Mae Jo Restaurants

[beau thai]

Those few of us eating out regularly in Mae Jo are not spoiled for choice with farang/decent restaurants. I had seen a review, I think on TV,for Baan Suan as a kind of HiSo salad restaurant. So we tried it last week. Ambience and setting is good and it is quite a big place and we were the only lunch time customers which should have been a warning. The salad was very very disappointing. Boring and dry/tired looking. Wont be going back. I can only think that all the HiSo customer photos dotted around were friends or family!

On the other hand Mamma Mia is pretty ok. The owner is from Pisa and they serve excellent Pizzas (to my taste) although their Tiramisu is quite missable which is better for my waist line so that's ok.

We have been 6-10 times to the newish Mojo Bistro (good Facebook site with photos of dishes). Run by a young couple who designed quite a cool. funky, predominantly white restaurant. Menu is limited but, in my view, that's better than a small place being too ambitious. SpagBol at 59bht, and pork or chicken steak with fries and salad for 129baht. ( And their skinny crispy fries are cooked in an air drier with no fat so I feel less guilty pinching them from my gf's plate!) Plus salads and a few other dishes. Excellent coffee. And the desserts are amazing!. The inadequately named 'Honey Toast' is hard to describe but photos on their Facebook site. Beautiful presentation and good to share. Worth a try if you are in the area.

And today we dropped into Biscotti-a new place on the left almost at the T-junction lights as you head across from Mae Jo to Mae Rim. Very very impressive set up and great looking pastries,quiche, cheescake etc. Didnt stop as we wanted lunch but thought it would make a good mid-morning stop off, or coffe and dessert after a lunch elsewhere. Interested to learn if others have tried it yet

[Ricardo]

Where's Mojo Bistro, please ?

[beau thai]

Where's Mojo Bistro, please ?

Fairly clear on their Facebook I think but here goes.

Going out of CM, 2 sets of lights before MJ Uni, it is on your left just after a U turn about 3-400 metres short of the lights, on the main road but a small turning, so as soon as you are at that U turn slooow down and you will see the white cafe and Mojo Bistro sign.

For ages we went past thinking it was just a coffee shop but stopped off one night after there was 'no room at the inn' at Mamma Mia.

Going into CM of course, you pass the 2nd set of lights and take the first U and you are almost on Mojo.

[beau thai]

Maybe I should add that I am picky about coffee and was well - impressed with theirs on first visit and asked for details.

They finished up letting me have 500g of their beans still packed as they bought them, and at such a silly price (wholesale I guess) that I paid them extra. They were very dubious about my proposal to grind the beans in the small grinder that came with my Blender, but it works just fine - although I would prefer a small burr hand grinder to do them fresh for each cup.

And last evening they brought us a dessert on the house (yummy cheesecake with banana and chocolate) as we are recognised as regulars I guess. Nice touch from nice people who try hard unlike so many places..

[junglechef]

The Spaghetti Bolognaise at Mae Jo Bistro was proudly explained to me as ketchup (very sweet Thai style) with boiled (to death) ground pork, tasted so bad my kid didn't eat it.

Nice kids but wish they googled their dishes before putting on their menu.

[beau thai]

The Spaghetti Bolognaise at Mae Jo Bistro was proudly explained to me as ketchup (very sweet Thai style) with boiled (to death) ground pork, tasted so bad my kid didn't eat it.

Nice kids but wish they googled their dishes before putting on their menu.

I guess your kid has better taste than mine! If i just want a lite bite I often have their spagbol. Yes, its sweet and I would prefer it topped with Parmesan but its ok for me-hmm, I guess I could take my own parmesan next time.

[FiftyTwo]

I go past it often, always empty.

I'm thinking a reflection on their cooking.

MaeJo is a bit lacking for reasonable food at reasonable prices.

Sausage King is the nearest and best, but two more places opening near SK very soon.

Home and Country (I think it was called) looks good, big and new, may be expensive, 200m before SK.

Also a new wine restaurent opening 20m before SK.

Also Coffee and Hobby, is a new coffee and cake shop, way off the beaten path.

Right at the lights before 1001/1001, left at lights after 7/11, 100m up on the right.

Edited February 15, 2014 by FiftyTwo

[junglechef]

The Spaghetti Bolognaise at Mae Jo Bistro was proudly explained to me as ketchup (very sweet Thai style) with boiled (to death) ground pork, tasted so bad my kid didn't eat it.

Nice kids but wish they googled their dishes before putting on their menu.

I guess your kid has better taste than mine! If i just want a lite bite I often have their spagbol. Yes, its sweet and I would prefer it topped with Parmesan but its ok for me-hmm, I guess I could take my own parmesan next time.

[junglechef]

Nothing personal Beau Thai just my professional opinion and I respect yours and am always happy to hear when someone is satiated! Yes my Thai boys have quite the trained palate for being preteens. We discuss the flavors we are eating and always taste before we add any more seasoning for example. Blind taste testing is a favorite game around our household so please appreciate they are being educated in the culinary arts and learning to truly appreciate some of the things that really make life worth living!!

[Thighlander]

www.heinzketchup.com There are some pretty good recipes out there for spaghetti sauce made with ketchup.

[junglechef]

www.heinzketchup.com There are some pretty good recipes out there for spaghetti sauce made with ketchup.

to me that they would be just fine, well actually better, w/o the Hienz products and just adding more fresh tomato (in ref. to Vegetable Garden Pasta recipe). The mass marketing of processed food combined with the dumbing down of the publics taste is all part of the easy (lazy) way the world is heading fueled by computer games, tv and advertising for a few examples. My aforementioned sons prepare tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes, aromatic vegetables, spices and herbs and simmer for a min. of three hours to cookout the acids and balance the flavors and I believe most people could appreciate the resulting superior flavor. It's what I always tell them, you get out of life what you put in!

