Buffets

[cnxmike]

"Shangri-La at 350 BT ? wow that sounds very cheap..... but for lunch only, I assume..... "

When we were at the Shangri-La a couple of weeks ago, the lunch buffet was only 299 Bt. But we were very disappointed. Nothing to write home about.

In my opinion one of the best buffet lunches you get in Chiang Mai you find at the Amari Hotel. I think it's 350 Bt weekdays and 450 Bt sundays.

[gpdjohn]

The Amari eh?

Is that price for one?

The boss and I will check it out tomorrow...gotta stop at Shuchart Vespa for a new spare tire ( if anyone owns a Vespa, he's the best in town ) and then head out for more "The 1st Annual John & Aom's Buffet Crawl "

It's fun checkin out all the freaked out looking tourists, lookin all pale, wondering on how they are gunna deal with the Chiang Mai loons...hehe and the 50+ year old farang honey's lookng like they just came back from Woodstock all dressed up in thier asian garb, looking like burned out wanna be hippies..

It's quite the show.

Makes for a fun afternoon....

[Greenside]

Chiang Mai Grandview: 143 bht for lunch (11.30 - 1.00) is the best value I know. Not up to the quality of the nearby Amari but very good all the same.

Khun Churn (soi 16, Nimmenhaemen Rd) has a daily veggie buffet for 85 bht which is always good.

[gpdjohn]

The continuing "Buffet Crawl" saga...

Well, went to The Amari today.

This has so far been the best. Wunderaful, Wunderaful....( Two Welk's )

Lovely ambience...beautiful hotel.

Staff was fantastic.

The food was wonderful..well worth the 375Bt per person.

Even had cold towels for refreshing one's self post meal.

Waitresses were beautiful. The manager was great.

We sat by the pool to eat but it became too warm, so went inside the air con'd dinning room. Wonderful Lanna decor.

Chocolate mousse was fantastic and even cheese, real cheese.

Thai dishes were excellent.

Western dishes were cooked to perfection.

Food was very fresh.

Veggies were fresh and also cooked to perfection.

No lounge lizards singing old burn'd out Elvis or Cpt & Taneill songs..( spelled it wrong, but never a fan..muscrat love my ass..that song suck'd...BAD!)

Only downside was you get only one cup 'o coffee with the meal, but it is also very good fresh ground coffee.

No tourists in the dinning room, mostly Thai and "elder" white boys..

I give it a Johnny's 4 stars! * * * *

A wonderful experience.

[Ulysses G.]

Where is the Amari?

Is it better than the Holiday Inn lunchtime buffet?

[lannarebirth]

Where is the Amari?

Is it better than the Holiday Inn lunchtime buffet?

Can't believe you don't know where the Amari Rincome Hotel is UG. SE corner of Nimmanhaemin and Huay Kaew.

[Ulysses G.]

Thank you. That is what I thought, but he did not mention the "Rincome" part, so I was not sure.

[Fantasteak]

Chiang Mai Grandview: 143 bht for lunch (11.30 - 1.00) is the best value I know. Not up to the quality of the nearby Amari but very good all the same.

Khun Churn (soi 16, Nimmenhaemen Rd) has a daily veggie buffet for 85 bht which is always good.

Everyone who has ever tried veggie food and thought it was too bland or missing something should eat at Khun Churn. I use to feel that way about veggie food before I ate there. Its also a really fantastic looking new restuarant. Somewhere to take a date and impress them?

[lannarebirth]

Chiang Mai Grandview: 143 bht for lunch (11.30 - 1.00) is the best value I know. Not up to the quality of the nearby Amari but very good all the same.

Khun Churn (soi 16, Nimmenhaemen Rd) has a daily veggie buffet for 85 bht which is always good.

Everyone who has ever tried veggie food and thought it was too bland or missing something should eat at Khun Churn. I use to feel that way about veggie food before I ate there. Its also a really fantastic looking new restuarant. Somewhere to take a date and impress them?

I love fresh, well prepared vegetarian cuisine. That's why I don't eat at Khun Churn. Everything there tastes bland and like it's missing something (quality ingredients). A much better place is PunPun at the back of Wat Suan Dok. Really, really fresh, delicious, imaginative food.

