Good Restaurants in Chiang Rai

[Limbo]

have also italy restaurant around chiang ray? never seen..

There are, as far as known to me, six restaurants in Chiang Rai that prepare Italian food.

Some are said to be better than others.

One of these restaurants is supervised by a Dutchman.

It is called Da Vinci.

Two of these restaurants are supervised by Italians.

One is called Corleone and the other Il Pirata.

All located in the Wangcome area (Paholyothin Road, Night Bazaar, Wangcome Hotel).

Many like Da Vinci best (it has a real stone oven fired by wood). It is most famous among

tourists and local Thai people (it has an airconditioned part as well).

Il Pirata might be the most popular one among expats.

Il Pirata is in the soi 'behind' the nightmarket next to Scorpio, Top Ten and Thierry's.

We all know that 'Il Pirata' is a famous opera (listen to Montserrat Caballe) :

but the Italian gentleman who supersises this restaurant is a former bicyclist, so the name refers in

this case to Marco Pantani:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofijQUF8vHQ

Welcome to Chiang Rai Morris!

And Tim:

Steak Lovers, the little, sympathic, clean restaurant run by a very nice and welcoming young Thai couple

is located at the Sankhongluang Road, inbetween the headquarters of the Puea Thai Party and the most

wellknown veterinarian of Chiang Rai, next to Sankhongluang Soi 3.

Sanknongluang Road is the outer, northern, parallel road to the more known Sangkhongnoi Road inbetween the Regional Hospital and Den Haa.

Enjoy your meals gentlemen!

Limbo

PS: In the Wangcome area you find at the Paholyothin also a place called Pizza Company where meals are offered that supposedly are inspired by a famous Italian first course, though many Italians deny this.

Many people like the pizza's of Three House very much, the open restaurant on the corner opposite the Wat Klang Wiang, twohundred meters before the police station.

Opposite this restaurant is the little Swiss managed 'Delicatessen', that serves among others an excellent lasagna (with three kinds of cheese).

Edited December 2, 2009 by Limbo

[sceadugenga]

I went down there the other Saturday night on your recommendation Limbo but we couldn't get a park within miles of the place so the guy who was driving decided we'd eat Thai instead. I noted the deli opposite... were you one of the guys sitting out the front? and went back the following morning to check out the bread and cheese etc but the wretched place doesn't open until 1pm.

Maybe this week, I don't mind a slice of lasagna.

[Limbo]

I went down there the other Saturday night on your recommendation Limbo but we couldn't get a park within miles of the place so the guy who was driving decided we'd eat Thai instead. I noted the deli opposite... were you one of the guys sitting out the front? and went back the following morning to check out the bread and cheese etc but the wretched place doesn't open until 1pm.

Maybe this week, I don't mind a slice of lasagna.

Last Saturdays 'Walking Street' must have attracted thousands of visitors. I was told it was 'packed' all the way and that you only could move at snail's pace. After 5 o'clock one should be a little bit carefull from where to approach the area by car; before you know you could be trapped. I mostly park at the police station, as they are widening the road there now.

I wasn't there last Saturday.

I am sorry (but happy) that I can't offer you such an excellent Weihenstephaner beer there anymore ...

Anything else maybe? An original English cider maybe?

Oj's lasagna is 'heavy' like a brick, more than enough for two, and has a tin layer of this spectacular blue-ish cheese on top.

I took one home last night, consumed it and have still problems walking ...

Limbo

[13morris]

have also italy restaurant around chiang ray? never seen..

There are, as far as known to me, six restaurants in Chiang Rai that prepare Italian food.

Some are said to be better than others.

One of these restaurants is supervised by a Dutchman.

It is called Da Vinci.

Two of these restaurants are supervised by Italians.

One is called Corleone and the other Il Pirata.

All located in the Wangcome area (Paholyothin Road, Night Bazaar, Wangcome Hotel).

Many like Da Vinci best (it has a real stone oven fired by wood). It is most famous among

tourists and local Thai people (it has an airconditioned part as well).

Il Pirata might be the most popular one among expats.

Il Pirata is in the soi 'behind' the nightmarket next to Scorpio, Top Ten and Thierry's.

We all know that 'Il Pirata' is a famous opera (listen to Montserrat Caballe) :

but the Italian gentleman who supersises this restaurant is a former bicyclist, so the name refers in

this case to Marco Pantani:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofijQUF8vHQ

Welcome to Chiang Rai Morris!

