Seafood In C.m.

[Ramster]

First time going to C.M. for three days staying at the Pornping. Looking for a great seafood place with jumbo prawns, fresh if possible. Had the best one ever in Phuket hoping to find something close to that Thank you Ramster

[ThaiPauly]

Mho Ocha Prawn Farm in the night Bazzar market place is our favourite, never had a bad seafood meal there. Freindly staff, great service and reasonable prices. Eat there 2-3 times a week as a rule. try it

[SBACM]

I 2nd that!

their tom yum goong is the best i have ever had

Mho Ocha Prawn Farm in the night Bazzar market place is our favourite, never had a bad seafood meal there. Freindly staff, great service and reasonable prices. Eat there 2-3 times a week as a rule. try it

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[lopburi3]

Any landmarks to pinpoint it? Perhaps directions from Porn Ping for poster? Night market seems to cover a good deal of territory these days.

[Ajarn]

Any landmarks to pinpoint it?  Perhaps directions from Porn Ping for poster?  Night market seems to cover a good deal of territory these days.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it's in the Anusarn market.... There are a number of seafood joints in there. The one I've always liked is on the left side, about 3/4 of the way through. They have their own prawn tanks, so you know everything is fresh. Chiang Mai is pretty far from any ocean, so I'd be extra cautious about seafood here. Frankly, I find the local river fish and farmed fish to be more tasty than the farmed prawns here.

[Ramster]

Thank you guys for the info, you are right it is far from the sea. If the prawns are alive in the tank that should mean there freash and tasty too?

No Thai pizza Co. in C.M. yet?

Ramster

[chanchao]

Directions from Porn Ping to Anusarn (Mho Ocha):

Walk out of the hotel parking lot and turn right on to Charoen Prathet road. Keep walking past some sois and the end of Loi Kroh road, then turn right into the Anusarn parking lot. Obviously this only works when walking, any vehicle would have to go around the Night Bazar as Charoen Prathet is one-way going North. (So left, then left again on Thapae, left again Night Bazar, left again Anusarn.)

Keeping in mind that I've always disliked things that have anything to do with the Night Bazar & Anusarn, my personal favorite for seafood:

http://food.netasia.org/post/1/4

Cheers,

Chanchao

[ovenman]

Frankly, I find the local river fish and farmed fish to be more tasty than the farmed prawns here.

I'll second that. There are any number of restaurants in Chiang Mai where one can get great fish.

[lopburi3]

Directions from Porn Ping to Anusarn (Mho Ocha):

Walk out of the hotel parking lot and turn right on to Charoen Prathet road. Keep walking past some sois and the end of Loi Kroh road, then turn right into  the Anusarn parking lot.  Obviously this only works when walking, any vehicle would have to go around the Night Bazar as Charoen Prathet is one-way going North.  (So left, then left again on Thapae, left again Night Bazar, left again Anusarn.)

Keeping in mind that I've always disliked things that have anything to do with the Night Bazar & Anusarn, my personal favorite for seafood:

http://food.netasia.org/post/1/4

Cheers,

Chanchao

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What is transport situation when visit places outside of the main tourist areas? Do the trucks pass these places on a regular basis? It would be a bit far to walk for some of us.

[Ajarn]

Lopburi3, it's about a 200 hundred meter walk, or perhaps 20 baht via tuk-tuk

[lopburi3]

Lopburi3, it's about a 200 hundred meter walk, or perhaps 20 baht via tuk-tuk

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know Anusarn is not far, and is in the tourist area, but was thinking more of those that chanchao likes that are often rather far out from the old city/CM university and river areas that most tourists are found.

Not sure a tuk tuk would be willing to start his engine for 20 baht - most seem happy to lose a customer rather than be seen accepting a lower price.

[Ajarn]

Lopburi3, it's about a 200 hundred meter walk, or perhaps 20 baht via tuk-tuk

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know Anusarn is not far, and is in the tourist area, but was thinking more of those that chanchao likes that are often rather far out from the old city/CM university and river areas that most tourists are found.

Not sure a tuk tuk would be willing to start his engine for 20 baht - most seem happy to lose a customer rather than be seen accepting a lower price.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Depends on the area, of course. Farnharm has tuk-tuks and songthaews until closing. Places on the ring roads have fewer transport options, epecially after dark. Anywhere outside of downtown after dark is hit or miss, I'd say.

Don't forget that we now have door-to-door taxi service, which by all accounts I've heard, is a pretty good and reliable service.

