Going To Pai

[brommers]

Off to Pai in a few days time & need the latest on good places to eat. Prefer Thai but will stretch to good Italian or Chinese at a pinch. Any suggestions?

[cloudhopper]

Thai - Na's Kitchen, Baan Benjarong or Nong Best if you want more working class fare.

Italian - Baan Pizza

Chinese - the Chinese village on the left going up to Morpeng waterfall

[gotlost]

Thai - Na's Kitchen. IMHO.

Edited September 20, 2010 by gotlost

[morganl]

You've got to try Charlie and Leks. It's before the police station on the same side of the street and they have a nice garden area out back and wonderful Thai food. Most of the veggies come from their own organic garden!!

[gotlost]

You've got to try Charlie and Leks. It's before the police station on the same side of the street and they have a nice garden area out back and wonderful Thai food. Most of the veggies come from their own organic garden!!

So are you Charlie or are you Lek?

[IanForbes]

To me, the most interesting thing about Pai is the trip going there. The ride up the twisting road and along the top of the mountain is great. Other than that, there's not much to do or see.

[Shah Jahan]

You've got to try Charlie and Leks. It's before the police station on the same side of the street and they have a nice garden area out back and wonderful Thai food. Most of the veggies come from their own organic garden!!

So are you Charlie or are you Lek?

I am sure he is neither. Charlie and Leks is hands down best Thai food in town.

for the Others, IanForbes Nailed it.

Though best burger in Asia is at the Burger House.... try the juicy lucy....

[brommers]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will try them all.

I agree with Ian Forbes, but sometimes one has visitors who wish to get out of CM. At least the weather seems to be picking up & a couple of days relaxing in the hot springs, eating & drinking too much & snoozing all afternoon can be good for the soul.

Thanks once again.

You've got to try Charlie and Leks. It's before the police station on the same side of the street and they have a nice garden area out back and wonderful Thai food. Most of the veggies come from their own organic garden!!

So are you Charlie or are you Lek?

I am sure he is neither. Charlie and Leks is hands down best Thai food in town.

for the Others, IanForbes Nailed it.

Though best burger in Asia is at the Burger House.... try the juicy lucy....

[NancyL]

We flew up to Pai about a year ago on Nok Air and the view was also wonderful. This is a great time of year for aerial sightseeing (if it's not raining) because everything is so nice and green.

[Sparkles]

There is plenty to do in Pai. We rented a new Honda automatic bike for 100 b took of up into the hills ,there are some nice waterfalls and coffee stops. Had lunch at a small resort, whose restaurant overlooked the town,met some farm folk who were keen to discuss the new crops they were considering growing. There are rafting trips which should be quite exciting after the rain we have had. The night street market is interesting,few small bars. About 3 or 4 live music venues, and a couple of really decent restautants,Baan Pizza is not only pizza but some excellent Italian food. Pai is maybe not a place you would stay for a week but 2 or 3 nights, perfect. The mini bus out of the Arcade Bus terminal ,150 baht.

[marcusmarsh]

Baan Benjarong already mentioned is the best in my opinion.

A notch more expensive but always utter class.

The river fish with herbs is beautiful.

Chicken and cashew nuts dish is somehow better than elsewhere.

The crispy noodles dish pronouced 'Vermerchelli' (not sure how to spell it tho)

It is a tad more expensive than normal but worth it imo.

My Thai girlfriend who loves all Thai food (cheap or not) agrees that its a

notch above the others too.

Edited September 21, 2010 by marcusmarsh

[nikster]

You've got to try Charlie and Leks. It's before the police station on the same side of the street and they have a nice garden area out back and wonderful Thai food. Most of the veggies come from their own organic garden!!

So are you Charlie or are you Lek?

If you're a local you should check it out. It's awesome Thai food. Fresh organic veggies - show me a place like this in CM, please. I don't think there is one... both Charle and Lek are super friendly too.

Another awesome place for Thai is Toe's restaurant next to the C Bar near the intersection. I miss that food so much since moving to CM. Open in the evening unless that's changed again.

Burger House for burgers of course, miss that too. We're not hurting for burgers in CM but Ed's is special.

Baan Pizza is great italian.

Just before I moved I discovered Tequila Reef near the intersection. 100% authentic Tex Mex and the best Mexican I've had in Thailand. I used to live in San Francisco so I do know Mexican food (well - at least the variety served by U.S. Mexicans).

