Chiang Mai is a food paradise

[WinnieTheKhwai]

According to this article in The Guardian.

(Nice article and pictures; a lot better than most articles of this nature)

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/feb/24/thai-street-food-chiang-mai-tour-thailand

[ardokano]

Yep this is uys not go so many place I guess.. He may be never be in HK.. Where realy food piridise from many region oure planet.

Edited February 29, 2016 by ardokano

[elektrified]

One of the worst articles ever written. Saw it on FB about a week ago. All tourist traps. ANd I love "modern yet resolutely traditional, spotlessly clean while never sterile"

LOL maybe she was in a different city and was confused...

[Duvidl]

Yep this is uys not go so many place I guess.. He may be never be in HK.. Where realy food piridise from many region oure planet.

Ok.

[tolsti]

Typical Grauniad <deleted> written for huggy fluffies and LGBT things.

[daoyai]

I found it rather accurate. The writer is from India, he would find CM clean by contrast and all the places mentioned are good intros to local foods. I COMPLAIN about many things in this city, the food is NOT one of them.

[ardokano]

I found it rather accurate. The writer is from India, he would find CM clean by contrast and all the places mentioned are good intros to local foods. I COMPLAIN about many things in this city, the food is NOT one of them.

ofcouse in Chiang Mai have soke food. But its really so far from paradise.

Even bread do not have minim um choice.

[MESmith]

I found it rather accurate. The writer is from India, he would find CM clean by contrast and all the places mentioned are good intros to local foods. I COMPLAIN about many things in this city, the food is NOT one of them.

ofcouse in Chiang Mai have soke food. But its really so far from paradise.

Even bread do not have minim um choice.

"soke food"? <deleted>?

[Lowriesuzanne]

I've shifted my loyalty to Oh Ka Jhu. I go there with friends and get "take away" for two more meals. I don't eat death fries so I substitute fruit. I ate their mashed potatoes for a while then neglected them. Take Away? Japanese salad usually. Food? Fish with salad. I drink water or salty passion fruit soda. Where is Oh Ka Jhu? @#121.

[CMX]

1. We are a month away from the time Winnie told us about Hooters at Raum Chok, so he might be serious this time.

2. It's from the Guardian, so it must be true.

3. Given the orientation of the writer, it seems legitimate to me; breath of investigation alone attests to attention.

4. Anyway, it is a good primer for visitors and Thai-food eating beginners, IMAO.

5. I'd add the duck soup cart beyond the Ford sign on the north side of the canal, but we can't know 'em all.

[CMX]

1. We are a month away from the time Winnie told us about Hooters at Raum Chok, so he might be serious this time.

2. It's from the Guardian, so it must be true.

3. Given the orientation of the writer, it seems legitimate to me; breadth of investigation alone attests to attention.

4. Anyway, it is a good primer for visitors and Thai-food eating beginners, IMAO.

5. I'd add the duck soup cart beyond the Ford sign on the north side of the canal, but we can't know 'em all.

Edited February 29, 2016 by CMX

[CNXBKKMAN]

Good article and great photos. Chiang Mai and Thailand is a food paradise. Sometimes you take if for granted when you live here.

[ardokano]

I found it rather accurate. The writer is from India, he would find CM clean by contrast and all the places mentioned are good intros to local foods. I COMPLAIN about many things in this city, the food is NOT one of them.

ofcouse in Chiang Mai have soke food. But its really so far from paradise.

Even bread do not have minim um choice.

"soke food"? <deleted>?

soMe .. sorry

Edited February 29, 2016 by ardokano

[ardokano]

Good article and great photos. Chiang Mai and Thailand is a food paradise. Sometimes you take if for granted when you live here.

sorry but where you be and compare with what place?

Yes !! In Chian Mai can get some some tasty food. And can enjoy some times.

But paradise?

This can be said if you did not see another meal.

King crab is very tasty, and shrimp in Thailand are not the best.

I'm not a fan of sea food but, as far as I know in Thailand, many prefer sea food.