And Tim:

Steak Lovers, the little, sympathic, clean restaurant run by a very nice and welcoming young Thai couple

is located at the Sankhongluang Road, inbetween the headquarters of the Puea Thai Party and the most

wellknown veterinarian of Chiang Rai, next to Sankhongluang Soi 3.

Sanknongluang Road is the outer, northern, parallel road to the more known Sangkhongnoi Road inbetween the Regional Hospital and Den Haa.

Enjoy your meals gentlemen!

Limbo

PS: In the Wangcome area you find at the Paholyothin also a place called Pizza Company where meals are offered that supposedly are inspired by a famous Italian first course, though many Italians deny this.

Many people like the pizza's of Three House very much, the open restaurant on the corner opposite the Wat Klang Wiang, twohundred meters before the police station.

Opposite this restaurant is the little Swiss managed 'Delicatessen', that serves among others an excellent lasagna (with three kinds of cheese).

thank you i try next month..

[mcgriffith]

"Oj's lasagna is 'heavy' like a brick, more than enough for two, and has a tin layer of this spectacular blue-ish cheese on top.

I took one home last night, consumed it and have still problems walking"

Sounds like a glowing recommendation to me!

I'll try one when I'm up in the Rai next week....

[snopz]

Hi,

Where's the best place for a mix of Western & Thai food near the night bazaar???

[sceadugenga]

There's a few in the main street.

[kandahar]

"Near" is relevant. Maybe this isn't close enough to the night bazaar to suit you but I'll throw it out there anyway. Walk out of the night bazaar main entrance and turn right. Continuing away from the night bazaar and walking towards the river on the main drag, proceed to the third traffic light. Maybe a ten minute walk for me, tops. On the nearest corner on your right at that light is a great cafe. They serve Thai dishes. But they also serve some western food with a leaning towards Italian. I eat there often and they have really good food. It is one of the few places I have found that serve several dishes with cheese in them. A rare treat for me in CR. I recommend the calzone. They offer a few but the one with sausage in it is special. The seafood salad is good, too. They serve several seafood dishes, with the salmon steak being the stand-out dish in that category. I believe they have some steaks. They have decent pizza. I don't think they have burgers. Can't recall the entire menu but they offer a lot. I think they offer beer but not sure about other adult drinks.

We generally go with several people, order lots of different things and everyone just helps themselves proportionately to the different dishes. Great way to sample a lot and try to decide what one would order if he/she went there alone. Have never had a negative comment from our companions and they end up being return customers.

The cafe offers a big dessert selection but I haven't found anything yet that suits me. The desserts aren't made with the type of ingredients I prefer even though the stuff looks especially appetizing. Hard for me to find a decent western dessert in this town.

Service is great, toilets are clean, staff is friendly and knowledgeable, plenty of seating and tables outside for the smokers. The place almost always has customers but isn't crowded. I think maybe it is just "undiscovered" at this time. Serving time is always quick.

I think they are always closed on the last Thursday of the month. Not sure of any holiday closing schedules.

I hope this helps. If this place isn't western enough for you, I can't help you any further. I really don't care much for the offerings on the main drag near the night bazaar and don't have any recommendations closer than this.

[sceadugenga]

I think we had a topic on this place, it's opposite Wat Klang Wiang with the Swiss deli on the other corner.

Hard to get a park in the evening.

[kandahar]

Yeah, that sounds like it. I can never remember the name of the place but several guys have told me about the deli across the street.

I never notice if there is parking for cars available at that place. We usually go on motorcycles. But when we do go anywhere in the car, I usually park several blocks from my destination and walk from there. I have parked at the park a few blocks from that restaurant before and walked to several nearby restaurants.

I have a friend that will only park right in front of the places he wants to visit and he will drive around the block for a long time, waiting for a spot to open. I grumble at him about driving in circles when I go with him. When he rides with me, I park even farther away from where we're going, just to hear him grumble about walking so far. Often, when we arrive at wherever we're going, there is an open space nearby and THAT really gets him going. Good fun.

[julesdick]

I'm appreciating all the advise here. All good stuff Thanks

Steak Lovers - This might help someone find the 2 roads mentioned earlier (thanks for that)

Sanghongluang and Sanghongnoi roads are both labelled here on the leftmost side of this map

http://www.real-estate-insider.com/maps/chiangrai-area.jpg

Edited January 14, 2010 by julesdick

[Limbo]

I'm appreciating all the advise here. All good stuff Thanks

Steak Lovers - This might help someone find the 2 roads mentioned earlier (thanks for that)

Sanghongluang and Sanghongnoi roads are both labelled here on the leftmost side of this map

http://www.real-estate-insider.com/maps/chiangrai-area.jpg

I am very sorry, but "Steak Lovers" closed in the mean time.

