Restaurant Reviews

[Doisaketmoobaan]

I did check out the Rasta Cafe, I think also known as The bagel cafe. I was quite surprised to find that it was very good. Still not there yet, but definitley the best I've had in Chiang Mai. Oddly, its a real backpacker place, with no air and only one waitress, but the food is quite good...

My mistake. I know nothing about the Rasta Cafe. The place I went to is 'The Bagel Cafe's Salsa Kitchen'. There's no walls. No air con. One waitress. And the food takes forever, but it is easily the best mexican food I've had here. Excellent bagels too.

No!! my Typo error I meant Salsa kitchen I found by locating Rasta cafe-Sorry -R

[sabaijai]

A year or so ago I sampled the Mexican food at the Upper Crust, on Chang Khlan Rd, a couple of times, and it wasn't bad. The UC is/was basically a bakery/coffeeshop but they do/did have a half dozen or so Mexican dishes. Better than the Art Cafe IMO, though if you've come straight from Mexico City, San Antonio or Los Angeles you wouldn't be impressed. Don't know if the place is still going or not.

For comparison's sake, I did find that the UC's Mexican dishes went down better than anything from the now defunct American Cafe (or whatever it was called) on Tha Phae Rd years ago and from El Toro when it was still around.

I also tried Mexican recently at the Burito (sic) House, down an alley off Suthep Rd, and found the tucker there to be a fairly close replica of US-style Mexican fast food, a la Taco Bell. I talked to the Thai owner and he said he worked at Taco Bell (I think he said TB, it could've been another of the many TB copies) in the US and that his aim was to produce that style of Mexican. Now of course a lot of folks in the US turn their noses up at Taco Bell, but if you've ever lived in Southern California, as I have, you know that the clientele at an average TB is often predominantly Mexican! I've also lived in Mexico, where I got to be very picky about *real* Mexican as opposed to CalMex or TexMex (of the two, I prefer the latter), but if you are OK with Taco Bell style, then this place does it to a 'T'.

I don't know if this Burito House is related to the one in Airport Plaza, but I tried the latter also and the food there was close to inedible. Either it's a different place, or our Taco Bell grad isn't supervising it very closely. I can't remember if the one on Suthep was spelt burito or burrito, but of course it should be the latter spelling.

I haven't yet tried the Mexican at the Salsa Kitchen/Bagel Cafe, but had a bagel w/shmear there recently and it wasn't bad. Bagels are like many 'niche' dishes, hard to find a place outside their home turf (NYC in this case) that does 'em right ... so one must adjust one's expectations to fit the geographical context.

The best Mexican I've so far eaten in Thailand has been at Señor Pico's of Los Angeles, in the Rembrandt Hotel in Bangkok. Pretty similar to CalMex, though the authenticity varies quite a bit from dish to dish. But it's way better than its predecessors in BKK, e.g., Tia Maria and Gordo's Cantina. I've eaten their perhaps a dozen times over the years and find it's pretty consistently OK. If there is or ever has been a better place for Mexican in Thailand, I've yet to stumble on it.

[Ajarn]

A year or so ago I sampled the Mexican food at the Upper Crust, on Chang Khlan Rd, a couple of times, and it wasn't bad. The UC is/was basically a bakery/coffeeshop but they do/did have a half dozen or so Mexican dishes. Better than the Art Cafe IMO, though if you've come straight from Mexico City, San Antonio or Los Angeles you wouldn't be impressed. Don't know if the place is still going or not.

For comparison's sake, I did find that the UC's Mexican dishes went down better than anything from the now defunct American Cafe (or whatever it was called) on Tha Phae Rd years ago and from El Toro when it was still around.

I also tried Mexican recently at the Burito (sic) House, down an alley off Suthep Rd, and found the tucker there to be a fairly close replica of US-style Mexican fast food, a la Taco Bell. I talked to the Thai owner and he said he worked at Taco Bell (I think he said TB, it could've been another of the many TB copies) in the US and that his aim was to produce that style of Mexican. Now of course a lot of folks in the US turn their noses up at Taco Bell, but if you've ever lived in Southern California, as I have, you know that the clientele at an average TB is often predominantly Mexican! I've also lived in Mexico, where I got to be very picky about *real* Mexican as opposed to CalMex or TexMex (of the two, I prefer the latter), but if you are OK with Taco Bell style, then this place does it to a 'T'.

I don't know if this Burito House is related to the one in Airport Plaza, but I tried the latter also and the food there was close to inedible. Either it's a different place, or our Taco Bell grad isn't supervising it very closely. I can't remember if the one on Suthep was spelt burito or burrito, but of course it should be the latter spelling.