(Just like tomato sauce!!!)

Edited February 17, 2014 by junglechef

[beau thai]

www.heinzketchup.com There are some pretty good recipes out there for spaghetti sauce made with ketchup.

to me that they would be just fine, well actually better, w/o the Hienz products and just adding more fresh tomato (in ref. to Vegetable Garden Pasta recipe). The mass marketing of processed food combined with the dumbing down of the publics taste is all part of the easy (lazy) way the world is heading fueled by computer games, tv and advertising for a few examples. My aforementioned sons prepare tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes, aromatic vegetables, spices and herbs and simmer for a min. of three hours to cookout the acids and balance the flavors and I believe most people could appreciate the resulting superior flavor. It's what I always tell them, you get out of life what you put in!

(Just like tomato sauce!!!)

I think your boys are very fortunate to be taught the benefits of 'good' food, well prepared - that is becoming a lost art. Maybe because in a faster pace world (even in Chiang Mai!) many probably regard watching a tomato sauce cook for 3 hours (minimum!) as being disproportionate to the time taken to eat it??

But back to Mojo - it occurs to me that they may make their spagbol sweet as they cater for thai palates in the main - just a thought. Like you, I prefer a more authentic Italian recipe but I guess that too is a taste that needs acquiring and may seem unpalatable to the average young thai- if there is such a thing!

But Mojo still suits me for a close-by fast bite, and great coffee. Could it be improved? - sure. Have I ever eaten in a restaurant that couldn't? - I dont recall one!

It is what it is and that is not haute cuisine

[junglechef]

Couldn't agree more that it's not nor purported to be high faultin dining but I don't think a young Thai would find a freshly made-with-care pasta dish unpalatable. I do also agree that it is made for the Thai palate as they are use to sweet tasting falang food as at the same as a Thai restaurant in the American town I grew up serves what it's customers are use to (proven every time a visitor from home comes here and says they like spicy food). "A watched pot never boils" and one only has to check a three hour sauce occasionally unlike the continuous "screen stare" that the "idiot box" (tv) or computer demands. Understandably untrained Thai's trying to cook Italian is not often going to get the best results, kind of like me, not a natural when it comes to speaking foreign languages, attempting to speak Thai w/o lessons. If I sound a bit harsh please remember that I'm not the one charging for product while using a name of existing dish which it barely resembles. IMHO it's laziness, disrespectful and nonsense. I'd like to see them try to pull this off on customers where your from. That being said as long as you and others are happy perhaps they will stay in business, as I wish them all the best luck and look forward to trying their coffee on your suggestion

[Ricardo]

Aussie Con, and Thai wife Nong, have recently re-launched their former pizza/pasta place, turn left (if heading North on 1001 in central-Maejo) at the night food-market, and look on the right about half-a-mile from the main road. They've got a wider menu, and a pool table, also Con is making a range of meats/sausages to sell (he used to be & clearly still is) a butcher.

A friend had a big burger & chips, I had the chicken curry, for lunch the other day ... value for money !

[slipperylobster]

I go past it often, always empty.

I'm thinking a reflection on their cooking.

MaeJo is a bit lacking for reasonable food at reasonable prices.

Sausage King is the nearest and best, but two more places opening near SK very soon.

Home and Country (I think it was called) looks good, big and new, may be expensive, 200m before SK.

Also a new wine restaurent opening 20m before SK.

Also Coffee and Hobby, is a new coffee and cake shop, way off the beaten path.

Right at the lights before 1001/1001, left at lights after 7/11, 100m up on the right.

Sausage king is very nice...Especially the 99 baht breakfast. Closed on Tuesday, and Buffet only on Sunday (I Think). Nice outdoor, garden, relaxing place. And very nice service.

[Oscar2]

I go past it often, always empty.

I'm thinking a reflection on their cooking.

MaeJo is a bit lacking for reasonable food at reasonable prices.

Sausage King is the nearest and best, but two more places opening near SK very soon.

Home and Country (I think it was called) looks good, big and new, may be expensive, 200m before SK.

Also a new wine restaurent opening 20m before SK.

Also Coffee and Hobby, is a new coffee and cake shop, way off the beaten path.

Right at the lights before 1001/1001, left at lights after 7/11, 100m up on the right.

Sausage king is very nice...Especially the 99 baht breakfast. Closed on Tuesday, and Buffet only on Sunday (I Think). Nice outdoor, garden, relaxing place. And very nice service.

Sausage King is closed on Tuesday? is that something new?

[slipperylobster]

I go past it often, always empty.

I'm thinking a reflection on their cooking.

MaeJo is a bit lacking for reasonable food at reasonable prices.

Sausage King is the nearest and best, but two more places opening near SK very soon.

Home and Country (I think it was called) looks good, big and new, may be expensive, 200m before SK.

Also a new wine restaurent opening 20m before SK.

Also Coffee and Hobby, is a new coffee and cake shop, way off the beaten path.

Right at the lights before 1001/1001, left at lights after 7/11, 100m up on the right.

Sausage king is very nice...Especially the 99 baht breakfast. Closed on Tuesday, and Buffet only on Sunday (I Think). Nice outdoor, garden, relaxing place. And very nice service.

Sausage King is closed on Tuesday? is that something new?

I just arrived here, and moved into a house very close. I read the sign very closely, and it does say Closed on Tuesdays. Perhaps it is new.

[kjhbigv]

Sausage King definitely is closed on Tuesday.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited July 22, 2014 by kjhbigv

[elektrified]

Sausage King definitely is closed on Tuesday.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I didn't know that either. Thanks for that.