depending on the time of the year.)

The tables are in a semi-covered courtyard.

Their most famous dish is number 1 on the menu.

Their dish is made out of chicken tights. It is basically boneless (apart some cartilage). The skin is indeed very crispy and seasoned. Yes, it is a very good dish, even if I still prefer another grilled chicken in Chiang Mai.

However, the diner is more than just grilled chicken. They have a large selection of local Thai dishes: papaya salad, soups, and meat salads.

I tried their fried papaya that was a revelation, an incredibly tasty dish.

The check

The two dishes and a drink costs me 180 THB (5.45 USD). An incredible value for some delicious dishes. I do not think their crispy skin chicken is necessarily a superior dish, but this is really a good choice if you are in Nimman area.

Where in Chiang Mai:
2/8 Suk Kasame Rd, Suthep, Mueang Chiang Mai.

Instagram moments and gourmet dishes: Chom in Chiang Mai

Chom is a place in Chiang Mai that made it in the top list of Chinese tourists in the city. And since they represent the largest share of tourists you can imagine how crowded this place can be. Personally, I visited it a couple of times in February-March 2020, a very special time, and there were fewer people than usual, but still quite busy.

The visit

This is why the place is so popular: there is a waterfall and a sort of enchanted garden (with vapors…) in the back.

Be warned… the garden is really small. With a lot of tourists may be a chocking experience.

Looking back at my photos, the second visit at sundown gave the place even a more magical atmosphere.

They have built an extension, a sort of Chom 2, just at the opposite end of the garden, with new large dining rooms and a new waterfall.

On my first visit I had lunch and I was invited to seat in one of the original buildings facing the garden.

This sign was pretty cool.

I did not expect much from a place clearly dedicated to Instagram moments (or the Chinese equivalent). Contrary to my low expectations, the food I had was really good. To begin with the pork satay coming with some crispy (even if a bit oily) roti.

Then I had a curry with soft shell crabs that was also very palatable.

The Nutella fudge cake was a bit too dry, but still a nice chocolate thing. The dessert selection is quite extensive, you can go just for drinks and cakes.

The check

The check was 680 THB (20.5 USD). No doubt that you can find the same food cheaper in Chiang Mai, but this food was good. I did not mind the final check.

So my conclusion is that the place is probably more interesting for the food than for the garden.

Where in Chiang Mai:
2/13, Moo 2, Mae Hia.

Countryside cuisine at Charoen Suan Aek in Chiang Mai

Charoen Suan Aek is a restaurant in Chiang Mai listed on the Thailand 2020 Michelin Guide. Charoen is the chef/owner’s name. It is located a few kilometres away from the Old City in the Northern part of Chiang Mai.

The visit

I got there with Grab Car, the restaurant English name is listed.

It was a very rustic dining space (with buffalo skulls on the walls) and very busy on a random weekday.

The big problem was that they did not have an English menu. But the staff was very nice and they tried to help me, even if with limited English. I asked for a recommendation and I got this stewed beef meat in a dark sauce full of spices. It was quite good.

Then I asked for a chicken dish (you cannot go wrong with chicken…) and I ended up with some deep-fried chicken. I cannot recommend this dish: there were literally just a few bites of meat, it was mostly bones.

The check

I spent 200 THB (6.15 USD) for the two dishes and water. Honest local prices and portions suitable for individual diners.

The fact that they did not have an English menu limited my ability to explore more interesting dishes. If you speak Thai and/or have a Thai-speaking guide/friend, this looks a very authentic restaurant loved by locals worth checking out.

Where in Chiang Mai:
37 Moo 8, Thawanan Road Mueang Chiang Mai.

Dining with a view in Chiang Mai: Baan Mon Muan

Baan Mon Muan is a resort in the mountains in Mae Rim, north of Chiang Mai. Its restaurant and cafe gained them a mention in the Thailand 2020 Michelin Guide.

The visit

There are a few sets of stairs to climb…

I passed through a store with some cheeky products.

Above a peek into the restaurant dining rooms.

The cafe area was one level up on top of what looked like a fortress.

So went to the roof top for a dessert.

The view across the mountains was indeed beautiful.

I had a tea and a dessert that were good.

The check

The check for my dessert was 275 THB (8.5 USD), not that cheap. This was not much to comment on their full menu, but the place gave me a good first impression in terms of service and overall quality. I would have no problems coming back for a full meal.

Where in Mae Rim:
175 Moo 2 Pong Yang.

Fresh seafood on the river: Paak Dang in Chiang Mai

Paak Dang is a riverside restaurant on the Ping river in Chiang Mai, just outside the top right hand corner of the Old City. The two owners claim that their aim is to give back to society by providing employment to the less privileged. Honestly, this social angle initially put me off… I would say that most restaurants do that… you need to give me more evidence before I will regard you as a social enterprise as most businesses perform a social role by providing employment opportunities. Eventually I won my reluctance and I had a very good dinner.

The visit

My driver left me in front of the entrance where a big sign celebrated the “table” status gained in the Thailand 2020 Michelin Guide. The Chinese script is a good indication that they are catering to visitors, but I heard positive comments also from locals.

At the entrance they had some tanks and displays for fresh seafood. At the time of my visit, after the peak season, there was really little on display.

I was offered a table in the terrace directly facing the river.

Appropriately, they also provided some mosquito repellent. Mosquito bites are the downside of riverside dining in Chiang Mai.

Chips were complimentary.

I had an iced tea.

