wjmark

How about a big Chinese engine? They are cheap aren't they? A Lifan 250?

Modifying a frame and drivetrain to mate with a engine not designed from it is not simple.. Its almost easier to make a new frame.. Essentially your talking about completely redesigning and rebuilding a bike.

Steeds can be found from 70 odd thousand.. A real nice steed 600 can be found for 120k..

The type of work your talking about could swallow 10's of 1000's real easy, to be left with a frankenstien bike no one would want and possibly not be safe..

Hmm - makes sense. And very not legal too!

How about a big Chinese engine? They are cheap aren't they? A Lifan 250?

I think I saw it the other week in Anusarn market. On right as you go in from Changklan, in the row of shophouses (in the craft market area).

Not totally sure but I think it was there.

A google search gives the address as Anusarn market, looks like Sally is correct.

thanks!

Is it the same owners as the Al-Hussain Restaurant on Soi 5 in Sukhumvit area of Bangkok?

I have no idea, but you reminded me that I really like that one too - I wrote a review about that too last summer!

I would guess not - the flavours were very different - I will ask when I finally go to this one.

That one in Bangkok is great, don't you think?

What makes a good one?

hint - says more than "I like it"

I agree and the sub forum should be just for personal reviews and not for knocking other restaurants or making wise cracks.

Some of these are funny and should not be discouraged but there is a place for them on the main forum

My suggestion is for a sub forum that is for information from people who have actually visited an eating establishment and only that.

So you are suggesting a forum specifically for 'reviews'? Interesting. Vely interesting...

I think I agree!

Called MealsonWheels4U and tried two different meals from Al Hussain. I don't know where it is, because, as I said, I 'ordered in'.

Fantastic. I only have really liked New Dehli so far in CM, but this is great. Mike at MW4U told me it is more Pakastani style than 'Indian'. Seems like it...

First meal:

3 Pakora shrimp (10bt/ea)- some of the best shrimp I have had in CM. Big, crunchy, taste like shrimp, with a very nice batter. These would have been even better eaten fresh in the restaurant! I ordered 10 on our next meal...

A mutton samosa 35bt - Biggest I have ever seen - full (FULL) of minced mutton. Mild tasting, and could have used a few peas in the mix - it is all minced mutton, but went well with the generous portion of green chutney.

All the dishes are generous here, and lower priced than most other 'Indian' places.

Had a dal, and a kari pakora - 70bt each - cheap. Both were very good - I had asked for spicy, and it was there. The kari pakora is a yoghurt gravy curry (not a khorma - more yogurt based) with little channa-flour dumplings. The dumplings were a little stodgy (and would have been at the restaurant too), but the sauce was light and just perfectly sour. Yum - one of my favourite dishes anywhere, and this was well done.

Keema Paratha was fine - authentic, but not exciting to me.

The dish that seemed most Pakistani to me was the Mutton Sheek Boti (140bt). Generally I like my lamb grilled, rather than stewed. And with this dish I didn't really know what I was ordering. What arrived was an again generous portion of lamb cubes. But not grilled. I think they must have marinated the lamb in lots of spice for a long time, and then slow cooked it - braised with liquid. It was tender, a little grainy from all the spice, fell apart as you ate it, and it was fantastic. It reminded me of a slow cooked Pakistani 'lamb and lentil' dish I used to eat at a Canadian 'taxi stand' food stall.

Did I say generous? Both orders came with FREE onions, cucs and tomatoes, lime slices, and a very delicious pickle - not tart and scary like some pickles - really approachable for those who have never liked an 'Indian' pickle before. Probably home made. And free...

SECOND MEAL -

10 of those shrimp pakoras.

Vegetable curry - very good. Very light and fresh. Crunchy mix of vegies and not too many potatoes!

And a mutton biriyani - again fresh, aromatic and generous.

I wish I knew where this place was!

ps - Their prices are going up (a little), and MW4U may not reflect that yet

I think restaurant reviews should have a posting of their own - not get lost in some odd topic about how big a review Charlies should get...

This Beatles place deserves a posting of its own - it came from that weird posting "Restaurant Reviews, Large or Small". Hope you don't mind, Wheel!

A friend recently visited a restaurant in Mae Rim. He said it was great and recommended it to me. My friend said, everything had a Beatles theme, including the plates, cups and tables.

The following is a review I found on a web site:

http://www.1stopchiangmai.com/what_to_see/mae_sa_valley/

I Love The Beatles restaurant

Owner Kitiwat Leelayut, aka Jiab, was a professional rock guitarist for 30 years and has built his restaurant as a tribute to The Beatles. He's on site and very friendly. The food is good, a selection of Northern Thai dishes as well as noodle dishes, averaging around 40 to 60 baht a dish. There are three bungalows for those who wish to stay in the area. They include television, en-suite toilet and hot water for prices ranging from 800 to 1000 baht per night.

