Category: Region: Thailand

Eating like a secret agent in Chiang Mai: The Service 1921

The Service 1921 is the Thai restaurant of the luxurious Anantara resort in central Chiang Mai (also serving some Chinese dishes). The restaurant is located in what used to be the British Consulate in Chiang Mai and they decided to craft their menu after a secret service theme (but won’t dare to mention 007 for copyright reasons I guess). The menu comes in a nice envelope “for your eyes only” and the dish descriptions pay homage to secret service language. There is even a dining room hidden behind a secret door embedded into a library.

The visit

There was a complimentary appetizer: peanuts, chili, lime, onion and soy sauce to be wrapped in fresh leaves. It was a nice snack. The friendly and professional waitress showed me how to do it.

I went for dinner and I had their appetizer platter: it has two satay pork skewers with its sauce, two pieces of beef in betel leaves and two nice chicken wings filled with noodles. This was a great ensemble.

I had some Japanese tea that was indicated as “fruity” on the menu (and it was) that came with biscotti.

Then I had wok-cooked shredded beef wih basil and other herbs. Quite spicy. It came with rice and was also a good dish.

The check

The check for the two dishes and the tea was 1152 THB (35 USD). Not an exorbitant price for a dinner with this quality of service and food. Obviously there were many more expensive dishes. They tend to be dishes to be shared among two people.

Where in Chiang Mai:
123-123/1 Charoen Prathet Road | Anantara Chiang Mai Resort & Spa.
Website: https://www.service1921.com.

Khaomao-Khaofang, unblemished Thai dishes in a beautiful setting

Khaomao-Khaofang is a Thai restaurant in Chiang Mai famous for its rainforest scenery and a beautiful lake with a waterfall.

The visit

Upon arrival in the parking lot I found myself immediately immersed in the lush vegetation of this re-created rainforest (they call it “imaginary jungle”).

The restaurant is huge with most of the seats placed under a wooden dome.

I was given a table next to the lake with a nice view of the waterfall. As a drink I had a glass of pea butterfly juice.

The menu was a small phone directory… with English and Chinese translations and fully illustrated.

Since it was quite early, really a brunch, I started with a seafood omelette that was very rich and I found quite satisfying.

Then I had one of their signature dishes: a mix of crispy chicken, peanuts, and herbs to be eaten wrapped in betel leaves and dipped in a sweet sauce. I enjoyed this dish as well.

The check

The check was 430 THB (13 USD). Prices were very reasonable and the quality of the dishes impressed me.

Where in Chiang Mai:
81 Moo 7, Ratchaphruek Rd, Nongkwai, Hangdong.
Website: http://www.khaomaokhaofang.com.

Two special dishes from Huan Soontaree in Chiang Mai

Huan Soontaree is a Thai riverside restaurant in Chiang Mai, a few kilometers North of the Old City. It serves mainly, but not exclusively, Northern dishes. The owner is Soontaree Vechanont, a folk singer that quickly rose to celebrity in the late 70s thanks to the song “Ka Jao Pen Sao Chiang Mai”. Her career took a 10-year hiatus when she decided to marry an Australian man and followed him in Australia where she had two children. In 1992, after a divorce, she came back to Chiang Mai and she started a restaurant. Here’s what happened according to a 2005 interview:

Soontaree started a small restaurant in Chiang Mai in 1992 near Kuang Singh Junction to see how her singing would be received by a live audience after a decade’s absence. She was pleasantly surprised to find that far from being forgotten she was drawing quite a crowd. The following year she leased the house which her current restaurant is at and founded Huan Soontaree, singing her favourites every evening to an enraptured crowd.

She and her daughter Lanna Commins sometimes still sing for the guest’s pleasure (usually at 8pm).

The visit

The restaurant has a very large parking lot and is housed in a massive wooden house.

Inside there is a stage for live exhibitions.

Memorabilia of the owner and her family are to be found near the entrance.

I was escorted by the friendly receptionist to a table on a terrace on the river. I guess it was one of the most prized seats, but it came with a downside: mosquitos. Eventually I had to wrestle with one of the scariest mosquito I have ever seen and I had to ask to go inside. I thought I had dodged the bullet but the bitch did bite me before I escaped… I am thankful I just got an irritation and not something worse.

My lychee was promptly delivered.

I chose two of their signature dishes. The first was prawns and quail egg salad. The prawns were neatly laid down with a semi-boiled quail egg on top of each sprinkled with some prawn eggs. I enjoyed the dish.

Then I had a massive dish: a full murrel fish, perfectly cleaned from bones and stuffed with crab and pork meat. It came with a tasty dipping sauce. The skin was crispy and it was truly boneless. Difficult to finish for one person; a very substantial dish.

Finally I tried a dessert, a coconut soup with water chestnuts. The chestnuts were too flavorless for my taste.

The check

The massive dinner cost me 698 THB (21.15 USD). While not in the “super cheap” category, still very good value for money.

I think this restaurant has a good selection of tasty dishes and is certainly worth the short trip from the Old City or Nmman where most visitors tend to stay.

Where in Chiang Mai:
46/1 Wang Singkhum Road.

Northern Thai food at Huen Muan Jai in Chiang Mai

Huen Muan Jai is an enormously popular Northern Thai restaurant in Chiang Mai. The owner is a celebrity chef in Thailand and it is affordable. Usually people post rave reviews about the food, but my experience was underwhelming.