I haven't yet tried the Mexican at the Salsa Kitchen/Bagel Cafe, but had a bagel w/shmear there recently and it wasn't bad. Bagels are like many 'niche' dishes, hard to find a place outside their home turf (NYC in this case) that does 'em right ... so one must adjust one's expectations to fit the geographical context.

The best Mexican I've so far eaten in Thailand has been at Señor Pico's of Los Angeles, in the Rembrandt Hotel in Bangkok. Pretty similar to CalMex, though the authenticity varies quite a bit from dish to dish. But it's way better than its predecessors in BKK, e.g., Tia Maria and Gordo's Cantina. I've eaten their perhaps a dozen times over the years and find it's pretty consistently OK. If there is or ever has been a better place for Mexican in Thailand, I've yet to stumble on it.

You do seem to be the expert in this area

I tried the Art cafe once, but their hard taco shells were only made with flour, not corn meal...I explained to the owner that fried flour, because of it's small grain, losses the flexibility that comes from using corn meal...But she pooh-poohed me. Okay, somnamnaa. Crappy Tacos that fall apart upon touch...

Shortly after that, I tried the El Toro just around the corner in the soi...Cold 'hot' food, tacos with so much water as to make everything soggy and crappy, clueless waitress, idiot farang boss....

I did like America Restaurant Mex. Nothing fancy, but good quality, I thought. Made his own tortillas, too. The food went totally to crap after his (working) partner left.

I thought Senor Picos was great for entertaining guests, but the food just so-so, and expensive. I much preferred Gordos when I went there around 1990...Is it still there? I looked for it about 4 years ago, but was hazy about which soi it was up..

And as far as the best, I still say it's at my house...Here is what I'm eating at this moment- A beef-cheese burrito smothered with Salsa Mexicana, courtesy of my Mexican-like housekeeper

But, I do enjoy going out to try some others, at times....

[sabaijai]

I believe Gordo's is closed. I thought it was terrible the last time I ate there, probably around 1996. I was the only one eating there, and when I passed by, around standard dinner time (7-9pm) a couple days later, it was still completely empty.

You ought to give Se?or Pico's another chance. I ate there a few months ago and found it pretty acceptable Mexican, for Thailand. Not every dish was great, but most were edible. Yes it's a bit pricey for Bangkok, but still less expensive than a Mexican resto back home!

Last night I stopped by the Upper Crust Cafe on Chang Khlan Rd, and it's still there, still offering a Tex-Mex menu. Worth trying as well. Just remember, you're in Thailand ...

Edited May 30, 2004 by sabaijai

[Ajarn]

I believe Gordo's is closed. I thought it was terrible the last time I ate there, probably around 1996. I was the only one eating there, and when I passied by, around standard dinner time (7-9pm) a couple days later, it was still completely empty.

You ought to give Señor Pico's another chance. I ate there a few months ago and found it pretty acceptable Mexican, for Thailand. Not every dish was great, but most were edible. Yes it's a bit pricey for Bangkok, but still less expensive than a Mexican resto back home!

Last night I stopped by the Upper Crust Cafe on Chang Khlan Rd, and it's still there, still offering a Tex-Mex menu. Worth trying as well. Just remember, you're in Thailand ...

Admittedly, when I found Gordos the first time, I was in desperation mode, so even crap Mex would have hit the spot. On visa runs, I always stopped in at Sizzler for at least a green salad (unseen around CM then) and a decent steak....Gordos was an exciting addition

I will try Senor Pico again, next time I'm in BKK. The prices don't hurt as much now, thank goodness.

By the way, for anyone who loves avocados, you probably can't find any around here now....But, I've found a seller with avocados for 20 baht per kilo....

As you travel north to Chiang Dao, 10 k's south of Chiang Dao is that permanent police check point, located in front of an elementary school. Just past the cops is a long row of Som O sellers. The first one, closest to the cops, always has a few kilos of avocados for sale. Her family has a small orchard in the hills...

Anyone remember the Taco Bell on Moon Muang, circa 1988-90?

[polecat]

Just want to lend my approval to Salsa Kitchen. Really very good and reasonable too. Also decent Sangria which creeps up on you - oh boy, be careful of saying "this is too weak"

Also agree with the slagging of Rasta Bar. Service SUCKS there, and those guys have that kind of arrogance that comes from knowing and being satisfied with your market. Good luck to them, but I'll never go again.

