Salad, Salad... Who's Got The Salad?!

[yeeowww]

I am a HUGE salad fan yet there is hardly any mention of how Chiang Mai salad bars rate. In the States I'd laugh if anyone ever asked me to go to The Sizzler salad bar but I never thought I'd be saying that it is a salad lovers lifesaver here in Thailand. With all of the fantastic, fresh affordable produce available in this country, and the variety of international foods available, you'd think that someplace would be doing this up right. I'd like to know who's got the best salads/pasta bar for a buffet or something absolutely fantastic for a great price if otherwise. There has to be more! Anyone???

[Nienke]

Out the top of my head:

Pun Pun behind the monk chat at Wat Suan Dok has wonderful salads.

And there is Ban Phak (I think ... I guess ... forgot the name ), also they have a variety of nice salads. This place you can find next to Airport plaza; AP on your left, heading the airport. It's on your left just before the fly-over reaches ground level again.

Blue Diamond on Moon Muang Soi 9 serves big salads as well.

[Sansai Sam]

Nimman Grill at Kantary Hills (Nimmanheiman, Soi 12) has a great salad bar on Monday and Friday nights as well as Sunday brunch. I highly recommend Khun Chern Restaurant on Nimmanheiman, Soi 17. All you can each vegetarian lunch buffet for 80 baht. There is also a reatsurant between the airport and the airport plaza that is all about salads but I have not been there. I hear it's good though.

[Ulysses G.]

To me, in Thailand, salads with avocodo are often great, but not all that wonderful without it. Luckily, cheap, locally grown, avocado is now available for much of the year.

Edited July 22, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[Ajarn]

To me, in Thailand, salads with avocodo are often great, but not all that wonderful without it. Luckily, cheap, locally grown, avocado is now available for much of the year.

Local avocado is available from June to September. Any other time, they are from out of the area, like Malaysia

Edited July 22, 2009 by Ajarn

[Ulysses G.]

All I know is that the best local restaurants have it at a very reasonable price from June till the end of December. If it is coming from Malaysia and Burma and is inexpensive and delicious, it is fine with me!

Edited July 22, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[miltonbentley]

Never been but I passed somewhere called The Salad Concept on Nimmanhemen Road today. You would hope they do a good one and it might be worth the OP checking it out.

[daoyai]

Not so easy for good salads bars but decent salads can be found, to add to what has already been listed... the breakfast buffet (130B) at Chiang Mai gate hotel has good salad stuff as well as all the other breakfast foods, Darets house has a pretty good salad for 15B. Also the N. Thai spicy salads are good.

[daoyai]

.......Salsa Kitchen and Marco's salads too!

[NancyL]

There are a couple of good salad bars at Tanin Market off Chang Puek for take-home salads.

[uptoyoumyfriend]

salads are everywhere-it is the thai's favorite.

just ask for dam thai don't be shy (or dumbthai if you're american like me)

tell them to hold the msg ( mai sai choorook)

and the crab (boo),just in case

or go for dam taeng,cucumber or mamuan-mango.

deliciuos ,fresh, cheap everywhere-thai.

[heybruce]

Never been but I passed somewhere called The Salad Concept on Nimmanhemen Road today. You would hope they do a good one and it might be worth the OP checking it out.

That's a new place that has been shuttered for weeks, I've never seen it open. I don't know if they're slowly getting it ready to open or if they somehow went out of business before the ever opened.

[yeeowww]

I'm not that a very big avocado fan to begin with and the ones that I have tasted here seem almost flavorless compared to California Haas avocado. But I do LOVE a good Caesar Salad! So who does the award winning Caesar 'round these parts?!

To me, in Thailand, salads with avocodo are often great, but not all that wonderful without it. Luckily, cheap, locally grown, avocado is now available for much of the year.

[Ulysses G.]

I like the Ceasar salad that is popular in America, but eveyone here seems to use different recipes. By the way, locally grown, Hass avocados are fairly easy to get here now as are tasty avos. The Art Cafe gets a lot of tasty ones.

Edited July 23, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[bcboy5440]

I love salads but the last trip I took to Mexico the group that ate the salad got very sick. Is this a problem in Thailand? Is there any way of determining if a restaurant prepares their food in a safe manner?

[Ulysses G.]

It is not a problem in Thailand for those with normal immune systems.

[heybruce]

I just tried Salad Concept on Nimmanhamin and was very pleased. They have salads for 50 baht with two kinds of lettuce and up to five additional ingredients from a list of about a dozen. They also have caesar, potato, tuna and other salads, all for under 100 baht. The caesar salad I had cost 85 baht and was big enough to qualify as a small meal. Ingredients are all fresh. It's a nice alternative to the salad bar in Tops.