Well signposted from the main road, the Paradise Spa Resort and Restaurant provides luxurious accommodation (at the most expensive rates in Chiang Mai)

Directions Follow Chan Phuek road, opposite Chang Phuek Gate on the Northern side of the Moat, for approx. 10kms until you enter the built up area of Mae Rim town. The turn off to Samoeng, to the left just beyond the built up area, is well signposted and takes you straight into the Mae Sa valley within a few kilometres.

I live quite far from Mae Rim, but this sounds fun, and may give this place a try in the future.

Don't remember the tables and plates having a Beatles theme, but just about everything else does...

Food is very good, but the chef (don't know her name) cannot bring herself to make dishes spicy for westerners. She sees me eat the fresh green chillis in 'nam pla prik', but still can't cook it hot. Maybe it is because she is Northern - Southerners call Chiangmai food 'jood'.

Good chef 'though. Interesting menu - lots of northern dishes. Tried the ribs last time - thought they were great. Dishes a bit more like 60-80 if I remember correctly. Service is a little slow, especially when busy.

Turn left after Mae Rim - and it is about a kilometer past the X-Center on the right. Look for the signs - there is a cluster of them - but they are a bit pale and easy to miss.

Jiab is a very nice guy, and loves to pick up a guitar and let go with some Beatles song (I think he knows them all...). He performs around CM occasionally - fun performer.

... snip ... That may in some sense be disgusting, but in some regards.... I can't think of a more loving act, all things considered.

Very true and very sensitive of you.

Think how terrible it must be for the woman not to be able to satisfy her husband of (200) years. If she is aware, then maybe this reaffirms their love in her eyes too...

Not an easy situation - but a crime?

Publication and humiliation - that's a crime.

Well, as the OP, I will just report that I am still not back to normal. ... snip...

Meanwhile I will continue to live on chicken, bananas, water, an occasional soda, and a few other very select items.

Good luck, of course!

I find that just plain rice, perhaps with a spoonful of natural (live-culture) unsweetened yoghurt and a little bit of banana works really well. Just some salt on top...

Tea (without milk) to drink...

Once you graduate to chicken, I hope it is not fried!!!

And I hate to say it, but lots of people find a glass of Coke works wonders. (Also dissolves steel nails, so go figure...).

long post deleted

forget it - not worth the effort

nice bike, Dan.

good luck

That is TOO, TOO much for a pot of tea!

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=2489

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_most...ea_in_the_world

Here in India, where the food and water is infinitely more risky than Thailand a case of Delhi-Belly (or in my case Bangalore-Bowel) is a regular occurrence

Like PB I give it a day or so to go away on its own (drink lots of water to avoid dehydration) then trot off down to the pharmacy for the antibiotic of the day and some Immodium to dry things up.

I don't like to take the Immodium immediately (unless flying), I'd rather keep things moving and hopefully flush out the bad bugs without resorting to antibiotics.

My time in India was always lucky - I eat the street food and everything - no real problems. But I heard a clever idea recently.

A woman who was always having stomach problems in Delhi started carrying anti-bacterial gel with her and washed her hands before every meal - apparently her stomach has been fine since...

Of course, the hand is a more common eating instrument in India than here in Thailand

just thinking back through my stays in thailand, i have never had a room without a fridge, even a really cheap room ! ......

Gotta say it - I doubt whether you have ever been in a really cheap room. No offense!

When I was traveling 'on the cheap' I never had a fridge anywhere. I have never seen a fridge in a room under 200bt...

And to the OP - when I stay on Koh Tao, I get the water/ice company to deliver ice every morning to my bungalow. 15bt/day for 3-4kilos of ice. Styro ice box - 100bt at any shop. Also I buy 20liters of water every week for 20bt

On the cheap!!! Good luck.

I can confirm, from expensive personal experience, that Fujian is very good, but charges for it !

And to clarify about the Fujian, I went there fully happy to pay top dollar for dim sum (and the prices were on the menu, so no complaint there).

It was the 480bt pot of tea that pisses me off. They should have mentioned that the way the did for ktizo.

So I talked to the restaurant manager today about the price of tea...

And he thanked me for the advice of telling people in advance how much it costs. He is going to tell the staff to always do that.

And he pointed out that the tea I ordered Pu Erh was of the finest quality and was the most expensive tea they have. "Not fresh" he said, "aged 10 years".

