The Consul’s Garden is a tea house located in the same property that hosts the fancy French restaurant Le Coq D’Or in Chiang Mai. The name is a reference to the former owner of the place, a early 20th century British Consul. This was his private house (not to be confused with the Consulate now part of the Anantara Restort). This gentleman married a local woman and became a Chiang Mai’s resident. Copies of his memoir, aptly called Consul in Paradise, are available for purchase.
The visit
Upon arrival there is a carpeted path leading to the tea house.
The garden is vast and well maintained.
The tea house offers seating both indoor and outdoor. The outdoor area faces the river.
I had their mini-croissants with ham and salmon. A good snack.
And I had an iced peach tea.
The menu also includes more substantial dishes for a full lunch. They have an afternoon tea set available on weekends.
The check
I spent 440 THB (13.5 USD) for the two dishes that by Chiang Mai standards is expensive. It is the admission ticket to enjoy the garden and its views. Partially because of the price and partially because of the relative distance from the Old City, it remains a reasonably quiet place.
Where in Chiang Mai: 11 Kohklang Rd, Tambon Nonghoi, Amphur Muang.
Siamaya (fusion of Siam, the old name of Thailand, and Maya, the ancient population famous, among other things, for eating chocolate) is a Chiang Mai company that was founded, back in 2017, by two foreigners, Neil Ransom and Kristian Levinsen, and two local residents, Tangkwa and Bow Wannapat, with the idea to produce and market quality chocolate.
The catalyst for this initiative was the work of agricultural professor Sahn from Maejo university in Chiang Mai that had been teaching farmers in Chiang Mai valley how to grow high-quality cocoa beans. Chocolate cultivation in Thailand was unheard of until 20-30 years ago. Now it is a reality and Samaya is an artisan company handcrafting each bar starting from the beans. It is a story that has so many parallels with their Vietnamese counterpart Marou.
During my time in Chiang Mai in early 2020 I really came to love this chocolate and I visited both their new shop in the Old City (I was there on the first week of operations) and I took their factory tour.
Shop and cafe in the Old City
The new flagship shop underwent a soft opening in February 2020 and it couldn’t be more centrally located in the Old City: it is just a stone-throw away from the Three Kings monument. The store underwent a major remodeling shortly after; pictures are from the original set-up.
The main attraction in the store of course is their bars. Along with classic dark and milk chocolate they have bars using Thai ingredients such as Thai Tea, bullet chili, coconut milk, and even durian. In collaboration with Chaseki, they also launched a high-grade matcha bar. Their line up is completed by cacao nibs, powder, and coated nuts.
In the store they also sell mini-bars (23 grams) ideal for a tasting collection.
They also offer cold and hot chocolate drinks.
I tried their cold chocolate drink with cacao that was massive. However the cacao did not fully fused with the drink. I was advised that the hot chocolate is more satisfying. They have plan to expand their cafe offering.
One important feature of their approach is that they offer a free tasting of the different flavors.
A 75-gram bar costs 180 THB, very reasonable for this kind of artisan product. The matcha bar costs a little bit more at 200 THB.
The dink was also very reasonably priced at 65 THB (just 2 USD).
On another occasion, I also visited their factory outlet and the adjicent factory.
Their outlet is really their office, but they have all of their bars lined up and available for purchase. Also tasting is possible.
The matcha and durian bars are award-winners.
The factory tour that I attended was led by Kris and was fascinating. It began with some basics about cocoa beans.
Then we followed Kris inside their factory (really an artisan workshop) where all the processes take place. We were shown the machines and the chocolate at various stages of production.
The tour lasted around 1 hour and I booked it with a message on their Facebook page. The normal cost at that time was 800 THB per person.
Where in Chiang Mai: See tripadvsor page. Details of the tour may have changed since my visit.
Opened back in September 2019, Jenny’s Ice Cream has been an instant hit. Be it the charisma of the owner Jenny Sun or just the original and tasty flavors, this gelato parlor is a step ahead of the competition (and sadly in Chiang Mai there is a lot of ice cream, but not that good, certainly not real gelato).
The visit
I followed the recommendation of a local former ice cream maker and tried the place that defines itself Italian artisan gelato with Thai twist and is located close to the popular Tha Phae Gate.
It was a narrow and long space, partially shared with another company. I visited it in February 2020. I am aware that shortly after it undertook a renovation.
The centerpiece of the shop was the counter with twelve flavors (the limited number is a good sign of an artisan process behind). Along with classics like vanilla and chocolate (and the omnipresent matcha), there were a number of flavors based on Thai ingredients like coconut lemongrass, guava, and mango.