I love meat and vegetables.

Find a good beef Chiang May it must try. I'm not saying that it does not exist, but it is very difficult. Prices are the same as in Hong Kong. The quality of her priotoveniya vada pleases. about the steak, I generally keep quiet.

Pork is also far from ideal. In Ukraine and Germany are much better example.

The choice of sausages so poor that we can say it does not exist !!!

Dairy products are also almost there. Sour cream, cottage cheese, cheese.

The choice of vegetables is very small.

Fruit ?

Rye bread is not.

chocolate poor choice.

Cuisines of the public presented. even Asian cuisine choice of dishes and cooking it not best thinks.

Where normal Vietnamese, Korean food?

Brasilian?

What kind of paradise you talking about?

[CNXBKKMAN]

Good article and great photos. Chiang Mai and Thailand is a food paradise. Sometimes you take if for granted when you live here.

sorry but where you be and compare with what place?

Yes !! In Chian Mai can get some some tasty food. And can enjoy some times.

But paradise?

This can be said if you did not see another meal.

King crab is very tasty, and shrimp in Thailand are not the best.

I'm not a fan of sea food but, as far as I know in Thailand, many prefer sea food.

I love meat and vegetables.

Find a good beef Chiang May it must try. I'm not saying that it does not exist, but it is very difficult. Prices are the same as in Hong Kong. The quality of her priotoveniya vada pleases. about the steak, I generally keep quiet.

Pork is also far from ideal. In Ukraine and Germany are much better example.

The choice of sausages so poor that we can say it does not exist !!!

Dairy products are also almost there. Sour cream, cottage cheese, cheese.

The choice of vegetables is very small.

Fruit ?

Rye bread is not.

chocolate poor choice.

Cuisines of the public presented. even Asian cuisine choice of dishes and cooking it not best thinks.

Where normal Vietnamese, Korean food?

Brasilian?

What kind of paradise you talking about?

We all have different opinions and there is no right and wrong but Chiang Mai( and a lot of Thailand) has lots of good food on every street and soi all over the city in any direction. So many choices. Nowhere in Germany , Ukraine or Hong Kong has as many restaurants and food carts, markets etc like you find in CM or Thailand. Also the prices are much lower and can be enjoyed even by poor people.

Local beef is not very good but if you really must have quality beef it can be found for a price. "The choice of vegetables is very small" . When i go to the market there are plenty of veg and even obscure veg that some mountain person has plucked from the jungle. Weird mushrooms even frogs for french visitors. There seems to be lots of amazing fruits throughout the year IMO.

If you come to Thailand for cottage cheese, rye breads, sour cream you will be disappointed but they can be bought. If i visit the Ukraine, Germany and go looking for "laab" "khao nee ow" and "durian" i will be disappointed and maybe even starve.

There are Vietnamese and Korean restaurants in CM if you want. Maybe even Brazilian? lots of choices mainly thai but at a much greater density than other countries.

Hong Kong has some nice food if you visit the right restaurants and pay. Otherwise street food not very good. Fried tofu that smells like rancid piss?

The cheaper Hong Kong restaurants are not very good. Noodle soup not as tasty but the quantity is larger. CM beats HK on choice and value. Everybody has different opinions though and i live in the city not out in the sticks. I take it for granted but when i think about it CM is quite amazing.

[SoiBiker]

Good selection of places - I've eaten at several of them and had great food. Think they just read the same food blogs as everyone else though.

I wouldn't say Chiang Mai stood out above other places in Thailand as a food paradise in particular, though. Thankfully theres awesome food all over the place in this country.

[nicksal37]

I heard a rumour that Gekko Garden was going to get a star !

[DaddyWarbucks]

Good article and great photos. Chiang Mai and Thailand is a food paradise. Sometimes you take if for granted when you live here.

sorry but where you be and compare with what place?

Yes !! In Chian Mai can get some some tasty food. And can enjoy some times.

But paradise?

This can be said if you did not see another meal.

King crab is very tasty, and shrimp in Thailand are not the best.