Now I don't know that much about tea, but I do know that there are some incredibly expensive teas in the world. And their tea was very good - I must admit that!

The general manager is going to call me in a few days, perhaps to offer some compensation. We shall see.

I do feel a bit mollified. Maybe they are not so greedy- just a little cavalier about other people's money.

And I will say it again - the dimsum there is great.

Had dimsum twice today for two different lunches.

One was at a place recommended by a Chinese-Thai aquaintance at the market. "Hong Kong" style he said. It wasn't, but it was very good.

The name was 'tim' or 'dim' or something. Not sure. Going away from the old city towards the river, turn right just past Suriwong Books. The restaurant is about 400meters up on the left. Big red and white striped awning in front.

Basic Thai style dimsum, but very good Har Gow, Fun Goh, nice meaty little spare-ribs, steamed gyoza (a little doughy, but very tasty) and those seaweed wrapped things (maybe the best I have had). Cheap. Free ice tea...

To compare and refresh our memories, we also went to So You - what a good place! Nimmenheman soi 15 - hard to see the sign - obscured by a no-parking sign, and the english name is in tiny letters... Worth looking for.

The Har Gow have a slightly thicker and softer wrapping than most places (reminds me of Har Gow in a North Chinese dim sum restaurant I love back in Canada). The Crab Sui Mai are fantastic. Fun Goh are simple but delicious. I like everything there except for those god-awful peas that garnish some of the dumplings. The staff laugh when I tell them how horrible they are - they laugh because they know I like everything else!

Yum Cha!

.

Hello again. OP here.

Thanks for all the response. Without counting, I would say about 95% in favour of a Chiangmai Food sub-group. Great.

I think the only real hurdle would be transferring older food threads (say, for the last two years) into this sub-group.

I VOLUNTEER TO DO THIS.

The only real problem I see would be categorizing certain topics. eg. "Where do I find a cast-iron pan" or "How much to tip?" But mostly, it should be easy!

===

I would also like to respond to a few specific people and ideas...

EEK - Thanks! But my doctor told me to lay off coffee. The idea has been in my head for a while - nothing fancy really - just a bit of clear-headedness (it happens now and then). I believe I made myself Spag Carbonara for lunch that day, and didn't wake up till evening!

ThaiPauly - don't forget another of Ian Dury's great songs - "Wake Up and Make Breakfast For Me"

RICKLEV - yes too bad about that food thread - except it didn't really work...

StevieH - You said "there is far more to life in chiang mai than just eating." Name three things!!!

And you said "not making first-time site users think that every farang who lives in CM is an eating-obsessed gutbucket." Guilty as charged...

CHUNKTON - I have a bunch of Ian Dury vids if you want - PM me... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Dury

orang37 - you have a multi-faceted personality! (that's a good thing!)

ULYSSES G - you said "but if it will shush the crybabies... " - we both know nothing will do that...

WinnieTheKwai - You might not realize this - but you are named after my home city - lots of water-buffalo in Winnipeg!

RICARDO - Yes, things can be categorized too far. But to me, this seems like a broad simple category that could streamline things. And for sure people would look at it more than the 'events' - which is basically populated by Citylife postings, and not really a "forum" at all.

ASMERON - are you trying to make me hungry?

SBK -THANKS! Hope it works out. Like I said, if someone sets me up, I would be glad to go through that last couple of years transferring food threads...

IanForbes - What? No photos?!!!!

THAKKAR - I am not a moderator, but your idea does seem, as you asked, "Too ambitious? Not workable?"

FISHENOUGH - Me - CBR150 (now 166cc) . You?

BigWheelMan - good point about scurrilous restaurant owners using the sub-group for their own ends. BUT THEY DO THAT ALREADY in the main group - no difference with a subgroup...

just_Elaine - Thanks - I agree. It would make keeping up with food matters much easier...

CAF - I agree, but these problems would exist in a food sub-forum, or in the regular forum. Not really an argument for or against a food subforum...

HIGHONTHAI - I think I make the best mexican food and best burgers in town. But I am not a restaurant!

I like to do a double change. Change the oil, run it a few kilometers and change it again.

Exactly.

And hey canuckamuck, I never noticed before, but your mouth moves when you talk!

I can confirm, from expensive personal experience, that Fujian is very good, but charges for it !

Less costly, and with a nice view towards Doi Suthep, was the restaurant on top of the Duangtawan Hotel, sorry but I forget the prices (it was a year ago) , only remember the meal being very pleasant.

I think this restaurant ha sthe best views in Chiang Mai, but I felt that the Dim Sum was only middling to say the least.

Agreed about the Duangtawan!

And to clarify about the Fujian, I went there fully happy to pay top dollar for dim sum (and the prices were on the menu, so no complaint there).

