What Happened To Mango Tree ?

[SBACM]

stopped by to eat last week and it was closed?

Did it move?

[Ajarn]

No, it just died...

[sabaijai]

Many didn't think it would last long in that location. RIP

[chuchok]

Many didn't think it would last long in that location. RIP

It had great food though.

[Ulysses G.]

I hope that I am not being too presumptuous here (since one of my favorite mods owned it), but the Mango Tree did fine in that location with the original, hands-on owner. It is my opinion that it would have done even better with the last owner if he had run it himself instead of leaving it mostly in the hands of the Thai staff.

The Upper Crust in the Night Bazaar is another restaurant that started out great with real restaurateurs running it, but they soon stopped spending much time there and the place went downhill and now it barely breaks even.

There aren't many businesses that do OK around here without the owner at the helm and restaurants are particularly competitive.

Not trying to hurt any feelings. Just some constructive criticism.

[lamphun]

Many didn't think it would last long in that location. RIP

Agreed, good food, terrible location.

[p1p]

Thanks to all of you for your good comments.

Ulysses G., I fully accept your critique and agree with it 100%. However there is a long story involved here that I might go into over an evening and a bottle or two. Not something for general publicising on TV. Suffice it to say, 30++ years in the business tends to wear one down a bit and young children are a major draw for a parent's affection and time.

Anyway, kids are now older and dad much less jaded, so we are in the long slow process of building a new garden restaurant to the south of Chiang Mai. Our huge wood fired brick oven should be finished any day now and the churrasco barbecue shortly thereafter. Need some time to make the money to finish things off, but we should be able to arrange a soft opening in in a couple of months. I will possibly make a post to that effect when the time comes.

Thanks again

P

[meadish_sweetball]

Our huge wood fired brick oven should be finished any day now and the churrasco barbecue shortly thereafter. Need some time to make the money to finish things off, but we should be able to arrange a soft opening in in a couple of months. I will possibly make a post to that effect when the time comes.

That's great news, p1p! I have VERY high expectations. If your barbecue is anywhere near the level of your fresh pasta, I will definitely make it a point to frequent the restaurant.... err.. frequently.

[Ulysses G.]

Anyway, kids are now older and dad much less jaded, so we are in the long slow process of building a new garden restaurant to the south of Chiang Mai. Our huge wood fired brick oven should be finished any day now and the churrasco barbecue shortly thereafter.

REALLY looking forward to that.

Have enjoyed both your restaurants and know that you are quite a chef.

Chiang Mai just keeps getting better!

[ThaiPauly]

Our huge wood fired brick oven should be finished any day now and the churrasco barbecue shortly thereafter. Need some time to make the money to finish things off, but we should be able to arrange a soft opening in in a couple of months. I will possibly make a post to that effect when the time comes.

That's great news, p1p! I have VERY high expectations. If your barbecue is anywhere near the level of your fresh pasta, I will definitely make it a point to frequent the restaurant.... err.. frequently.

Or your PIES P1P. Count me and Chuchok in as your first customers.

BTW, you may remember that I put my freind and his G/F in your place for a meal six months ago to iron out their differences as he did not want a baby -she did.

Anyway after 2 hours in your restaurant they ironed out their differences and yesterday she bore my freind a Baby Boy, he is chuffed to bits now........ thanks to TMT... I put it down to the pies myself

[p1p]

BTW, you may remember that I put my freind and his G/F in your place for a meal six months ago to iron out their differences as he did not want a baby -she did.

Anyway after 2 hours in your restaurant they ironed out their differences and yesterday she bore my freind a Baby Boy, he is chuffed to bits now........ thanks to TMT... I put it down to the pies myself

Somebody close this topic before my head explodes!

Thank you so very much for your kind comments.

TP, you have me feeling quite emotional now.

I had a close friend in London who I met through my restaurant there. Apart from their normal anniversaries celebrated with us, he brought his wife-to-be to the restaurant on their first date - he asked her to marry him there - she first told him she was expecting their first child there and she brought the baby in on the way back from the hospital. Aaaah Memories.

The idea behind the new restaurant is quite simple. I want to take cooking back to the very basics, none of your microwaves or electrical equipment, apart, of course, from refrigeration. This is in part a reaction against the fad for molecular gastronomy in the West at present, kitchens as part of science laboratories and weird and wonderful mixtures of ingredients based on their molecular makeup. Dishes like best beluga caviar served with white chocolate sauce, snail porridge and bacon & egg ice cream being all the rage - and all available on the menu at the “Best Restaurant in the World 2005/6” Heston Blumenthal.’s Fat Duck restaurant at Bray, Berkshire, in the UK.