[rethaired]

If you are looking for a normal salad (with carrots, onions,...) and a vinaigrette or blue cheese dressing, go to Mong's cafe on Huay Kaew Road, beside a Christian Church or school, near CMU gate (so, about 200 m. from the gate towards the moat). Their omelet (70 is not bad either. Coffees and shakes are delicious (in the 50 B range) and the price of 50B for the salad gives an idea of the price range that they charge. It is not gastranomical, but it will do if you are dying for a normal salad.

PS: I do not know if the dressing is homemade. I somehow doubt it, but it tastes ok.

[venturalaw]

Nimman Grill at Kantary Hills (Nimmanheiman, Soi 12) has a great salad bar on Monday and Friday nights as well as Sunday brunch. I highly recommend Khun Chern Restaurant on Nimmanheiman, Soi 17. All you can each vegetarian lunch buffet for 80 baht. There is also a reatsurant between the airport and the airport plaza that is all about salads but I have not been there. I hear it's good though.

I went a couple of years ago. What's great about the salad is that it's all hydroponic and therefore tastes better (in my opinion). It's also (least wise 2 years ago) super clean. I really enjoyed the food there, but due to the distance from where I live now have not returned.

[mystyleisnostyle]

I just tried Salad Concept on Nimmanhamin and was very pleased. They have salads for 50 baht with two kinds of lettuce and up to five additional ingredients from a list of about a dozen. They also have caesar, potato, tuna and other salads, all for under 100 baht. The caesar salad I had cost 85 baht and was big enough to qualify as a small meal. Ingredients are all fresh. It's a nice alternative to the salad bar in Tops.

This place is fantastic! Salads now start with a base of about 5 different greens, and they still do the 5 free toppings, and any extra veggies are 5 baht. You can add proteins like raw salmon or fresh tofu chunks, among others. Those were the two I've tried, and they're delicious. All their dressing is homemade. I'd suggest the pumpkin. Even the whole wheat rolls are great - served warm and very fresh. For 60 baht they have "anti-cancer juice" - wheatgrass, ginger, and some fruit juices. Overall an awesome place for healthy food. I'd love to bring this business idea back to the states, though I can't imagine it'd be anywhere near as cheap.

[whiterussian]

Rincombe market - buffet house have a stall there. 25 baht buffet style salad. I guess its 'Salad Concept' for those watching the bahts... Gets sold out by 11pm usually.

[wynzlo]

My top three have already been mentioned...

1. Pun Pun at Wat Suan Dok

2. Salad Concept

3. Khun Churn

[SomchaiCNX]

Hideaway has different salades with a good dressing.

Same owner Art Cafe/Dacheeso.

[sticklee]

To me, in Thailand, salads with avocodo are often great, but not all that wonderful without it. Luckily, cheap, locally grown, avocado is now available for much of the year.

Where are you finding your avocados? The best are the dark green rough textured, in N.A. they come from Mexico. The smooth lighter coloured are not as flavourful. All I can find are imported from Australia. Found some in Chinatown market, smooth green, origin unknown, hard and under ripe.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

> Where are you finding your avocados?

Doi Kham store. (Royal Project)

> The best are the dark green rough textured, in N.A. they come from Mexico.

Here they come from Mexico too. (or wherever, they're imported and VERY expensive. Rim Ping has them, at your wallet's peril. )

> The smooth lighter coloured are not as flavourful.

They sure are LOADS cheaper though. I've seen them also at Doi Kham, but very rarely.

[NancyL]

The lunch buffet at Grandview Hotel has a pretty good salad section -- I always start out lunch there with a dinner-sized plate that I use just for salad. They have both western salad bar selections and several Thai salads. At the price -- about 150 baht for the entire buffet -- it's a good deal even if all you want is salad. But, it's hard to pass up the entrees and desserts!

[ollylama]

what about that place close to the airport/immigration? it's called suan pak (vegetable garden). i think they're all about salads but i don't know for certain.

as far as the shopping centres go, the absolute worst salad bar in town is at pizza hut. not that that should be a surprise. i'm just saying. it's a horror. and though sizzler seems fresh and okay i always feel a bit sick after.

best salad in town is one you make yourself, with ingredients from rimping supermarket. made one with spinach, bacon and haloumi cheese the other night and it was fab-tastic.

[elektrified]

The place by the airport is very good I think. They grow the vegetables there. My only complaint is the salads are a little small and a little pricey. I've been there several times and each time, I was the only customer in the restaurant.

I agree with the others, Pun Pun at Wat Suan Dok and Salad Concept have great salads. I like the Sizzler salad bar too - sometimes.

[SwaziBird]

There's a place due to open within a week or so on Huay Kaew Road, between the Salsa Kitchen (good) and a very popular Sushi bar (? good) - opposite the Shell petrol station.

The farang owner has had many years in CM in the fast food industry and is opening his low-price (79 baht ) steak, soup, salad and pasta bar.

Really can't tell you any more than that - but since I live very close by am waiting for the grand opening to try it out.

Cheers.

[wally1k]

Hi

Salad Concept does wonderful organic salads ... I eat there often

Place has free internet and great desserts also

Highly recommended

Walt