I do need to mention my favorite Cafe in Pai too, the Witching Well. Everything they have is delicious - coffee, cakes, food, it's all great. And chef Anon occasionally makes specials that truly blow my mind. I've never actually seen a raspberry pavlova anywhere else in Thailand, let alone a perfect one like Anon makes. I even took a picture.

These places - and others like them - are what makes Pai special, more than just a remote village in the mountains. This is why I lived there for 5 years and this is why we are keeping our house up there.

Hmm.. I am hungry now.

Edit: Yeah Baan Benjarong is great too, and has been around forever. Fantastic! Better than Charlie's or Toe's - no, just different. Different dishes, different restaurant, different style. Only tourists think that the best Thai food can be had anywhere - Thai food is much too varied for that to be possible. There's a myriad different dishes and even after 5 years my wife occasionally introduces me to something I've never had before.

Chinese Village - definitely worth a visit! Black chicken and other amazing Chinese dishes that you haven't seen before.

Edited September 21, 2010 by nikster

[IanForbes]

You've got to try Charlie and Leks. It's before the police station on the same side of the street and they have a nice garden area out back and wonderful Thai food. Most of the veggies come from their own organic garden!!

So are you Charlie or are you Lek?

If you're a local you should check it out. It's awesome Thai food. Fresh organic veggies - show me a place like this in CM, please. I don't think there is one... both Charle and Lek are super friendly too.

Another awesome place for Thai is Toe's restaurant next to the C Bar near the intersection. I miss that food so much since moving to CM. Open in the evening unless that's changed again.

Burger House for burgers of course, miss that too. We're not hurting for burgers in CM but Ed's is special.

Baan Pizza is great italian.

Just before I moved I discovered Tequila Reef near the intersection. 100% authentic Tex Mex and the best Mexican I've had in Thailand. I used to live in San Francisco so I do know Mexican food (well - at least the variety served by U.S. Mexicans).

I do need to mention my favorite Cafe in Pai too, the Witching Well. Everything they have is delicious - coffee, cakes, food, it's all great. And chef Anon occasionally makes specials that truly blow my mind. I've never actually seen a raspberry pavlova anywhere else in Thailand, let alone a perfect one like Anon makes. I even took a picture.

These places - and others like them - are what makes Pai special, more than just a remote village in the mountains. This is why I lived there for 5 years and this is why we are keeping our house up there.

Hmm.. I am hungry now.

Edit: Yeah Baan Benjarong is great too, and has been around forever. Fantastic! Better than Charlie's or Toe's - no, just different. Different dishes, different restaurant, different style. Only tourists think that the best Thai food can be had anywhere - Thai food is much too varied for that to be possible. There's a myriad different dishes and even after 5 years my wife occasionally introduces me to something I've never had before.

Chinese Village - definitely worth a visit! Black chicken and other amazing Chinese dishes that you haven't seen before.

Good post, nikster. Anyone visiting one of the restaruants mentioned should tell the owners about this topic and the recommendations.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

As this topic was linked in the closing message for the Pai Killer Cop story, I think it's fair to continue the discussion as the event has now been officially reported by the widely respected journalist Mr. Andrew Drummond, and has been carried by a Canadian newspaper:

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2010/09/20/killer-thai-policeman-kills-again/

(Especially as there is no Mae Hong Son forum, so this seems the most applicable.)

[catlover]

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

Hmm.. I am hungry now.

............ Different dishes, different restaurant, different style. Only tourists think that the best Thai food can be had anywhere - Thai food is much too varied for that to be possible. There's a myriad different dishes and even after 5 years my wife occasionally introduces me to something I've never had before

Good post, nikster. Anyone visiting one of the restaruants mentioned should tell the owners about this topic and the recommendations.

...........

Constipation of concience leads to automatic constipation of stomach,dont'you know it?

The best about Pai is...by-pass

[Shah Jahan]

Just before I moved I discovered Tequila Reef near the intersection. 100% authentic Tex Mex and the best Mexican I've had in Thailand. I used to live in San Francisco so I do know Mexican food (well - at least the variety served by U.S. Mexicans).

I do need to mention my favorite Cafe in Pai too, the Witching Well. Everything they have is delicious - coffee, cakes, food, it's all great. And chef Anon occasionally makes specials that truly blow my mind. I've never actually seen a raspberry pavlova anywhere else in Thailand, let alone a perfect one like Anon makes. I even took a picture.

you must have lived in some other San Francisco than the one in California....

but yeah Witching Well is the bomb! They used to run a posh city bistro in HK and just ported the menu and quality over

pumpkin soup or the deserts are my favorite

[T_Dog]

Where is Baan Benjarong and the Witching Well in Pai? We are headed out for a short holiday and want to check them out.