Just a tip: The Irish Pub's bangers & mash is a killer! Real good saussies

[john b good]

I did check out the Rasta Cafe, I think also known as The bagel cafe. I was quite surprised to find that it was very good. Still not there yet, but definitley the best I've had in Chiang Mai. Oddly, its a real backpacker place, with no air and only one waitress, but the food is quite good...

My mistake. I know nothing about the Rasta Cafe. The place I went to is 'The Bagel Cafe's Salsa Kitchen'. There's no walls. No air con. One waitress. And the food takes forever, but it is easily the best mexican food I've had here. Excellent bagels too.

I am not claiming that the Mexican food is the best in town but you could do a lot worse than trying the "Fish and Chip" shop (thats the name) on the road from the klong heading to the "three kings" statue.

They do have food other than "fish and chips" and Suda does some pretty d&$m good Mex food.

A few years back she had the "Mexican Garden" so if any of you had been there you will be aquainted with her.

Happen by and taste for your selves.

[Georgie-Porgie]

Ok, this is it:

Best authentic Mexican food in Chiang Mai is probably the Upper Crust, in the Night Bazaar.

Best in-authentic Mexican is Salsa Kitchen

Art Cafe is hit and miss Mexican , but she tries hard and has a pretty big menu. Always has Avacodo. Shouldn't be dismissed.

El Toro, blecch

Fish and Chips, blecch

all the rest, blecch

[Georgie-Porgie]

While I'm on the subject of food, I was at the last meeting at the Mango Tree, but incognito, in the corner, in the ski mask and the shades. Too many bad boys looking for me.

I always liked the place but p1p is making it better and better.

Maybe, the best apple pie in Chiang Mai.

The tuna melts are the best in town.

The burgers are up there with Mike's Original, The Saloon and Fillmore East, but The Mango Tree has air-con and is comfortable as hel...heck, so you can actually enjoy them. The other three places are all good, but like eating in a sauna at this time of year.

Actually, everything that I've tried recently at The Mango Tree has been comparable to any of the best farang restaurants in town, and last but foremost, the view is out of this world.

There are also great seats on the front porch where you can see all the action. If you see a fat old fart with a shit eating grin out front, stuffing a burger down his throat, that is probably me.

[cm boy]

Being a traditional Pommie (only on Sunday that is) I like a succulent roast lunch with the usual, roast beef/lamb/pork, Yorkshire puddings, crispy roast potatoes, fresh green (not over cooked) vegetables and topped with homemade Bisto gravy...ahhhh!

Pointers in the right direction would be appreciated. I hear the Pub has a new manager who has upgraded the Sunday lunches so might just give it a go today. Will report back later.

cm boy

[chanchao]

There you go Georgie-Porgie..!! See, you can be nice too! Don't feel shy about introducing yourself, quite often people are just very different in person, and folks who have a hard time getting along on-line suddenly find themselves really liking each other! (Or the other way around..

Cheers,

Chanchao

[sabaijai]

Paid another visit two nights ago to the Burrito House off Suthep Rd. Every bit as good as Upper Crust, maybe better. More to choose from for sure -- the Upper Crust's Tex-Mex menu is very short. The BH menu also features Italian food -- a friend tried the lasagna and said it was very good. Prices low. The sign out front spells 'burrito' correctly ...

[Georgie-Porgie]

Sounds intriguing. I just wish that it wasn't out on Suthep road. A long ways.

[chanchao]

Suthep Road a long way out?? Are you kidding? Question for Sabaijai though: Whereabouts on Suthep Road is it? It's a long and tricky road to just drive down going slowly looking at signs & shops...

Oh yes, I also went to The Bear's Den. I've seen a few posts by the owner/operator of the place around the Thaivisa board and he's dropped the link to his website, but he hasn't yet said "Hey, here I am, check out my awesome bar/restaurant". I have to say it looks VERY impressive, perhaps THE most impressive looking foreign/tourist/expat aimed bar in Chiang Mai. It has a river front terrace, nice wooden interior, aircon (though not always in operation) BIG bar, BIG screen projection TV, big menu, strange prices (some very friendly, others a bit high). It's located just North of the big Rim Ping condo at Nakorn Ping Bridge.

The place looks absolutely awesome, now all it needs is customers... :-) But I'll definitely propose it to friends as a good venue to go see the Euro 04 football and/or Formula 1 races.

Cheers,.

Chanchao

[sabaijai]

Question for Sabaijai though: Whereabouts on Suthep Road is it? It's a long and tricky road to just drive down going slowly looking at signs & shops...