Their specialty is big river prawns. One prawn can be 400-500 grams. I was not in the mood for a prawn on the night of my visit.

Instead, I opted for a grilled squid. They had a big one that was shown to me along with a note with weight and final price. That was very nice; the only glitch was that the note was shown to me for less than a second… they should have left it on the table.

The result was a massive squid, well grilled and absolutely tender.

Then I had been looking for a while for a tom yum (spicy and sour soup) and I had their seafood one. They have a large selection of classic Thai dishes besides the fresh seafood. The tom yum was excellent with a good amount of seafood. They also used straw mushrooms. The lemongrass, lime, and galangal flavors were not killed by the spicy side of the soup.

Finally I had a roti that worked well as a side dish for the soup.

The check

The three dishes and the tea cost me 780 THB (24 USD). Probably two people could have shared the my dishes. The fresh seafood can lift the bill quickly, but overall not too overpriced in my opinion.

in the end, I was very satisfied with the dinner; the dishes I had were very tasty and the service was good. I might go back in the future.

Where in Chiang Mai:
46/1 Wang Sing Kham Road.
Website: https://www.paakdang.com/

Two chicken rice joints in Chiang Mai compared: Koyi and Uan Ocha

Koyi and Uan Ocha are two chicken rice joints in Chiang Mai that happened to be mentioned in the Thailand 2020 Michelin Guide. I had to check them out.

Koyi

Koyi is located at the margins of the fancy Nimman area.

It is a simple diner. I appreciated the metal stools.

They serve chicken either steamed or fried. You can have a platter with both and that’s what I opted for. Like in the tradition of chicken rice there was some cucumber as garnish. And also a piece of coagulated (pork?) blood. The rice was quite bland (not comparable to Hainanese chicken rice) and so the steamed chicken. The fried one on the other side was really good.

I even had an extra portion!

The set came with chili sauces and a seaweed soup (with a very distinct seaweed flavor).

A basic portion was 40 THB (a little over 1 USD).

Where in Chiang Mai:
 69/3 Siri Mangkhalajarn Road, Mueang Chiang Mai.

Uan Ocha

Uan Ocha is in the Southern part of Chiang Mai. I could not locate it on Grab Car so I used as a reference a mall called @Curve. The restaurant is immediately before (coming from North).

Like Koyi, itis a classic diner, perhaps a bit more rustic than Koyi.

Also in this joint, they served either fried or steamed chicken or both. I had the mix platter again. While I did not like much the fried version, the steamed chicken was remarkable: very juicy and tasty. So I guess next time I will order the fried chicken from Koyi and the steamed one from this place. Neat.

There were the usual chili sauces, a chicken soup, and some pickles included.

A platter again was 40 THB.

I guess you can say that these are the cheapest Michelin-recommended venues in Chiang Mai, if that matters.

Where in Chiang Mai:
211/1 Chang Khlan Road, Mueang Chiang Mai.

Lunch at Khao, Four Season resort’s restaurant in Mae Rim

North of Chiang Mai city, in Mae Rim, there is a luxurious Four Season resort. I tried their Thai restaurant for lunch one day during my early 2020 stint in Chiang Mai.

The visit

My driver escorted me to the Four Season resort. It is a 20-30 minute ride from Chiang Mai Nimman area where I was staying.

I descended a staircase to get to the restaurant.

I walked along a long patio to the entrance of the restaurant.

This is also the restaurant where the resort guests have breakfast. On weekends there is a brunch buffet.

Ultimately I settled for a table outside the air-conditioned dining room to enjoy the view.

The resort villas are semi-hidden in the lush vegetation.

The restaurant is Thai, but for lunch they also had a menu with Western dishes. I guess the guests, mostly wealthy American and Japanese, cannot live without a burger time to time.

I had a healthy salad with big pieces of Tasmanian salmon.

And I had a classic Thai dish, pad Thai with prawns.

It came with various sauces and spices.

The two dishes were very good… but… (brace yourself for the next section).

The check

These two dishes and a tea cost me 1647 THB (51 USD). And I am not even counting the transportation costs (other 500-600 THB).

It was simply overpriced. Just good for the wealthy vacationers choosing to spend their time inside the resort. In terms of cost opportunity, it really does not make sense to spend that kind of money for a couple of good but ordinary dishes.

For around that money you can have an afternoon tea for two.

Where in Mae Rim:
502 MOO 1, MAE RIM-SAMOENG OLD ROAD.

A beautiful cafe restaurant in Mae Rim: The Ironwood

The Ironwood is a cafe and restaurant with a beautiful garden located in Mae Rim, north of Chiang Mai proper.

The visit

At the entrance they proudly display their “table” title gained in the 2020 Thailand Michelin Guide.

It is a fairly large property. The main house was closed. My driver mentioned that this used to be Royal land so the owner must have had big connections to secure this spot.

I was seated in the garden.

All I had was a cake (I had already had lunch). But they also have a food menu with Thai dishes.

The carrot cake was… awful. It had probably been laying around for days. The whipped cream on top was hardened and I discarded it.

My driver had a cold brew that was ok.

The check

I spent 210 THB for the two items (6.5 USD). Too much for what I had.

As a cafe, all it had going on was the nice garden. The food was a disgrace. While, admittedly, I did not have a full meal, the impression was so bad that I won’t visit again.

Tip: next door there is another instagrammable cafe called Thongma Studio full of statues. A surreal and beautiful place. You might want to go there instead.

Where in Mae Rim:
592/2 Soi Nam Tok Mae Sa 8 Mae Raem.