Good Restaurants in Chiang Rai

[localguy]

Having lived in Chiang Rai for over 3 years, it is surprising sometimes to hear of a restaurant you did'nt know about.

One I know , The Family Bakehouse serves the finest steak ever.

Do you know of any good restaurants?

That's soooooo thru

What a crappy food is served in this town

My only hope is that maybe in the new 5 star hotel there will be a decent restaurant

i my self fly to bangkok every month to spoil my self with good food and wine

Wednesday i was at starbuck hotel dont want to talk about the food but the wine prices where very nice

[goski]

Starbuck hotel!? Are you sure that you don´t confuse Starbucks with Black Canyon at Big C? Considering that you spoil yourself in wine in Bangkok it sounds like the Roman toga party lasted a bit longer than expected..

Anyhow, doesn´t Thai food go into the category of good food? In that case Chiang Rai offers alot... such as the several places that we already mentioned earlier in this thread.

Very bright, as a star, Starbright... ring a bell?

[localguy]

Starbuck hotel!? Are you sure that you don´t confuse Starbucks with Black Canyon at Big C? Considering that you spoil yourself in wine in Bangkok it sounds like the Roman toga party lasted a bit longer than expected..

Anyhow, doesn´t Thai food go into the category of good food? In that case Chiang Rai offers alot... such as the several places that we already mentioned earlier in this thread.

Very bright, as a star, Starbright... ring a bell?

AT black Canyon there is no wine list and only horrible food was there last wednesday

The Starbuck is the hotel near edison

Thai food yes fantastic but not in Chiang Rai

THere is eco sha but the food is not always good

there is keaw hon near hai jek that was much better for 6 years ago

The new place with the cows in the front

My wife was there last week with the hole family no one liked the food there where flies every where and the fish was from yesterday

if you want good thai food ask your wife to make it or go to Chiang Mai

If you want good pork , kha moo or moo krop ) go to Seang Sean near the water is a chinees whom is making really good food

good luck

[svenivan]

The Starbuck is the hotel near edison

I think you mean Starbright Hotel!

[localguy]

The Starbuck is the hotel near edison

I think you mean Starbright Hotel!

Thank you and good night

[uusa]

eat at home wife happy

[goski]

What an unusual combination platter! It looks very good though and prompts me to show you some Indian cooking at home. All spices available from local spice shops, in my case the one in front of the bus station in town. Tandoori chicken.

[medlynn]

Do yourselves a favor and try Fumizuki on Phaholyothin Rd. a block or so from the Wiang Inn. Excellent food, even better prices. Tell the owner (Jin) that Lynn sent you.

[localguy]

Do yourselves a favor and try Fumizuki on Phaholyothin Rd. a block or so from the Wiang Inn. Excellent food, even better prices. Tell the owner (Jin) that Lynn sent you.

Was there yesterday it was not so bad

had tempura, sushi and fried pork dumplings

some warm sake the pleasure of getting to know a nice japanese guy

so lunch was ok

[goski]

Speaking of japanese. Has anyone been to Tomato and tried their Shabu Shabu yet?

[toybits]

Not far from the Rim Kok Resort is a new hotel called Phowadol Resort and Spa. Beside it is a restaurant called Bai-Pho. I really enjoyed their International buffet (129 Bt/person). I believe they have the best buffet among all the other Hotel restaurants or coffee shops.

Cooks are said to have been pirated from the Dusit. The restaurant can seat approximately 80 persons - so it is still quite small. Their Maitre D is very professional.

[toybits]

Lots of Thais go to this very unassuming and small restaurant on the way to Haad Chiang Rai (from Denha intersection). Great vietnamese food - Naem Nuang, Morning glory salad (dip-fried in batter), chicken wings, etc. Lots of choices. Picture menu so those of you that can't read Thai can choose by looking at the photo of the dish. Friendly prices.

[goski]

By chance I went there two days ago. And toybits is correct that they are famous for their naem which they apparently had run out of which also made about 5-6 customers turn around and leave. Good food nevertheless.