I went for one of their signature flavors, Thai Jasmine, and a classic strawberry. The flavors were very distinct. Especially the jasmine flavor really came out. It was less creamy than other artisan gelato I am accustomed to, but still excellent.
The almond cones should not be missed. Just have multiple scoops nicely stacked on a cone for an Instagram picture.
The check
Two scoops were 240 THB (around 7.5 USD). As a comparison, at 7 Senses gelato two scoops (bigger than these) at that time cost 159 THB and at Seasons ice cream just 70 THB. Still, its unique take on artisan gelato may justify the premium.
Once I tried the Little Cook Cafe in Chiang Mai. I saw the place mentioned by expats several times and I thought it was a Thai diner. Actually it turned out to be more of a pasta and burger place.
The visit
The venue is “open-air”, located in an alley not far away from the Northern Gate night market. Sadly, there were a lot of mosquitoes (March 2020).
I went for their burger… double (I believe 150 gram each patty). It came in a nice set up with some chips and a piece of watermelon. I had mushrooms added (you can choose a number of extra toppings). The meat was reasonably firm and the sauces not too intrusive. Very tasty burger! The normal one would have been enough.
The check
The burger with the extra topping was 400 THB (in total 420 with water, or around 13 USD). Not expensive, but in line with other burgers in Chiang Mai. The only things that would keep me back is the open-air settings.
Where in Chiang Mai: 244 Manee Nopparat Rd, Tambon Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai.
I found online a couple of reviews of a one-man restaurant in the outskirts of Chiang Mai. I had to try it. I love this kind of family-run businesses. That’s how decided to go for dinner at Food for You by Chef TuTu.
The visit
The restaurant is between Chiang Mai Old City and Mae Rim, not excessively far away, but still a 200 THB on Grab Car. I arrived after dark. The property was tucked in a small road. There were stray dogs around, do not go by motorbike.
The restaurant was a large veranda facing the fields.
I was handed a two-page menu with a number of Thai classics. The dishes listed were a bit repetitive (seabass with black pepper, and deep fried, with mushrooms, etc.). Seabass definitely dominated the menu. But that was ok, I did not expect or wished a long menu in this kind of home-run operation.
I had the stir-fried spicy crispy duck salad. It was a very good dish, even if the duck was a bit dry.
Then I had the seabass with tamarind sauce (I find seafood and tamarind a great match). It was a generous meaty portion.
The chef’s wife spoke good English and looked after me. When she took my order she mentioned that they had, off-menu, this special dish, crab meat and mangosteen. That sounded interesting and she was really keen on me trying it. I casually asked how much it was. It turned out it was 600 THB, that was not a problem, but I did not like that she tried to push a dish priced twice as much, if not more, the price of most dishes on the menu without informing it. I passed and she seemed to be disappointed. If she had told me the price upfront I would have ordered it. I am terrible like that.
The check
I spent 594 THB (around 18 USD) for two large dishes. The prices were very reasonable and the food was really good. The only downside was the extra 400 THB to get there and go back.
Honestly I think you can find comparable food closer to the Old City (Magnolia cafe? Sayut kitchen?), but overall it was a good experience and I might go back and finally try the crab and mangosteen salad.
Cheevit Cheeva Cafe is a dessert restaurant specializing in Korean bingsu with a local tweak. They have several locations; I visited the flagship shop in Nimman.
The visit
The cafe occupies a house in a backstreet in Nimman area.
In March 2020, they brought in a sister property: the bakery and cafe called Groon that now occupies half of the space.
The main dining room has high ceiling.
This was my favorite spot. You have to order at the cashier and pay, then they will bring you the order.
Their claim to fame is the bingsu that comes with Korean and Thai toppings (such as mango and sticky rice). Their bingsu is not made out of shaved ice; rather they use pure milk.
I did not have the bingsu (too big), but they had some “affogato” made with the same shaved milk. I had the chocolate version. The shaved milk was refreshing and a very interesting take on the bingsu.
On another visit I had their Nutella cake, that was quite good.
They had a selection of flavored coffee cold brews. I tried one and I was happy with the drink.
The check
The affogato (really a mini bingsu) was reasonably priced at 95 THB (around 3 USD).
The cake was only marginally more expensive: drink and cake cost me 210 THB (6.50 USD). Prices were reasonable.
Where in Chiang Mai: 6 soi 7 Sirimangkhalajarn Rd., Suthep, Mueang Chiang Mai. Website: https://cheevitcheevacafe.com/ Other locations in Chiang Mai: Nim City Daily Shopping Mall, Star Avenue Lifestyle Mall, and Jampha Shopping Mall Lamphun. There is even a franchisee in Taipei.