Edited May 21, 2008 by lannarebirth

[gpdjohn]

Thank you. That is what I thought, but he did not mention the "Rincome" part, so I was not sure.

Sorry UG..

I figure'd it was the only Amari hotel in CM.

Maybe veggie buffet tomorrow...

Tempted to head to the Holiday Inn, you said it was good..willing to try 'em one and all.

This buffet crawl will be for the lunchtime buffets, as I am finding myself going crazy during the day..

Keep the ideas and or suggestions coming please. ( Googled Buffets in Chiang Mai and didn't get much of a list..)

Maybe I'll title this one..

"Bon Appetit, The Buffet Crawl.. Adventures with a spoon and fork in Chiang Mai at noon "

Watch out Bourdain!

[Fantasteak]

Chiang Mai Grandview: 143 bht for lunch (11.30 - 1.00) is the best value I know. Not up to the quality of the nearby Amari but very good all the same.

Khun Churn (soi 16, Nimmenhaemen Rd) has a daily veggie buffet for 85 bht which is always good.

Everyone who has ever tried veggie food and thought it was too bland or missing something should eat at Khun Churn. I use to feel that way about veggie food before I ate there. Its also a really fantastic looking new restuarant. Somewhere to take a date and impress them?

I love fresh, well prepared vegetarian cuisine. That's why I don't eat at Khun Churn. Everything there tastes bland and like it's missing something (quality ingredients). A much better place is PunPun at the back of Wat Suan Dok. Really, really fresh, delicious, imaginative food.

Wow. Your the first person I have evr heard say a bad thing about Khun Churn. Beleave me I have eaten there with over 30 different people. I also like Pun pun. There crispy flower salad is fantastic. When was the last time you ate at Khun Churn? Bland is a word I would never associate with Khun Churn. Thinking about it you are having a laugh. The ingredients are fresh and of good quality.

Anyone else think the same as Him? Meet ya round the back of the bike shed for a punch-up after maths

[Ulysses G.]

Someone that has lived here for a while told me that The Holiday Inn is the best it has ever been - under 3 different names . Most people think that is has always been much better than the rest, so, if it has improved even more, I've got to stop by.

[cnxmike]

"Chiang Mai Grandview: 143 bht for lunch "

If I may say this: We have been there, too. Well, it's mostly a buffet with asian food. When we were there they only had one hot western dish. Also the starters are very limited concerning western food. The customers are mostly asian tour groups .

Why not spend 22 Bt more (with member card) for the buffet at the Empress Hotel, which has a much larger choice of asian and western dishes.

I don't want to say, that the Empress has an excellent buffet, but for only 22 Bath more you get a much better value than at the Grandview.

In the low price range the Empress is certainly the best.

[wjmark]

"Chiang Mai Grandview: 143 bht for lunch "

If I may say this: We have been there, too. Well, it's mostly a buffet with asian food. When we were there they only had one hot western dish. Also the starters are very limited concerning western food. The customers are mostly asian tour groups .

Why not spend 22 Bt more (with member card) for the buffet at the Empress Hotel, which has a much larger choice of asian and western dishes.

I don't want to say, that the Empress has an excellent buffet, but for only 22 Bath more you get a much better value than at the Grandview.

In the low price range the Empress is certainly the best.

I am surprised!

I have been to the Grandview many times (including once this past week). I would say that there is at least a 50/50 balance between Western and Thai foods. (True what you say about the starters).

They always have at least five hot Western dishes that usually include things like fried fish in a cream sauce, mexican chicken, mousakka, german-style pork stew, and many more (those are just some that pop into the head).

There is a decent salad bar and a cold cuts section that usually has very nice rare roast beef (I always start with a stacked roast beef sandwich). There is also a basic sushi-roll bar (even some hot-dog sushi rolls - vile yet compelling - something like that disgusting appeal of a Big Mac!).

There are desserts including my friend's favourite creme caramel, and a variety of cakes topped with whipped edible oil product. Free coffee and tea.