It was the 480bt pot of tea that pisses me off. They should have mentioned that the way the did for ktizo.

And btw, the buffet is up to 599, and DOES NOT include everything.

It is time for my first oil change. I want to use sybthetic oil, but the Honda dealer says that will ruin my bike. What oils are you guys running? I want the lower temperatures and longer life usually associated with running high quality synthetics. However, I donot want to damage my bike as it is my main transportation source.

Thanks,

Tim

I have used Motul synthetic for about 6,000k, and no problem. Runs cooler, and clutch doesn't slip (didn't before, either).

Ruining the engine? I sure hope not! Not yet...

One thing though - an oil change on the 150 is one liter. But the bike's oil capacity is 1.4 liters. Gotta drain it fully (open it up), or do a few oil changes in a row.

On Canal road today I did three runs against a new Kawasaki Er6n - took him all three times up to about 100k.

We stopped and chatted - German tourist - had his license only a year, and the bike was a rental, but all the same my revs over his torque took the day.

(Of course, his bike still had the stickers on, so that might have made the difference).

So your saying that some novice rider, on an unfamiliar machine, rented.. And you just managed to spark of the line faster.. PLEASE !!

Yup - that's exactly what I am saying! It was fun!

But on a more realistic note, my 150 is definitely faster than the Tiger250 on the straight. My buddy who owns one (and is no novice - and actually a little crazy and very competative!) couldn't beat me - even when he got off the line faster. He figures he would have me in the mountains with his torque, but I am not going to race anybody in the mountains - I am a novice myself. That's why I didn't buy the 250...

On Canal road today I did three runs against a new Kawasaki Er6n - took him all three times up to about 100k.

We stopped and chatted - German tourist - had his license only a year, and the bike was a rental, but all the same my revs over his torque took the day.

(Of course, his bike still had the stickers on, so that might have made the difference).

Never tried in any of the above places. But have tried "Yangzijiang' in NH and 'Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi'. In the latter, they serve Dim Sum lunch, really good quality. We ordered every single item in the menu, all yummy except for the rice rolls with char siew and prawns which is a bit out. It's called Fujian restaurant.

Yangzijiang is good too. I think the taste is near to Hong Kong quality dim sum.

Went to Fujian for my birthday lunch today (PizzaNPasta tonight), and it was top notch. But I do have one major complaint - price!

On the menu Har Gow were 80 baht for 3 - ok - my choice and I made it (other places can be as cheap as 25 baht for three). And other things on the menu were equally higher in price.

But that is not my complaint - I went there, read the menu, saw the prices, ordered, got great food, and readily accepted the 5-star cost.

The bill came, and our pot of tea for two people was 480 baht. Price was never mentioned - and I suppose I could have asked, but one doesn't expect a kick in the balls like that - so I guess it is my fault for not asking if tea was the most expensive item in the restaurant...

Fifteen fuc_king dollars for a pot of tea - asinine, greedy and mean.

1600 baht for lunch and a third of it was for a pot of Pu Erh tea - not even an expensive tea to buy.

Greedy greedy greedy, and sneaky sneaky sneaky

Everything else was fine - service, food, surroundings, etc. But it left a bad taste in my mouth, and that is not what wants after a great meal.

And for what it is worth, So You, on NH soi 15 is really almost as good...

my CBR150 (which is now proudly 166cc and boasts about 23hp!!!).

I wondering what you did to a CBR150 to get it from 16hp to 23hp? Or is this a guess at 23hp which could really be 17hp?

Sorry - doesn't Honda advertise 17hp?

I always thought having a bigger piston gave more power?

And other stuff:

http://www.motorcycle.in.th/article.php/Mo...-a-Honda-CBR150

http://www.faddybike.com/static/10006c.jpg

http://www.faddybike.com/static/70004c.jpg

And subjectively, it now pulls out of switchbacks in second gear that I used to have to downshift for.

So my guess is that I have more than 17hp

Oh yes, I removed all the stickers. I know that it doesn't increase horsepower, but it does make it faster.

OK - here is one.

snip

I've been there, it's call the Rincome Night Market. I agree - very good food. I particularly like the BBQ on a stick.

Uh - sorry no. This is open from 7:00 in the morning till early afternoon. They do about 8 different dishes every day. No skewers, but they do have a new grilled dish actually - almost Vietnamese - grilled lemon-grass chicken cutlets - outrageously good. They don't have them every day though

This covered restaurant is 100 meters north of Rincome on Superhighway - small road veers left off of Superhighway. It is 30 meters up that road on the right. You can enter from Superhighway too, but it is hard to see through the bushes.