[Joel Barlow]

Just had noodles and mu satay at Kwiteao Yok Loh out Poh Khun Road (going east from Ha Yaek) across from the seemingly empty Sanam Geela market, almost to Family Bakery. Quite good and reasonable - the best thing since Kwiteao Sip Baht by Disco Road. Also recommendable is Mandaran Pet (Duck) just west of Appy Square (Tops Super near the Mangrai Monument/HaYeak). Very clean.

Interesting is the road name problem - my wife bought an electric cooker from a salesman who came by while I was away. She put down a deposit, got the thing, then found no-one coming for further payments... so we went looking for the office, and found it right by Kwiteao Yok Loh... on Poh Khun Road, which a guy across the street called Saman Geela Road and on the company address is Nong Bua Road... a problem I've encountered before with local maps!

Anyway, the kwiteao soup is delicious, B25 a bowl presented in interesting fashion. There are good specialty dishes too.

[goski]

That's a nice place. I sometimes stop there after tennis even though I stay away from the satay sticks. Sweets across the street.

[goski]

Hello!

Did I notice a new mexican food place next to Pam's Guesthouse on Jedyod or not? I can't tell because I don't go past there often enough. Is it good?

[lannaman]

Feeling VERY full!

We have just had an excellent buffet lunch at the Phowadol Resort and Spa (Half Km pass Rimkok Resort). TOYBITS posted about this restaurant previously and we heartily agree that is the best in Chiang Rai.

129 baht, and choice of Thai dishes, excellent Japanese Table, Chinese Som Tum, Noddles (Who wants them here?!), 2 or three falang style dishes and fruit and sweets. The service was very good. Kids under 120cms reduced price, our boy is an 11 year old bean-pole and they conceded a discount for him (although he packed away as much as an adult!).

The family who own the resort are the same as the Sara Tawikit supermarket in town, nice folks.

It's open for buffet lunch seven days a week.

[goski]

Noooo! Not another buffet and even cheaper price!? How is this possible and how is it possible for me to loose weight with all these delectables around me? I might even have to swish past there as soon as possible to get it out of my head.

[sceadugenga]

Which is the Sara Tawikit supermarket?

Is that the new one coming in on the old Chiang Mai road (route 1211)?

[lannaman]

Which is the Sara Tawikit supermarket?

Is that the new one coming in on the old Chiang Mai road (route 1211)?

Sara Tawikit Supermarket ---- It is the big one on the corner beside to Wat Phra Singh. Free parking on the adjacent corner. They have moved the cosmetics section upstairs, where is a cafe - very reasonable beer price too.

[toybits]

Saha Thaweekit is the grocery shop nearby Overbrook Hospital (somewhat between the hospital and the Post Office). They also have a warehouse near Santi Withaya School. Nice fellow - the owner of Phowadol. Pretty much hands on type of person. Always there at the restaurant every time I went. Says that the cook came from the Dusit. Food very well presented. Nice combination of colors. Tastes very good.

Which is the Sara Tawikit supermarket?

Is that the new one coming in on the old Chiang Mai road (route 1211)?

Edited August 20, 2008 by toybits

[sceadugenga]

Is it worth a look? Any Farang stuff there?

[toybits]

Saha Thaweekij does not have many Farang items. You are probably better of at the Tops near Ha Yaek (Api Square). Also check out the Doi Kham produce shop beside Tops - nearby the escalator. Really good cucumber, celery, parsley for making Tabuleh, baby carrots. You can make a Jamie Oliver salad with produce you find at Doi Kham.

Is it worth a look? Any Farang stuff there?

[Petruchio]

Have been reading the postings on CR restaurants and if someone has the time I would like some good directions to the following eateries (please give detailed enough so that dummies like me can follow them):

Anto & Chatchada's Italian Restaurant

Barry's Burgers (I have looked all around the golf course at the Old Airport and cannot find it)

The Teak House

The MUU House

THANK YOU!