I must say that it is rare that something there is unacceptable, and often there are dishes that are surprisingly good.

Like most Thai buffets, they do not keep the food hot, and that is unfortunate, but the food is always fresh, and it keeps coming out. Over all I find the Grandview very satisfiying. Big variety, good food, nice local, and cheap.

Oh yeah - the Thai food section is quite good - always a sour melon soup (that I don't find anywhere else and really love), a couple of other varied dishes including crispy fish-nuggets in a sweet sauce, and always a small Lanna section with a Lanna salad, nam prik, and great fried chicken drumettes.

---

Not haute cuisine, but always an honest attempt to provide decent (and sometimes very good) food in very comfortable and spacious surroundings.

Don't like the Grandview? Fine. But it is certainly a western oriented menu, and i would say at least 60% Farang clientelle.

I don't know what day you went, or what happened.

Are you sure it was the Grandview you went to, and not the little Thai street restaurant just around the corner?!?!?!!?!?

cheers!

ps - I will check out the Empress

[gpdjohn]

Attempted to hit the Holiday Inn buffet today.

All excited since UG said it could possibly be the best..

Was told by the staff, no buffet today.

It's a hit and miss if they are having one on a daily basis. ( earned No Welk's -* * neg. 2)

The pushed the seafood buffet on Friday night though.....

My plan is working...feel like a blimp today.

Onward into the buffet fog...tomorrow I think we will hit the Grandview.

( oh, went back to the Empress since it was close..met my Landlord there and he paid, so it turned out to be good. And some really decient eye candy there today.. Always good when ya don't have to pay...I probably will come rent day though )

[SamSipEt]

A sincere and heartfelt thank you to the OP for one of the most amusing and informative threads for ages. - put a smile on face after a rather difficult day.

Food and laughter are two of my favorite pastimes.

Thanks

[Ulysses G.]

Does anyone know the schedule for lunchtime buffets at the Holiday Inn?

Last I heard, Dirty Dick and the Dirty 100 Year Old Boyz are still frequenting the place.

Edited May 22, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[gpdjohn]

Does anyone know the schedule for lunchtime buffets at the Holiday Inn.

Last I heard, Dirty Dick and the Dirty 100 Year Old Boyz are still frequenting the place.

Went there today.

They said ( the staff ) to call and ask...since it is the low season right now, the lunch time buffet is only decided on a daily basis if they will have it or not.

Call 'em before you go.

[Ulysses G.]

Sounds awfully inconvienient.

[gpdjohn]

Yes.

It is and was...since my mode of transportation is a scooter. ( with a woman on the back telling me constantly, "turn left, watch out, turn right, stop, go, watch out, this is Thailand honey, turn here, turn there, you passed it, you're going the wrong way, not so fast, slow down, turn left, turn right, hurry , slow down, watch out, turn right, you passed it, go, ..." I don't really drive, she does..I just guide the steering to her desires )

They kept telling us that thier other restraunts ( I know, spelled it wrong ) were open and we were kinda given the 'ol stink eye as we left.

Hotel seemed very very quiet..

[wjmark]

The Centara Duaangtawan Hotel near the night bazaar has a couple of buffet restaurants.

The top-floor Chinese has dim sum, but they are not very good, and not a huge variety.

The second floor restaurant has a variety of buffets depending on time and day. Japanese, seafood, mixed western - always a great variety, expensive ingredients, and usually very good - I think they are just under 300bt with a member's card...

===

Alas, the terrific Yamato Japanese buffet at Nang Nual (south of the Holiday Inn) has suffered dramatically.

It used to be 340bt, with sushi, sashimi, fantastic beef teriyaki, plus a tempura-to-order bar (including shrimp and oysters!).

They have dropped the price ("Chiang Mai people not like spend money" - waiter) to 240bt, but the teriyaki is gone (as are some other hot dishes), and the tempura is prepared in advance, and is cold, and sucks.

The sushi and sashimi were still decent - but the unagi is gone.

A decent deal for 240, but not the really nice Japanese feed that they had before.

[Ulysses G.]

The Centara Duaangtawan Hotel near the night bazaar has a couple of buffet restaurants.

