Rimping Express At Mae Hia Market

[LawrenceChee]

Was there for the opening and it was a great event (minus the usual traffic)

Lots of promoting stalls and freebies to try and lots of items at 1-1

It's a small space a a amazing how well stocked it is for most of the items one need

Has a good Oven stall for bakery and a small restaurant with reasonably priced food

Had dinner there and found some favs for a air conditioned space

It's very very welcomed by the community ...esp at 3 mins from my place !

[samsara]

location is convenient, but overall its a tad disappointing.

- only frozen meats, and the produce leaves much to be desired;

- the foodland-style restaurant looks good, but the only guy who knows what he's doing is the head chef. ordered a club sandwich and the bread was not even toasted, coleslaw was inedible, fries were underfried. other dishes i saw looked no better.

[LawrenceChee]

location is convenient, but overall its a tad disappointing.

- only frozen meats, and the produce leaves much to be desired;

- the foodland-style restaurant looks good, but the only guy who knows what he's doing is the head chef. ordered a club sandwich and the bread was not even toasted, coleslaw was inedible, fries were underfried. other dishes i saw looked no better.

We had 2 meals already and had dinner / breakfast today

For dinner party of 4

- we ordered 2 sets of fish / chips (65baht)

- 2 Sets Sukiyaki Beef (65 baht)

- Kway Teow Chicken

- Salmon Macaroni

- Panang Pork Curry

All of us have it thumbs up ...the best part was it was 1-1 yesterday and we pay 300baht for 7 plates of food...nice clean and free ice water

The seating is cramped and the cooks looked stressed but it was Day 1 and the place was like any new opening a littlest flustered

Went for the Brekkie today and they had a breakfast set for 59baht...with coffee or Dilmah Earl Grey

Excellent value and I was very very pleased to this new addition...it's a Rimping grocery so they won't have everything like a main store but for the location and the variety ...it's a great complement to the Talat next to it...

[Sticky Rice Balls]

location is convenient, but overall its a tad disappointing.

- only frozen meats, and the produce leaves much to be desired;

- the foodland-style restaurant looks good, but the only guy who knows what he's doing is the head chef. ordered a club sandwich and the bread was not even toasted, coleslaw was inedible, fries were underfried. other dishes i saw looked no better.

Welcome to my world..and thats part of why i left..esp a farang trying to "tell/explain" to thais..god forbid!

As soon as id leave for one day off all of my work would come apart..wronf ingredients, workplace a mess

as im VERY interested to see how this cafe works out...and that breakafast costs 30 bah to make btw.....

also the coleslaw was my creation but they they insisted on switching to thai mayo/ugh instead of bestfood

and i told them about using salt/black coarse pepper/celery seed and a bit of sugar to balance it-deaf ears

They are simply not aware of western tastes and seem "not interested" in learning or taking 'advice"...

I def feel for the "chef"..i was there yest as well..walking in saw my old boss--glared at him, saw a few

of my recipes that he swore he wouldnt use and walked out...saw a few old faces as well--dead eye stares

[samsara]

location is convenient, but overall its a tad disappointing.

- only frozen meats, and the produce leaves much to be desired;

- the foodland-style restaurant looks good, but the only guy who knows what he's doing is the head chef. ordered a club sandwich and the bread was not even toasted, coleslaw was inedible, fries were underfried. other dishes i saw looked no better.

Welcome to my world..and thats part of why i left..esp a farang trying to "tell/explain" to thais..god forbid!

As soon as id leave for one day off all of my work would come apart..wronf ingredients, workplace a mess

as im VERY interested to see how this cafe works out...and that breakafast costs 30 bah to make btw.....

also the coleslaw was my creation but they they insisted on switching to thai mayo/ugh instead of bestfood

and i told them about using salt/black coarse pepper/celery seed and a bit of sugar to balance it-deaf ears

They are simply not aware of western tastes and seem "not interested" in learning or taking 'advice"...