Kuakai Nimman is a traditional diner in Nimman famour for its khua gai, a type of fried rice noodles with chicken that I personally find perfect for breakfast. Kuakai Nimman opens at 9am, so it is the perfect place for an inexpensive and authentic Thai meal to start the day.
The visit
The restaurant is located quite centrally in Nimman area. I went before 11am and there was no problem finding a seat, even if it was still a busy time in Chiang Mai.
At the entrance they display a banner with their Bib Gourmand status achieved in the Thailand 2020 Michelin Guide.
The interior is well kept with some cheeky details on the walls.
The noodles were of the wide variety. The chicken bites were good and I believe some egg was used to keep everything together. It was a perfect savory dish to start the day.
I supplemented it with a roti.
And a Thai iced tea.
The check
My breakfast cost me 120 THB (less than 4 USD). I am sure that you could find the same dish a bit cheaper. But for a nice seat-down meal in Nimman, the value was unbeatable.
Where in Chiang Mai: 9 Sai Nam Phueng Alley, Tambon Su Thep, Mueang Chiang Mai.
Khao Tom Yong is a traditional congee diner in Chiang Mai. The restaurant, as its name suggests, serves plain congee and has a large menu with side dishes. Khao tom means plain congee in Thai, while jok indicates a congee dish coming with additional ingredients. Incidentally, it is located just across the street from a famous jok diner that I reviewed.
The visit
The best thing of this restaurant in my opinion is the large selection of side dishes. By the way, since they come in small portions, they are ideal for solo diners as well.
The porridge, as expected for khao tom, was more like a rice soup. The grains were not melted and the soup was more watery. I do not think it was great as the porridge I had across the street, but it was a different thing.
I had their gourd filled with pork that came in a broth and was particularly good.
My first side dish was chicken with basil leaves and chili. The herbs and the chili had a great flavor.
Their crispy pork belly was quite good.
The only dish that disappointed was their sausage that was quite bland (but went with a tasty dipping sauce).
The check
I spent 285 THB for all (around 9 USD). It was a big banquet for one person! I think this is a great place not for the khao tom, but rather to sample different local dishes.
Where in Chiang Mai: 257/5 Suthep Road, Mueang Chiang Mai.
Jok Si Phing is a traditional diner in Chiang Mai specializing in congee. Congee (rice porridge) is a popular breakfast dish in Thailand. (Jok, from Cantonese, is one of the ways to call congee in Thai.)
The visit
The diner faces a busy road.
Inside on the wall there are many pictures with famous customers that stopped by.
Cutlery is kept in closed boxes. Similarly to noodle places, chopsticks are provided instead of forks; a nod to the Chinese origin of these dishes.
A number of condiments are available.
And now let’s get to the congee. There were a number of variants available on the menu (luckily they had a one-pager English menu). I settled for pork and mushrooms. I am not a fan of congee. But this was good. The rice was super creamy and all the ingredients were palatable. Other options included fish and preserved egg.
An interesting ingredient that added a dimension to its texture were some thin white filaments that I later discovered to be deep fried vermicelli.
I also tried their crispy pork belly with rice. To my disappointment it came with an oily sauce. But the pork belly was reasonably good. A soup and thick soy sauce were also included.
The check
The congee cost me 40 THB and the crispy pork belly and rice 50 THB. That’s 2.75 USD.
The congee they serve is indeed remarkable and deserve a stop if porridge is your thing.
Where in Chiang Mai: 99/25 Suthep Road, Mueang Chiang Mai.
Jia Tong Heng is a long established Chinese restaurant in Chiang Mai. It has now several branches around town. I went to their original location on Sidonchai road (just next to Magokoro teahouse!) that was listed in the Thailand 2020 Michelin Guide.
The visit
Behind the storefront, with a sign both in Thai and Chinese, there was a huge restaurant.
I walked down to their main dining room where I was one of the few customers on a slow weekday.
I was offered a snack.
I just ordered a couple of dishes. The first was a chicken soup that turned out to be quite good (and with a lot of chicken pieces inside). Unfortunately they had finished their more famous black chicken soup.
My main dish was braised pork sliced around taro pieces. It was an heavy and oily dish, but still good.
As not unusual in restaurants in Chiang Mai, they had some products for sale.
The check
In total I spent 315 THB (around 10 USD) for two substantial dishes. The value for money was reasonable. Certainly a review based just on two dishes does not do justice to a restaurant with a very rich menu. I think you can say that their Chinese food is overall well done and the portions are large. If you really wish to have a Chinese meal in Chiang Mai, this may well be the place, unless you like something fancier like Fujian or China Kitchen.