It was a nice little restaurant with very nice food, a good ambience and lovely people running it.

It sounds a little bit cynical to mention it, but next month a pet shop will open there.

You can bring your dog for a haircut and similar things.

As far as I know the same people who had the pet-nursery before (about hundred meters further on the left

after dr Anon's veterinarian happening) will try to make ends meet there now.

Thanks Julesdick for sharing your information with us!

Limbo

[Limbo]

For central European dishes like goulash en typical German 'househusbands meals'

I mostly refer to the Swiss delicatessen, diagonally opposite the Wat Klang Wiang

(inbetween the postoffice and the policestation at the crossing with the traffic light and

the excellent Tree House restaurant, famous for its Swedish 'plankstek' and its pizza's).

We don't talk this time about the Pumpernickel of almost 2 kg for 240 Baht.

Last week it was French fries time: Excellent, better I never had in Chiang Rai!

Perfect they were! The skin was closed and slightly bulging and inside there was pure

cooked potato with no fat. The temperature of the fat or oil must have been between 190 and

200 degress Celsius, the way it should be and the fries must have entrusted to it with the most

meticulous care, as required for an optimal result.

The color had this warm yellow complexion, that is so typical for the Belgian 'frites' that next

to these in the southern Dutch provinces (bordering Belgium) are considered the best of the world.

They were medium sized, thus offering a pleasant grip as well, because, as the connaisseurs

among you undoubtedly know, French fries should be eaten with the fingers.

The sensation of a softly expanding crescendo of taste gets a little bit lost when the frie is already

perforated by a fork, let alone that it would have been exposed to a knife.

The ladies created a plate of masterpieces, not more and not less! My compliments!

Limbo

See the concentration on the faces of the ladies while they are testing the quality; the taste, the colour,

the 'bite' and last but not least of course the substance of the potato itself.

. . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Edited January 17, 2010 by Limbo

[chmike]

Sanknongluang Road is the outer, northern, parallel road to the more known Sangkhongnoi Road inbetween the Regional Hospital and Den Haa.

Limbo

Songkorngluang is SOUTH of Songkorngnoi road. Other than that, terrific advice and recommendations...

[Limbo]

Songkorngluang is SOUTH of Songkorngnoi road. Other than that, terrific advice and recommendations...

Thanks 'chmike'!

Last night I had dinner at a place that I have mentioned so many times being my favourite that

I don't dare to do it again.

The only thing I want to mention is that the owner is one of the staffmembers who help the young

hilltribe gentlemen of WEAHRADIO in Maechan to get their station going and that he is the best

badminton coach of Chiang Rai. The rest is easy to find out 555!

Several of his players won regional and even national tournaments.

The picture was taken after the salads and bread had disappeared already, so I leave those to your fantasy.

Including the bottle with a good Australian Chiraz Mourvedre 2007 the bill was 800 Baht.

The place has a great ambiance and you are served very quickly and correctly.

Limbo

. . . . . . . . . .

[goski]

I noticed the rifle hanging on the wall there. No wonder there aren't any bad comments about the place

[sceadugenga]

Had a good meal at the first Thai restaurant on the river going East from the Super Highway bridge last night.

Was curious when I saw the Yunan Chinese place further down, anybody recommend it?

[Paul888]

Would be nice for an update on this thread. Most of the places mention are closed by the end of the thread!

I will start the ball rolling with a few places I have eaten in the last week or so that I would eat at again.

Please feel free to expland on my "locations":

1. Cabbages and condoms - not as beautiful a location as its Pattaya namesake, but nevertheless Thai food was tasty and very reasonably priced. Menu seemed short though. [the road that becomes "walking street" market]

2. Da Vincis - I have eaten Pizza there 3 times. First time was perfect, Second and third were OK. I guess it depends on time of day/who is making it. My wife twice enjoyed a braised pork rib and said the pasta was good also. [main road near Night Bazaar]

3. Ayes. VERY nice tender leg of lamb, plus when one of my daughters was heard moaning that they would rather eat pizza, they gave us a Di vinci's menu Nice idea, and only about 40 baht service charge for it. [main road near Night Bazaar]

4. The big Thai restuarant in front of St Mary's School in Rimkok (sorry dont know name).... nice mix of Thai food, and sea food. Reasonably priced, playground toys to entertain the kids, and some very ugly fish to amuse simple minded adults

Any additional suggestions recommendations of places that are still open and likely to stay open?