I def feel for the "chef"..i was there yest as well..walking in saw my old boss--glared at him, saw a few

of my recipes that he swore he wouldnt use and walked out...saw a few old faces as well--dead eye stares

knew i wasnt crazy

sat at the counter, so it was easy to hear/see what was going on. theres one girl, about early-mid 30s, who appears more filipino than thai, who was completely struggling. shes the one who forgot to toast the bread, who didnt mix the coleslaw correctly (ample squeezing of thai mayo...youre right), and who even struggled cutting+placing the sandwich on the plate. the head "chef", who was constantly telling everyone what mistakes they were making, gave me a knowing grin when i looked at him as if to say, "wow, she's got a ways to go."

not sure who does the bakery items...but they sure didn't look like anything a westerner would want to sample.

as for the fresh produce, completely understand why rimping wouldnt want to compete with the neighboring market, but for fresh deli meats and cheese, not so sure why theyve been left out. even the small kad farang grocer has them.

Edited October 4, 2013 by samsara

[LarryBird]

the restaurant is insanity.. give them a week or two to figure out what they're doing.

[dru2]

location is convenient, but overall its a tad disappointing.

- only frozen meats, and the produce leaves much to be desired;

- the foodland-style restaurant looks good, but the only guy who knows what he's doing is the head chef. ordered a club sandwich and the bread was not even toasted, coleslaw was inedible, fries were underfried. other dishes i saw looked no better.

Welcome to my world..and thats part of why i left..esp a farang trying to "tell/explain" to thais..god forbid!

As soon as id leave for one day off all of my work would come apart..wronf ingredients, workplace a mess

as im VERY interested to see how this cafe works out...and that breakafast costs 30 bah to make btw.....

also the coleslaw was my creation but they they insisted on switching to thai mayo/ugh instead of bestfood

and i told them about using salt/black coarse pepper/celery seed and a bit of sugar to balance it-deaf ears

They are simply not aware of western tastes and seem "not interested" in learning or taking 'advice"...

I def feel for the "chef"..i was there yest as well..walking in saw my old boss--glared at him, saw a few

of my recipes that he swore he wouldnt use and walked out...saw a few old faces as well--dead eye stares

Well I think thay are pretty damn good!

Edited October 4, 2013 by dru2

[Sticky Rice Balls]

the restaurant is insanity.. give them a week or two to figure out what they're doing.

I gave them 5 months of trying to teach them, as noted, they seem to have NO desire to take

'advice" from a farang chef, at least that was my exps...but boy howdy what a party it was when

i "popped in" to check on my trainees!!!....one big party..even had floor staff doing prep work

but when im there...feel like a ghost.....ignored, not spoken to..eventually gave up and quit.....

They had the peerfect coleslaw recipe and now you can see where that has gone, in lieu of

the same high price but inferior ingredients and style...i sold out of it daily when i made it..

as did the potato salad with bacon/sour cream..now they instruct you to heat it!!? egg salad too!

I see it all the time in cm..oh my friend NOI has a noodle shop, i will open one too!....people..if you

dont have basic cooking skills and know about proper seasoning and cleanliness get another job.

[LawrenceChee]

In defense of the small cafe, I have the following opinion ; worked for hotel owners and seen some spectacular F&B operations around Asia

The cafe is a small 7 seater and counter seating of not more than 10. You are looking at a very small restaurant scale of not more than 30 covers

So on this scale, I think the owners were not expecting this to be the next best restaurant in Chiang Mai.

Probably at Promenada they overestimated the seating capacity and here they underestimated the demand.

It's clear the 4 service staff are not the brightest and they were not expecting this place to be packed and they are getting better daily. I give them due credit for trying so hard and working so many hours the poor boy hopefully gets a tip or two or overtime pay.

I have been there on opening day dinner, 2nd say Brekkie and dinner and today at Brekkie and they are getting better.

They moved the drink station out ; the cashier is picking up speed preparing bills and the kitchen is doing their best to cope with the demand and the kitchen design.