(You can find a brief synopsis about Molecular Gastronomy here. . The Fat Duck website is here. .)

There is no doubt that Molecular Gastronomy produces some exceptional food, but it is so far beyond the norm as to be faintly ridiculous, especially here in Chiang Mai.

(I might change my tune when I can purchase liquid Nitrogen refills in Tesco Lotus!)

There will be a lot of experimentation at the beginning as I try to train up the staff and work out what works, and what doesn’t. This is why we will be arranging a “soft opening” charging minimal prices, (cost or similar) and asking our guests to provide lots of feedback to enable us to iron out wrinkles prior to our official opening. I hope friends at TV might be willing to help us in this way and will post an invitation if or when we are ready....

Many thanks again

P

[cdnvic]

As there seems to be many good memories from many people's pasts associated with both the mango and past places maybe all those of you who have photos from past good times at the mango tree, or other restraunts of p1p's could put together a collection to frame and hang somewhere in the new venue to connect everything together.

Few restraunts stay around for long periods, and this should be seen as more a natural evolution with the mango giving way to something new and better as I drool in anticipation of that wood fired oven's possibilities. Decent breads, pizzas, BBQ,

Must consult the travel agent soon methinks

cv

[chanchao]

Count me in among the first visitors of the new venue..

Another question though is what's gong on currently at the old location? Someone told me the new owners planned to turn it into a bar but the local government doesn't issue new licenses anymore in the Loi Kroh location?

That would make sense, however the old internet cafe on the corner recently got turned into a bar, so...? (Though perhaps the address of that one is Kotchasarn, not Loi Kroh?) What gives?

Cheers,

Chanchao

[cdnvic]

What else are they gonna sell in that location.... buffalo medicine? It may as well be something that blends into the neighborhood.

cv

[ThaiPauly]

What else are they gonna sell in that location.... buffalo medicine? It may as well be something that blends into the neighborhood.

cv

Sounds like your new restaurant will be a winner P1P

I had heard a rumour that all the bars at the end of Loh Khro road were going to be demolished. (Thats the ones facing the Mango Tree which have no accomodation above)

But this rumour has been circulating for as long as I have been in CM.

Anybody know more

[sabaijai]

South of CM could work well, as there's precious little out that way now, and lots of housing estates.

I like the 'simple' concept. There have been a few failed attempts at churraso in Bangkok, Samui and Phuket though, and my impression is that it's not an idea that grabs many in Thailand. If I were you I'd make it even simpler and go with mainstream BBQ a la Australia or southwestern USA.

[Ajarn]

If I were you I'd make it even simpler and go with mainstream BBQ a la Australia or southwestern USA

That would be my vote, too

[p1p]

The barbecue is being built along a churrasco manner. The menu will not follow that line exaxtly.

Anybody got any links to resources regarding Southwestern USA BBQ??

Not being a citizen of the good ole' USA and never having visited the area, I don't know it. How does it differ from other BBQ??

We're still at the planning and building stage, so any suggestions will be most gratefully received.

[chuchok]

been to a BBQ in California, that was pretty close to what we do at home. If your doing a brazalian (churrasco ) style? BBQ, will it leave enough room for a spit.Once when I was in South Carolina I was invited to a "pig pull" That was a pig on the spit that was basted with "southern sauce" every half hour.When the good bits were done, we "pulled them off" ( Please excuse the exprssion ) it was cooked slowly, was tender and beautiful.

[cdnvic]

Anybody got any links to resources regarding Southwestern USA BBQ??

Not being a citizen of the good ole' USA and never having visited the area, I don't know it. How does it differ from other BBQ??

Southwestern & Mexican BBQ differs mostly in its side dishes as well as the BBQ sauce being somewhat sweeter and spicier than the tangy varieties found further north and in the southeastern states.

This is a pretty good resource;

http://www.texascook.com/barbecue/

cv

[Ajarn]

Anybody got any links to resources regarding Southwestern USA BBQ??

Not being a citizen of the good ole' USA and never having visited the area, I don't know it. How does it differ from other BBQ??

Southwestern & Mexican BBQ differs mostly in its side dishes as well as the BBQ sauce being somewhat sweeter and spicier than the tangy varieties found further north and in the southeastern states.

This is a pretty good resource;

http://www.texascook.com/barbecue/

cv

Better known as Tex-Mex BBQ

Here's a list of BBQ links for you to wander through..

http://www.bbqjoints.com/Restaurants/links.cfm

[cdnvic]

Better known as Tex-Mex

I hate that term almost as much as I hate the seeming catch-all "stirfry"

cv

[p1p]

Thanks for the links - Looks like I have some work to do!