The second floor restaurant has a variety of buffets depending on time and day. Japanese, seafood, mixed western - always a great variety, expensive ingredients, and usually very good - I think they are just under 300bt with a member's card...

I think this buffet is OK, but prefer to spend more money for much better Japanese food - which is featured at the Duangtawan - at Fuji which is about a block away. If you want to stuff yourself on mediocre food, the buffet is good for that.

[tigerbeer]

The only sure buffet at Holiday Inn is the Seafood buffet on friday nights (worth a try). The works man!!!! fresh oysters if you are into them... and of course their Sunday afternoon international buffet.

[gpdjohn]

And away we go again....

" Turn right honey...slow down, you almost missed it, hurry, turn, turn, watch out honey, no turn right, here..slow down...don't park there.."

I was tempted to unleash the awesome power of a P200e Vespa and give her the high 'ol silver buck to toss her in the lot, but resisted.

And with that we managed to get into the parking lot, motorcycle area of the Grandview Hotel to feast on the lunch buffet.

Arrived at 1110, buffet opens at 1130, so we sat in the lobby bar area for 20 minutes. Nice looking hotel, very quiet..one of the bellmen asked if we were there to pig out on the food .."Chai" He directed me to the Friday edition of the Bangkok Post and told us it would be 20 minutes. No problem.

Doors opened at exactly 1130 and we were the 2 people in the joint.

Remember the movie 2001 ( how could you not ) towards the end, when he was lying in bed, the room was all sterile looking..white lighting, etc...

Welcome to the lunch buffet at the Grandview.

Sorry WJMark...

Today musta been the all asian day. The only "western style" dishes I encountered were the "poached" chicken a la king, not too bad but must say it was alittle "over poached", some fried spuds, and something that resembled eggplant and tasted like it too, which also wasn't bad.

The rest was either Japanese and Thai.

The veggies, oh yeah sorry..they had buttered veggies, carrots, califlower and green beans mixed, good..

The sushi wasn't bad...ate more than my fill.

The Thai dishes were really good. Everything was very fresh.

I looked at the salad area, impressive, looked very fresh, but I did not taste any. Didn't wanna fill on ruffage.

The thai style chicken wings...ahh, now that's what I have a hankerin for...delicious! I wanted to just tell the cook to send out a basket of those things...

Cakes and pastries were delicious as well.

Good coffee.

Pretty good.

All for only Bt145. ( for both of us it was Bt282 )

Downside:

Small buffet area so it becomes quite noisy if you're sitting close to the food, which we were.

In order not to be rude, you have to wait in line like a mess hall, but observed one farang pushin' his way into the line and made one cute little woman have to take a couple 'o steps back to avoid his elbows 'a swingin' as he pigged his way in..

The show...

Quite a few bits 'o eye candy workin there and some as customers.

Saw one thai guy trip and fall down the stairs tossin' his plate full of food all over, he was alright, good combat roll when he hit the floor..musta be a Marine in his prior life.

Counted 5 farang, I was the youngest one there, which made me feel wonderful ( and if you're 190 and have varicose veins, please wear pants..)

One of the floor managers, pooying, ..well I gotta say it..if you don't shave your legs, it is much more tasteful if you wear long pants ...especially in a dinning establishment.

Rating on the Johnny scale:

Hey, not bad and cheap too.. I'll give it 3 Welks ( * * * )

I liked it.

I asked the wife which one she thought was the best one so far for this week and she picked this one.

Imagine this with dinning tables and little white elephants all over...

Next one...hummm

[sylviex]

*bumping, for benefit of those seeking buffet, breakfast or both

[sylviex]

*Buffeting

[sylviex]

Bolster up at Thai buffets

[sylviex]

A battery of buffets.

[Gonzo the Face]

What is this ?????

Is all the food being sent to China and Burma releif ???

there are 5 buffet threads in the 1st 10 threads ????????

stop already, you guys are m aking me hungry

[sylviex]

Apologies, Mr Gonzo .

Another poster has been hard at work sampling the local buffets.

I thought these threads might help him along in that honourable pursuit.