Over my time there , the locals outnumber the farangs and I don't think they built the place for us so I am unsure what's the critique on western dishes is fair ...the local dishes outnumber the western dish selection. The Thai families there are enjoying themselves and the price is right for a cafe this size

I would be peeved if I was at Farangsea and they got my mayo wrong but at 60baht...I know I have found a little nice spot for the afternoon when I am at the market and it's hot ...

[dru2]

the restaurant is insanity.. give them a week or two to figure out what they're doing.

I gave them 5 months of trying to teach them, as noted, they seem to have NO desire to take

'advice" from a farang chef, at least that was my exps...but boy howdy what a party it was when

i "popped in" to check on my trainees!!!....one big party..even had floor staff doing prep work

but when im there...feel like a ghost.....ignored, not spoken to..eventually gave up and quit.....

They had the peerfect coleslaw recipe and now you can see where that has gone, in lieu of

the same high price but inferior ingredients and style...i sold out of it daily when i made it..

as did the potato salad with bacon/sour cream..now they instruct you to heat it!!? egg salad too!

I see it all the time in cm..oh my friend NOI has a noodle shop, i will open one too!....people..if you

dont have basic cooking skills and know about proper seasoning and cleanliness get another job.

Give it a rest - we know you are an embittered cook already! I like Rimping very much and it gets my vote every time. As for "dead eye stares" - not one in 10 years. But then I'm not an embittered former employee forever slagging them off! Give it a rest!

[dru2]

'When i left i said i would be taking my recipes that i designed and he said fine--i even helped him with

a new menu..upon return a year later, lo and behold guess whats back on the shelves, even to this day...'

And yet:

'They had the perfect coleslaw recipe and now you can see where that has gone, in lieu of

the same high price but inferior ingredients and style...i sold out of it daily when i made it..

as did the potato salad with bacon/sour cream..now they instruct you to heat it!!? egg salad too...'

So they stole "your" recipes... but then again apparently they didn't. Those dirty, low down, no good...

And the coleslaw was your "creation". My goodness, what a talented cook you must be!

Edited October 5, 2013 by dru2

[Sticky Rice Balls]

'When i left i said i would be taking my recipes that i designed and he said fine--i even helped him with

a new menu..upon return a year later, lo and behold guess whats back on the shelves, even to this day...'

And yet:

'They had the perfect coleslaw recipe and now you can see where that has gone, in lieu of

the same high price but inferior ingredients and style...i sold out of it daily when i made it..

as did the potato salad with bacon/sour cream..now they instruct you to heat it!!? egg salad too...'

So they stole "your" recipes... but then again apparently they didn't. Those dirty, low down, no good...

And the coleslaw was your "creation". My goodness, what a talented cook you must be!

I only speak of my exps working there, as i forgot you were there as well....

Have a walk in my shoes....never said i was a "talented cook" but i know what

sold there and what worked..enjoy your "thai style"slaw in the farang free zone.....

i was trying to be part of the solution there--not part of the problem--

but alas the Tv judges have dealt thier judgement upon thee and i must submit..

forgiveness please oh holy ones ***the bitter-jaded farang-less than talented cook***

[pgrahmm]

This is not an express....Kad Farang is better for meats/deli items by far - all packaged stuff at Maehia.....other items are stocked well....

The new HUGE Rimping at Kad Farang should be open soon - by the looks of the building it should be on par with the biggest Rimpings in the area.....

[haybilly]

Yeah, well.........if you know anything about the ownership of Kad Farang, and their amazing attitude towards the businesses that set up in their 'Shopping Centre'--you might not want to hold your breath for that one.

As far as I can see the builders have ceased to do anything at this moment--apart from some work that was done to 'Tom And Tom's Coffee' a short while back--and I cannot figure out why this should be?? My opinion is that there might be 'Trouble At Mill'.

I honestly hope that my cynicism is ill-founded, because it would be great to have what they have proposed will be there.

Edited June 5, 2014 by haybilly