The visit

My first approach was on a Sunday evening in early February 2020 with still a lot of tourists in town. I had to sign my name and there were probably 30 people before me. But I gave up since I was not in the mood to wait up to two hours for a soup.

I went back later at the beginning of March for lunch and there was no line.

The restaurant is housed in a large teak structure.

The menu did not excite me. Two thirds of the dishes were soups. I reckoned that a classic Thai omelette would have been a safe choice. It was ok.

Then I had one of their soups: a gaeng cha-om sai hed sai pla heang. It was a relatively spicy soup with cha-om stems (a type of tropical acacia). mushrooms, and dried foods. I really did not like it.

The check

At least it was cheap. The two dishes and a bottle of water cost 170 THB (5.15 USD). Probably you need to know the menu inside out to find the really good dishes. I do not know. I do not think I will go back, for this kind of menu I would prefer Han Thueng.

Where in Chiang Mai:
24 Ratchaphuek Alley, Tambon Chang Phueak, Mueang Chiang Mai District.

French-inspired lunch at Oxygen in Chiang Mai

Oxygen Dining Room is one of the restaurants of X2 urban resort in Chiang Mai. It offers French and Thai cuisine, with some fusion dishes.

The visit

The resort clearly stands out from the surrounding buildings with its red bricks.

The path to the restaurant id dotted by photo opportunities.

The restaurant is housed in a glasshouse facing the Ping river. Some tables outside are also available.

I had their set lunch menu deal that began with a set of amuse bouche.

Bread was complimentary and came with three types of flavored butter.

The first dish was two sticks of deep-fried minced pork.

The main was a massive piece of chicken breast beautifully grilled.

Finally, the dessert was a sorbet with a banana jelly.


The lunch ended with the classic petit four in the form of trio of matcha flavored sweets.

The check

The set lunch was 990 THB excluding tax and service charge. Add a soda and the final check was 1.271 THB (38.5 USD). This is an expensive restaurant. Dinner lunch sets go for around 100 USD. The lunch menu however was a reasonable value all considered.

If money is no object, this is an interesting restaurant for some refined dishes.

Where in Chiang Mai:
369/1 Charoenraj Road, Wat Ket, Mueang Chiang Mai.

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.

Chinese dinner in Chiang Mai at Fujian

Fujian is the Chinese restaurant of the luxurious Dhara Dhevi resort in Chiang Mai.

The visit

Above you can see the impressive gate leading to the Dhara Dhevi resort, but no, you won’t need to go enter the resort proper to get to the restaurant.

The restaurant is located right on the parking lot in front of the resort, past a bunch of boutiques and souvenir shops. On the left you will find, Le Grand Lanna, that I also reviewed.

A staff member guided to the restaurant.

Inside the dining room looked like the living room of a patrician family. I believe that private rooms are upstairs.

I had a cranberry juice as a drink.

To start, I was offered a fried wonton as an amouse bouche.

I had their seafood sweet and sour soup that was incredibly creamy and came with some nice bites of seafood. An excellent dish.

Then I had their roast duck. Most of their dish came in three sized: small, medium, and large. My dish was a small portion that still could have been shared among two people. The duck came in slices with some pickled ginger. I must say that this duck was juicy and tender, the roasting brought up its flavors and the sauce did not kill them.

Then I had a casserole with brisket (because I love brisket) and this was a let down. The brisket was too fat and just not good and the casserole did not particularly help.

I carefully looked at the dessert list, but I could not find anything that excited me.

I was offered a complimentary sesame ball as a final bite.

The check

After adding taxes, service charge, water, tge check was 1553,64 THB (47 USD) which places Fujian in fine dining territory for Chiang Mai.

There were two excellent dishes and one terrible. So I do not know whether this deserves a recommendation or not. If you are in Chiang Mai for a few days, there is so much better you can get.

Where in Chiang Mai:
51/4 San Kamphaeng Road | The Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai.

Dim sum festival at China Kitchen (Chiang Mai Shangri-La)

China Kitchen is the Chinese restaurant of the Shangri-La hotel in Chiang Mai (I reviewed Shangri-La’s weekend brunch buffet in the past). I went there in February 2020, for a special promotion called “Dim Sum Festival”: an all you can eat dim sum lunch. Not sure if this promotion will be available in the future, but dim sum is one of the fixtures on their menu so you will be able to find similar dishes. It should be mentioned that China Kitchen is advertised as a Szechuan restaurant, while dim sum is part of the Cantonese tradition.

The visit

I had a reservation for a weekday (the day before, when I just showed up, it was too late and the dim sum menu was sold out) and my table was ready for me.

The package deal included all you can eat dim sum dishes, a soup of the day, fried rice, and dessert, but no drinks.

The soup (tomato and chicken) and the fried rice were particularly good. Then I had at least one dim sum per type:

The fried and baked dim sum were better than the steamed ones.

The dessert was a sweet soup with dragon fruit and jellies (quite refreshing).

The check

The final check was 509.25 THB (15.50 USD). What increased the check from the advertised 368 THB net for the food was a drink (a cup of Oolong); and I should emphasize that this was an affordable drink in comparison to what was on the menu. Since you will hardly eat without a drink, 510 THB was the real price of the set lunch. Still a good deal, even if the dim sum was not among the best I had for sure. The service was very good all around.

Where in Chiang Mai:
89/8 Chang Klan Road | Shangri-La Hotel Level 1.
Website: http://www.shangri-la.com/chiangmai/shangrila/dining/restaurants/shang-garden/

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.