As for a 20 baht tuk-tuk ride (I did say 'perhaps' ), the distance you're talking is quite short, and it puts the driver in a good spot for another passenger pretty fast, I'd say. At least that's taxi driver's logic in most places.... You might try saying "sow baht". At least you'll get a smile, if not a nod.

[JimGant]

Are the places we're talking about here open for lunch? (I love good restaurants, but parking and sanity seem to more prevelant in daytime.)

[sabaijai]

Just to frame your expectations a bit, the quality of seafood in Chiang Mai does not begin to compare with that found in Phuket or even Bangkok (well, especially Bangkok, which bests Chiang Mai on every count except, of course, northern cuisine).

Even arriving on daily flights, the freshness of seafood here can't compare with the freshness of seafood of any place on or near the sea in Thailand. In Thai seafood, freshness is everything.

The other aspect that distracts somewhat from CM seafood is the fact that most chefs here are not as skilled in cooking seafood as Thai chefs in coastal areas.

The prawns in CM, in particular, don't compare with what you get in Phuket or in my favourite province for seafood, Prachuap Khiri Khan (with nods to Rayong and Ranong, too, both excellent hunting grounds).

In the Anusarn Night Market, my personal favourite for Thai seafood is Uan Heh-Haa (not sure how it's romanised on the sign, if it is at all -- but it's the place to on your immediate right as you enter from Chang Khlan Rd). You may notice that this is the most popular seafood place in Anusarn. My wife - who comes from coastal Thailand and is very picky about Thai-style seafood - reckons it's the best place, too.

Mho Ocha is OK, too, as is the one beyond it, something like Wang Kung (Shrimp Palace), as I recall.

I haven't tried the place Chanchao mentioned, Similan, but would like to. I'd heard good things about Nang Nual (branch of the Pattaya original - not sure it's still around tho), too, though I've never been there myself.

[chanchao]

> my favourite province for seafood, Prachuap Khiri Khan

Definitely!!!!!!!! Absolutely loved Prachuap for seafood (and the price of it, especially.

[meadish_sweetball]

> my favourite province for seafood, Prachuap Khiri Khan

Definitely!!!!!!!!  Absolutely loved Prachuap for seafood (and the price of it, especially.

At the time of eating, I loved it too... but I got the worst case of food poisoning ever in Thailand so far from eating sea food (clams) in Prachuap.

Some of the non-touristy places just outside Krabi town cook up a storm in the seafood department as well.

[sabaijai]

> my favourite province for seafood, Prachuap Khiri Khan

Definitely!!!!!!!!   Absolutely loved Prachuap for seafood (and the price of it, especially.

At the time of eating, I loved it too... but I got the worst case of food poisoning ever in Thailand so far from eating sea food (clams) in Prachuap.

Some of the non-touristy places just outside Krabi town cook up a storm in the seafood department as well.

Clams, oysters, mussels, etc are always risky if not well cooked and of course if you cook 'em too much they turn to rubber. Got the runs recently from fresh cockles in Bangkok, lessee, last year it was mussels in Hua Hin.

Mead, where did you eat well outside Krabi town? I was in Krabi a couple of weeks ago visiting Thai friends and checking out the tsunami damage there (not all that much, fortunately) and we went to the latest (3rd) location of Reuan Thai, NE of town a bit. Excellent southern Thai seafood, it just seems to get better every time I go there. Or maybe it's the contrast with Chiang Mai ... The seafood kaeng som at RT is some of the best I've ever eaten.

[DaMan]

While I can not say this enters the realm of "best", I certainly find this place pretty good. Its name is Plaa pow paak set (apologies on the spelling), and its on 1141 super highway about 5 or 6 kilos going away from the airport towards san kampaeng. No english sign, but it has one sign with a green fish and another with an orange fish. A date took me there a few weeks ago and also went back on tues. They have some really nice grilled fish and the tom yum goong was good. They also have some places in the back, where you kinda sit in a thatched hut. Good for a date. And here is the surprise: its really inexpensive. First night we had a huge grilled fish, big bowl of tom yom goong, some fish ball appetizer, som tum, rice, 2 large heinekens, 2 waters and the bill was 420 baht?!? On second visit equally as good and inexpensive. Menu is mostly in thai so put the significant other on the job.........

[meadish_sweetball]

> my favourite province for seafood, Prachuap Khiri Khan

Definitely!!!!!!!!  Absolutely loved Prachuap for seafood (and the price of it, especially.

At the time of eating, I loved it too... but I got the worst case of food poisoning ever in Thailand so far from eating sea food (clams) in Prachuap.