Petruchio

[toybits]

The Burger Bunny at Barry's Burger busted out before Barry could blink.

Have been reading the postings on CR restaurants and if someone has the time I would like some good directions to the following eateries (please give detailed enough so that dummies like me can follow them):

Anto & Chatchada's Italian Restaurant

Barry's Burgers (I have looked all around the golf course at the Old Airport and cannot find it)

The Teak House

The MUU House

THANK YOU!

Petruchio

[brahmburgers]

I haven't read the earlier postings here, so I don't know if it's been mentioned....

However, there's a small restaurant downtown near the night bazaar. I think it's called TAPAS, across from the south entrance of the department store (with TOPS) across the street. It's a few doors east of Starbright restaurant/spa. The Brit owner's wife also runs the massage place next door on its left.

Have only been there once, but the serving was more than ample. A big chunk of tasty chicken with bunches of veges and salad around it. Enough for two! .....and all for under Bt.100. Plus the veges were farang style, so you can actually taste them - rather than overcooked, heavily seasoned Thai style.

[brahmburgers]

I'm going to amend my own post. Turns out the place I mentioned in the previous post is now called Tascas - though it's original name was Tapas.

I also like Chat House g.h. - just west of Overbrook - for American breakfasts - at only 70 baht. For that you get the eggs, decent bread, bacon, potatoes and o.j. or caffeine. Real coffee is 10 baht extra. Their fruit salad with yogurt and muesli is quite good - and is also low priced. They probably have other good stuff on their menu, tho that's all I'm familiar with.

If you're there with a half hour of so to spare, check out the temple complex next door. Particularly the all wood newly built temple - incredible craftmanship, especially for its large scale. Upstairs is a very respectable little museum of Buddhist artifacts. Also, their turtle pond is fun - especially if you have kids along. Above the turtle pond is a small Buddhist chapel with impressive paintings. Incidentally, a Chinese slang word for penis is their word for 'turtle head.'

[lannaman]

The name of the temple is Wat Phra Kaew. It was the original home of the Emerald Buddha, now the most highly revered Buddha Image in the temple of the same name in Bangkok. There is a replica of it in the Crai temple.

The Chat House GH is a little way up the small soy (as you look at the temple gate) to the right. I agree about the good breakfasts, their lunch menu is good too, I had lunch there today - Tom Kah Gy with a large plate of rice- aroy! 50 baht.

Lannaman is often found there reclining on their comfortable sofas taking a nap when he has a two hour or so break between teaching! There is also a copy of the BKK Post there daily. Don't all turn up at once as it an oasis of peace!

[brahmburgers]

update on my earlier mention of Tascas - the little restaurant that I raved about. It was near the entrance to the night Bazaar (across from Tops' north side). It no longer exists. The place is now just a blah little beer bar.

It's a weird pattern: Many times when I've found a great restaurant in Chiang Rai - the place closes down soon after. It happened with Gary Garron (1st and 2nd places), and with an open air place near the old airport (run by some pretty Sai Baba devotees), and several other places. I must be a jinx. Message here: if you open a groovy little restaurant with great food and low prices, don't allow me to be a regular customer - you may have to shut down operations.

Meanwhile, most of the thousands of tamada (regular) restaurants all over town stay open - with their blah denatured rice, their MSG, their coagulated pig's blood soup, fried crickets. fried eggs dripping with week-old oil. I guess the people have spoken, and that's what they like. Actually, for most Thais, it's not the quality of the food that counts, it's the cheapness of the place. If a place has 15 baht meal, it won't matter how decrepit the food is, it will have customers. If the place next door has the same menu item, but a lot better quality for an extra 5 baht, the crowd will still flock to the cheaper place.

[sceadugenga]

Not my wife, I went to a computer expo at the Little Duck Hotel a while back and she lost interest early and went across the street to a small eatery.

When I followed her over later the barely touched food was still in front of her while she berated the cook for the substandard offering. She will never go back there even if they give it away.