[sceadugenga]

A good idea. Unfortunately these pinned topics tend to be neglected by regular contributors.

The meal I had on the river front last week was good but I thought it expensive, 1300B for three, sharing 7 courses and drinking jugs of draft Heineken. The service was good, the waitresses very cute and the band woeful.

[kandahar]

Okay. I'll have a go at this.

I visited Don's a couple of days ago for an evening meal. It was my first time there. Our group of four were the only customers there and it is a good thing as there is no parking available except in the small yard, on the sidewalk. A sign by the road proclaims a small area to be the parking lot for Don's but that area was closed off. Take down the sign, Don. While we were eating, another group arrived and parked behind us, blocking our car in. They realized they would have to move their vehicle when we left, so they chose to back out and find another place where they could eat in peace.

I have heard a lot about Don's over the years and have avoided the place because the reviews seem to run about fifty/fifty concerning pros and cons. But this night, it was the decision of my companions that lead us to eat there.

There was one employee working and I felt pity for her, as she was overtaxed with performing all of the duties involved in greeting, taking orders, cooking, serving and cleaning. I will avoid the place for that reason alone until they get more help. A person shouldn't have to feel guilty about being a burden to the staff. One person in a small noodle stall in town is sufficient because all of the food is prepared beforehand. But in a restaurant that prepares each order from scratch, one person manning the whole place is asking too much of that one person.

I'll comment only on the food I ordered because I didn't ask the others what they thought of their selections and none of them offered ANY comments. I had several Mexican offerings and was disappointed. The chimichanga was stuffed with ground beef that had absolutely no seasonings mixed with it. There was nothing Mexican about it; just ground beef and a fried wrapping. The enchilada had some taste to it but not at all the Mexican flavor that one would expect. The burrito/soft taco (I couldn't tell, as it didn't have enough of the qualifying characteristics of either) was pretty sad as well, having none of the normal tastes that are associated with that entree.

Maybe they were out of the proper ingredients. Maybe this and maybe that. Maybes aside, in my opinion, a place should provide the proper food that they advertise and if they can't, they should just say so up front. Why risk alienating customers and generating bad publicity? If your place is going to be a pinned topic on this forum, you probably ought to busting your butt to make it a good experience for anyone willing to open their wallet in your establishment. If not, then the place ought to be closed until you can meet the minimum expectations of prospective customers. At this point, I can't see why it is a pinned topic but I can see why so few people bother to make entries in that thread.

There were several other negatives from my night at Don's but I'll stop with the previous entries. On a hopeful note, Don says he is going to be here to operate this place full-time soon and maybe the place will become a worthwhile site for an evening meal. If that occurs, I'm sure I'll read about here and I will give it another try. In the meantime, "taking your chances" has been a common theme in the reports I have received from friends who do occasionally dine at Don's. There are just too many other places with good food and good reputations for me to bother with "taking my chances" on Don's place.

Edited March 3, 2010 by kandahar

[sceadugenga]

I've supported Don's Cafe both in person and on the forum for several years now.

Unfortunately, most of what you say is justified although I have eaten better food there . He needs to do some serious work if he intends to make this a popular eating spot.

[Will27]

I have to agree.

I only get take away, but the poor lady

there always seems run off her feet.

The take away menu need serious updating.

Well over 50% of the things I wanted were unavailable.

The driveway is a nightmare for cyclists although Don

is trying to get this rectified.

It really needs some TLC.

Having said that, I love the English breakfast sausages.

Regards

Will

[Limbo]

If your place is going to be a pinned topic on this forum, you probably ought to busting your butt to make it a good experience for anyone willing to open their wallet in your establishment. If not, then the place ought to be closed until you can meet the minimum expectations of prospective customers.

In all honesty we must admit that Don can't be blamed for pinning a topic about his place.

Only moderators can pin topics and in this case it was cowboy who for reasons only known

to him found it necessary to do so.

What amazes me is that Don in an earlier posting wrote the following words:

"It may be possible to improve the quality of food at various restaurants if we are not satisfied

and would speak to the owner. I still find it difficult to eat in Chiang Rai City as my standards are

higher than the average food quality".