Some of the non-touristy places just outside Krabi town cook up a storm in the seafood department as well.

Clams, oysters, mussels, etc are always risky if not well cooked and of course if you cook 'em too much they turn to rubber. Got the runs recently from fresh cockles in Bangkok, lessee, last year it was mussels in Hua Hin.

Mead, where did you eat well outside Krabi town? I was in Krabi a couple of weeks ago visiting Thai friends and checking out the tsunami damage there (not all that much, fortunately) and we went to the latest (3rd) location of Reuan Thai, NE of town a bit. Excellent southern Thai seafood, it just seems to get better every time I go there. Or maybe it's the contrast with Chiang Mai ... The seafood kaeng som at RT is some of the best I've ever eaten.

Yes, Reuan Maai (I think it was called when I was there) is truly great - the atmosphere of the restaurant equals the food experience too. The owner of Reuan Maai (used to??) also run(s) a bar constructed out of driftwood far down south, near the southern end of Koh Lanta - 'Same Same But Different'. Their yam wun sen thalee is my all-time favourite.

The very best seafood however, I found at a large uninviting halogen lights/plastic chairs place in the opposite direction of Reuang Maai from the main pier in Krabi town. The problem is I cannot for the life of me remember what it was called. Anyway, Krabi town is small, and I bet if you asked in Thai for the most popular place for seafood near town for locals (there was also a Thai tour bus there when we arrived), this is where they would take you. This is what we did anyway, and we were not disappointed.

[sabaijai]

> my favourite province for seafood, Prachuap Khiri Khan

Definitely!!!!!!!!   Absolutely loved Prachuap for seafood (and the price of it, especially.

At the time of eating, I loved it too... but I got the worst case of food poisoning ever in Thailand so far from eating sea food (clams) in Prachuap.

Some of the non-touristy places just outside Krabi town cook up a storm in the seafood department as well.

Clams, oysters, mussels, etc are always risky if not well cooked and of course if you cook 'em too much they turn to rubber. Got the runs recently from fresh cockles in Bangkok, lessee, last year it was mussels in Hua Hin.

Mead, where did you eat well outside Krabi town? I was in Krabi a couple of weeks ago visiting Thai friends and checking out the tsunami damage there (not all that much, fortunately) and we went to the latest (3rd) location of Reuan Thai, NE of town a bit. Excellent southern Thai seafood, it just seems to get better every time I go there. Or maybe it's the contrast with Chiang Mai ... The seafood kaeng som at RT is some of the best I've ever eaten.

Yes, Reuan Maai (I think it was called when I was there) is truly great - the atmosphere of the restaurant equals the food experience too. The owner of Reuan Maai (used to??) also run(s) a bar constructed out of driftwood far down south, near the southern end of Koh Lanta - 'Same Same But Different'. Their yam wun sen thalee is my all-time favourite.

The very best seafood however, I found at a large uninviting halogen lights/plastic chairs place in the opposite direction of Reuang Maai from the main pier in Krabi town. The problem is I cannot for the life of me remember what it was called. Anyway, Krabi town is small, and I bet if you asked in Thai for the most popular place for seafood near town for locals (there was also a Thai tour bus there when we arrived), this is where they would take you. This is what we did anyway, and we were not disappointed.

The Reuan Mai owner (his name's Koliang) told me when I was there a few weeks ago that his place on Ko Lanta was completely wiped out by the tsunami. He plans to rebuild.

Koliang also started the first travellers bar, Amata, in Krabi town back in the early 80s. Shortly afterwards he built bungalows on Plai Plong Beach, a couple bays NW of Railay. That only a lasted three or so years before the owner of the land decided he wanted to do something with it himself (tho he never did).

Now let's see, opp direction from the pier in Krabi takes you up the hill past the provincial hall, doesn't it? Or do you mean off the same road Reuan Mai is on, but in the opp direction (but that puts you right back in town). Anyway I'll ask about that place next time I'm down there, thanks for the reco.

[p1p]

There is a great place to purchase fresh seafood to cook yourself near the Lotus at Kham Tieng market. Take the Super Highway and drive past Lotus on your left. Take the next left and turn left at the first lights. Turn right at the T junction and immediately right into the warehouse's car park. Cheap and very fresh.

Regarding restaurants serving seafood. I still swear by "Oan Hey Ha", the first restaurant on the right as you come in from the Night Bizarre. Been going there regularly for almost twenty years and always had good food. They will also happily cook to my own specifications, and are very proficient at doing so.