[Dellboy218]

As this topic was linked in the closing message for the Pai Killer Cop story, I think it's fair to continue the discussion as the event has now been officially reported by the widely respected journalist Mr. Andrew Drummond, and has been carried by a Canadian newspaper:

http://www.andrew-dr...an-kills-again/

(Especially as there is no Mae Hong Son forum, so this seems the most applicable.)

That links not working any more Winnie

[IanForbes]

When I was there last in March we stayed at the Brookview motel and were pleased with the accommodation (about 450 baht). I"ve stayed there twice. It is on the main road on the right as you have passed the main town center. We ate at a small, road side diner that served a reasonable meal for a reasonable Thai cost (35 baht for Kow Padt Gai). The pleasant waitress was knowledgeable and helpful.

[dunkin2012]

To me, the most interesting thing about Pai is the trip going there. The ride up the twisting road and along the top of the mountain is great. Other than that, there's not much to do or see.

yep..........same, same not different.

..... and the accommodation near the river amazingly cheap. 300 baht with a private bathroom, a palm tree roof and a mosquito net

most 'o the things there are reasonable ....

the sanctuary,a restaurant near the river where the Karen do their baptism is not too bad.

the sanctuary

Edited June 6, 2011 by dunkin2012

[Beetlejuice]

You've got to try Charlie and Leks. It's before the police station on the same side of the street and they have a nice garden area out back and wonderful Thai food. Most of the veggies come from their own organic garden!!

So are you Charlie or are you Lek?

I am sure he is neither. Charlie and Leks is hands down best Thai food in town.

for the Others, IanForbes Nailed it.

Though best burger in Asia is at the Burger House.... try the juicy lucy....

So you`re the big Charlie then?

I`ve never been to Pai. But last year a couple of my buddies decided to visit there for a week.

Then it became so boring that after only 2 days they jumped on their motorbikes and at full throttle speeded back to Chiang Mai and have never returned to Pai since.

[Dellboy218]

To me, the most interesting thing about Pai is the trip going there. The ride up the twisting road and along the top of the mountain is great. Other than that, there's not much to do or see.

yep..........same, same not different.

..... and the accommodation near the river amazingly cheap. 300 baht with a private bathroom, a palm tree roof and a mosquito net

most 'o the things there are reasonable ....

the sanctuary,a restaurant near the river where the Karen do their baptism is not too bad.

the sanctuary

Now I always thought of Pai as something of a rip off. Of course it depends on how near the river. Right on the river, a bamboo hut in one resort will cost around 500B this time of year rising to 1500 at the tourist peak. That will buy you a 4 star hotel in CNX, and lets face it, it is hardly a dramatic river is it. As some one has already noted the best thing is the actual road to Pai especially on a bike. Once you get past the homicidal mini buses of course!

[T_Dog]

Anyone want to post some info on eats in Pai which is thread is supposed to be about? Still looking for info on my prior post but we did find the Witching Well. (OKAY, I'll digress tol....Rafters are having a blast as the river is so high and steady this year. Dirt riders are a bit miffed as most of the good trails are mud pits. The town is rather quiet and we did not see a single mini-bus on the way here. Maybe saw a total of 20 vehicles on the road, most of which we were passing.) Hoping to have dinner at Bann Benjorang if anyone can give us a hint on where it is.....

[cloudhopper]

Hoping to have dinner at Bann Benjorang if anyone can give us a hint on where it is.....

Good choice. On the way back toward CM pass the big police station then the PTT station both on your left. BB is maybe 100m farther still on your left. Before Bebop.

[cloudhopper]

Anyone want to post some info on eats in Pai which is thread is supposed to be about?

Other favorites: Na's Kitchen for local, Charlie and Lek for organic, Burger House for you-guessed-it but good, TTK for mideast. All within a 2 minute walk. AFAIK the Sanctuary has closed.

Hope you found a place to stay where you can enjoy the explosion of butterflies and fireflies the early rains have brought!

[T_Dog]

Thanks Cloudhopper! We ate at Na's tonight and it was great. Friendly service too. We'll hit BB tomorrow.

You are right about the butterflies as they are everywhere. We were lucky to find a nice bugproof room as the mosquitos are worse here than I have ever encountered.

Other places to put on the list are The House for breakfast, just up the street from Blues cafe on the corner. Looks like the Witching Well has a good breakfast menu too though.