OK, Don stopped opening new threads all the time (about wifi, free beers and similar secondary enjoyments

available at his restaurant), but why didn't he listen, being an owner of a restaurant himself, to the criticism

brought forward in this forum?

Why does he think that other restaurant owners would do so if he doesn't want to do it himself?

And if his personal standards are too high for Chiang Rai restaurant owners to meet, why doesn't he try to

realize them at Don's Place?

Could his personal adagio be be something like : "The last place I would like to eat is my own restaurant!"

Come on Don, enlighten us about your thoughts on your kitchen ideology.

Limbo

[kandahar]

I'm not blaming Don for the topic being pinned. I'm not blaming anyone. If cowboy wanted that, then that is that. I would guess that at the time the topic was pinned, Don's was something that it isn't now. To have it pinned now seems a little strange. There are other Falang restaurants here, that have been here for a long time and still make the effort every day to draw and maintain customers. Using that logic, I just don't see why the place is a pinned topic. I can guess as to why it was originally, but not now. I'm not saying it should be removed, either. Just because I can't see the justification doesn't mean that it isn't important to lots of other people and I'm not the type to try to convince the masses that my thinking is the best thinking.

I do hope that he makes the changes needed at his cafe and has great success. At the same time, I think it is wrong to continue to keep the place open and disappoint the few who take the time to go there and give it a try. I realize this is Thailand and nothing is the way we expect it to be, based on our experiences from our home countries. Re-calibrating our brains to accept the differences we find here is an everyday occurance for lots of us. But my understanding of the premise behind Don's place is that it was to be an oasis of the western experience, a comfortable, satisfying experience to be enjoyed by those of us who have the urge to reconnect with some of the pleasures and standards of our pasts, without having to leave Thailand. At the moment, the standards at that cafe do not even meet the standards of some of the smaller Thai places I visit. It is pretty much just a dive that gets a lot of publicity. That is why I have trouble understanding why it is currently a pinned topic. But again, my not understanding it isn't a push to get it removed. The aforementioned argument is just clarification of my thinking out loud, so to speak.

My intention wasn't to beat up on Don personally, as a fellow man, either. I have never met Don but I happen to know, from other experiences, that he holds some incredibly compassionate personal characteristics and I admire him for that. That restaurant is just a small portion of what represents his time here on earth and I recognize that. He's many other good things to many other people, as a few that I have met will testify.

Edited March 4, 2010 by kandahar

[sceadugenga]

You'se guys better get cowboy's name right, you're meddling with powers you can't possibly comprehend.

[kandahar]

I've never heard of him. But I don't spend any time going through the back-issues either. If he is a "you'se" guys kind of fellow, then he's probably from my original home area. If there's any trouble, I'll blame Limbo. Limbo wrote it first.

[wileycoyote]

Songkorngluang is SOUTH of Songkorngnoi road. Other than that, terrific advice and recommendations...

The only thing I want to mention is that the owner is one of the staffmembers who help the young

hilltribe gentlemen of WEAHRADIO in Maechan and correctly.

Limbo

. . . . . . . . . .

Please advise the location of this good restaurant

Thank You

Edited March 4, 2010 by wileycoyote

[dindong]

To the best of my knowledge, if you follow my directions you will not be far away.

Take the PaoKhun Rd,the 1232 opposite Meng Rai statue and travel about 1 km, it's beside the badminton court shown on the google map, on the left hand side.

[cmjantje]

I know Don in person and I build a restaurant around his products like advertised by his site especially the Angus beef.

The first order was perfect! After that it was one big disaster. The wrong meat, the wrong sausages, order not complete etc.

He visited me and told me he tenderized the meat and in this case (T-bone steaks) his staff forgot. He called them.

Anyway.. I visited his shop/restaurant here in CR a few months ago and besides some old meat (dark blood) there was nothing really beautiful I wanted and he promotes. I think Don is getting old and needs to retire.

I have nothing against the man or his restaurant but don't advertise things you cannot deliver. And also.. if you want to have customers establish somewhere were we can reach the place, take care of your staff and be honest about your products.

I happened to be a big restaurant owner myself in Holland and I know the problems.

Sorry Don, cannot say something different.

Edited March 4, 2010 by cmjantje

[kandahar]

Has anyone tried Blue Sky Pizza since Limbo first posted about it? Are the hours still the same (open after 18:00 on Fri. and Sat.)? Thinking about giving them a try this weekend.