If you're coming from the old city, you'll have to watch closely for a tiny cream-coloured sign on the left-hand side of Suthep, past Phuket Laikhram but not as far west as Italian Lang Mo. In fact it occupies ILM's second location (they're now in their third). Right next to it is a tall student housing apartment complex, set back off the street. The resto is also set back off the street, down an alley just opposite the apartments. If you reach ILM or Soi Wat U Mong, you've gone too far. Next time I drive by I'll get an exact km reading and if you haven't found it by then, will post them here.

Keep your expectations at 'Taco Bell' level and you just might like it.

Edited May 31, 2004 by sabaijai

[Doisaketmoobaan]

A year or so ago I sampled the Mexican food at the Upper Crust, on Chang Khlan Rd, a couple of times, and it wasn't bad. The UC is/was basically a bakery/coffeeshop but they do/did have a half dozen or so Mexican dishes. Better than the Art Cafe IMO, though if you've come straight from Mexico City, San Antonio or Los Angeles you wouldn't be impressed. Don't know if the place is still going or not.

For comparison's sake, I did find that the UC's Mexican dishes went down better than anything from the now defunct American Cafe (or whatever it was called) on Tha Phae Rd years ago and from El Toro when it was still around.

I also tried Mexican recently at the Burito (sic) House, down an alley off Suthep Rd, and found the tucker there to be a fairly close replica of US-style Mexican fast food, a la Taco Bell. I talked to the Thai owner and he said he worked at Taco Bell (I think he said TB, it could've been another of the many TB copies) in the US and that his aim was to produce that style of Mexican. Now of course a lot of folks in the US turn their noses up at Taco Bell, but if you've ever lived in Southern California, as I have, you know that the clientele at an average TB is often predominantly Mexican! I've also lived in Mexico, where I got to be very picky about *real* Mexican as opposed to CalMex or TexMex (of the two, I prefer the latter), but if you are OK with Taco Bell style, then this place does it to a 'T'.

I don't know if this Burito House is related to the one in Airport Plaza, but I tried the latter also and the food there was close to inedible. Either it's a different place, or our Taco Bell grad isn't supervising it very closely. I can't remember if the one on Suthep was spelt burito or burrito, but of course it should be the latter spelling.

I haven't yet tried the Mexican at the Salsa Kitchen/Bagel Cafe, but had a bagel w/shmear there recently and it wasn't bad. Bagels are like many 'niche' dishes, hard to find a place outside their home turf (NYC in this case) that does 'em right ... so one must adjust one's expectations to fit the geographical context.

The best Mexican I've so far eaten in Thailand has been at Señor Pico's of Los Angeles, in the Rembrandt Hotel in Bangkok. Pretty similar to CalMex, though the authenticity varies quite a bit from dish to dish. But it's way better than its predecessors in BKK, e.g., Tia Maria and Gordo's Cantina. I've eaten their perhaps a dozen times over the years and find it's pretty consistently OK. If there is or ever has been a better place for Mexican in Thailand, I've yet to stumble on it.

You do seem to be the expert in this area

I tried the Art cafe once, but their hard taco shells were only made with flour, not corn meal...I explained to the owner that fried flour, because of it's small grain, losses the flexibility that comes from using corn meal...But she pooh-poohed me. Okay, somnamnaa. Crappy Tacos that fall apart upon touch...

Shortly after that, I tried the El Toro just around the corner in the soi...Cold 'hot' food, tacos with so much water as to make everything soggy and crappy, clueless waitress, idiot farang boss....

I did like America Restaurant Mex. Nothing fancy, but good quality, I thought. Made his own tortillas, too. The food went totally to crap after his (working) partner left.

I thought Senor Picos was great for entertaining guests, but the food just so-so, and expensive. I much preferred Gordos when I went there around 1990...Is it still there? I looked for it about 4 years ago, but was hazy about which soi it was up..

And as far as the best, I still say it's at my house...Here is what I'm eating at this moment- A beef-cheese burrito smothered with Salsa Mexicana, courtesy of my Mexican-like housekeeper

But, I do enjoy going out to try some others, at times....

I attempted to make salsa fresca as in the picture but when i bought what i thought was cilantro it was parsley do we have cilantro locally and what chili would be close to a jalapeno? -R

[sabaijai]

I attempted to make salsa fresca as in the picture but when i bought what i thought was cilantro it was parsley do we have cilantro locally and what chili would be close to a jalapeno?

Hmmm have you ever eaten Thai food? "Cilantro" appears in probably half of Thai recipes either in leaf form (as a seasoning or a garnish), root (seasoning only) or seed (seasoning only).

The Thai name is phak chee. It's more common English name is coriander, cilantro being the Spanish ... It's sold in virtually every fresh market and supermarket in the country.

Altho it looks a bit like parsley, it smells completely different. If you've eaten salsa fresca before you ought to know the difference, fragrance-wise.

[Doisaketmoobaan]

do they serve thai food here?

have bought coriander and it not the same at last not what i bought yesterday

looked in market today and only found parsley. are you sure you know what it is?-

[p1p]

Parsley is not big in Thai food. Coriander, on the other hand, is. Drop in to the restaurant & I'll show you...

[Ajarn]

I attempted to make salsa fresca as in the picture but when i bought what i thought was cilantro it was parsley do we have cilantro locally and what chili would be close to a jalapeno?  -R  

'Pak Chii' - ผักชี is what you're looking for

It's available in probably every produce mkt in Thailand..

The easiest way to tell the difference is in the smell. Coriander is much more pungent than parsley.

For the pepper, some markets carry "phrik yao" (long pepper) which is pretty close to Jalepena, I think. Here, I just add 2-3 prik kii nuus (mouse shit peppers) per pint of Salsa..Making sure that any pepper pieces are very small...

In the 'Salsa Fresca' (Salsa Mexican where I come from). cilantro goes a long way. Try just a little at first, would be my suggestion.

Vinegar helps to sharpen the 'hot' somewhat, but I often don't use it, without any loss of quality, according to my tastes.

[Goat Roper]

I was in Chiang Mai last week and wanted to try the burger fare as recommended here, first I went to Filmore East at noontime, got a regular burger, fries and a beer. Very good.

Two days later went to the Mango Tree about 6:00 pm, ordered a standard burger, fries and a beer, both Filmore and Mango Tree were good but I will have to give the Mango the edge on this one and no it is not because of the Mango being air conditioned.

[Goat Roper]

I always thought "Pakchee Farang" was Parsley and "Pakchee Jeen" was Cilantro, is this correct?

[Ajarn]

I always thought "Pakchee Farang" was Parsley and "Pakchee Jeen" was Cilantro, is this correct? 

Yes, but opposite references, I believe...

This post has been edited by Ajarn on Thu 2004-06-03, 09:29:41

And, now, a photo!

[Goat Roper]

Ajarn,

That posted photo is what my wife et al Thais I know call "Pakchee Jeen".

Sorry, My wife just scolded me and said this is a pic of "Pakchee Lao"

[Ajarn]

Ajarn,

That posted photo is what my wife et al Thais I know call "Pakchee Jeen".

Sorry, My wife just scolded me and said this is a pic of "Pakchee Lao"

Now it is Pak Chee Lao, I think. It's what I like to use, and what I call Mexican cilantro

And here is Vietnamese cilantro.

And Mexican cilantro...

And Humbolt cilantro

Finally, the only one that so far hasn't confused me here, Parsley..

Are we completely confused yet? Or completely clear?

[Doisaketmoobaan]

The Northern Californian variety is always the tastiest Ajarn you are the Man as I knew you would come Through!!!

Old California proverb: A friend with w*** is a friend Indeed!!

[Ajarn]

Well, I've learned a lot more than I ever knew about cilantro/coriander/pakchii tonight. Lots of different names and types all over the world, and many confusions about the names, too, it seems..

Here, I think, is the most complete info...

http://www-ang.kfunigraz.ac.at/~katzer/eng...l?Cori_sat.html

[p1p]

A brief word of advice about Humbolt Cilantro. It is one of the few herbs best susedr dryed and II am adviseded that pubic preparedationmelt of this hebre can be reeskeerrr..

1 mor ht pls ......

[meadish_sweetball]

Ajarn, the Vietnamese cilantro looks suspiciously like "bai horapha", the non-kaprao type of basil used in Thailand. But what do I know, after the Humbolt parsley sage everything rolls merry and bright...

[sabaijai]

Coriander = cilantro = 'Chinese parsley = phak chee. Only when Thais need to differentiate coriander leaf from other herbs of similar name do they use the term 'phak chee jeen'.

'Phak chee lao' is regular parsley. oddly enough. 'Phak chee farang' is a long-leafed herb typically eaten fresh with laap and other Lao-Isan dishes -- even more pungent-flavoured than coriander/cilantro. It's not used in any farang cuisine I know of, so the name is a bit of a misnomer. Or perhaps it's used somewhere in Europe, but definitely not in the UK, USA or Australia.

In that web link, the Thai translations are screwy.

Pak chi met, Phak hom (herb), Mellet pak chi (fruits)

I've never heard coriander called any of these names in Thailand.