I'm not a fan of sea food but, as far as I know in Thailand, many prefer sea food.

I love meat and vegetables.

Find a good beef Chiang May it must try. I'm not saying that it does not exist, but it is very difficult. Prices are the same as in Hong Kong. The quality of her priotoveniya vada pleases. about the steak, I generally keep quiet.

Pork is also far from ideal. In Ukraine and Germany are much better example.

The choice of sausages so poor that we can say it does not exist !!!

Dairy products are also almost there. Sour cream, cottage cheese, cheese.

The choice of vegetables is very small.

Fruit ?

Rye bread is not.

chocolate poor choice.

Cuisines of the public presented. even Asian cuisine choice of dishes and cooking it not best thinks.

Where normal Vietnamese, Korean food?

Brasilian?

What kind of paradise you talking about?

Most of your points are nonsense.

Meet me at Gunter's G&M German Restaurant for a sausage feast and we can talk about the Ukraine.

[whiterussian]

It's true... and my waistline shows it.

The Hong Kong Yacht Club even has a Thai Restaurant with the ex-chef of HM...

Edited February 29, 2016 by whiterussian

[Johpa]

The article lost me before I read a single word with the pic of the cowgirl who sells that terrible pork leg dish up along the northern moat, one of the worst examples, in my less than humble opinion, of khao khaa muu around.

[Mousehound]

I think CM is pretty good for food. For the size of the place it does well. But no way can it be compared with HK. HK is amazing for food from French pastries to street food. The number of restaurants and types of food are bewildering there. In the years I lived and worked there the day would be: breakfast at the Pen, lunch in the soi with the workers, dinner at one or other restaurant and evening cheesecake and coffee (and in the old days - a cigar from Davidoff's) at the Pen again. Bliss! I would also rate Italy very high on the waistline increment scale. The most surprising place for excellent and range of foods is Melbourne.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

The article lost me before I read a single word with the pic of the cowgirl who sells that terrible pork leg dish up along the northern moat, one of the worst examples, in my less than humble opinion, of khao khaa muu around.

Really..! I kind of liked that place.

Admittedly I haven't been there in years, but also among Thais it's well known.

(Although I now wonder if it's the same place as the original Chang Phuak Kha Moo..)

[LivinLOS]

I wouldn't say Chiang Mai stood out above other places in Thailand as a food paradise in particular, though. Thankfully theres awesome food all over the place in this country.

I would disagree there.. CNX has a lot of advantages..

1) as a place with a mainly Thai audience, Thai food is cooked authentically (meaning less tourist Thai) and priced for Thais..

2) but as a flip side as a place with a large non Thai population it has many diverse cuisines also represented.. And still at a tighter price point than say Phuket Samui Bangkok etc.

3) the Thai market here is more sophisticated than in many areas, so theres a good choice of diverse Thai offerings (lanna Thai, Isaan, southern, etc) where in many regions that just becomes generic or one place which tries to do it all.

As long as you avoid some of the more backpacker catering tourist food carts, theres some superb food around.

If theres one trend I notice here, which could hardly be a drawback, its almost that the market is too cheap.. That constant cost pressure actually holds back places who want to present something a little bit higher end than average, quite a difficult task.. Everyone tends to react with a 'oh my good, the main course was 350 baht and it was a small serving' while praising the likes of gecko garden with a 99 baht fish and chip special.. Hey its great places like Gecko exist, but way too many food reviews on Chiang Mai Eats etc tend to focus on portion size or value more than quality.. God forbid someone likes to treat themselves to a meal at Ren or similar.

[Konini]

From this article I learned that what we have called chop chop for about 15 years is actually called khao kha moo. Who would have known?

(And Mr K's favourite drinking partner got a mention - I never though a Guardian article would mention a mobile fish and chip operation in food piece about deepest darkest northern Thailand.)

[WinnieTheKhwai]

From this article I learned that what we have called chop chop for about 15 years is actually called khao kha moo. Who would have known?

Meanwhile, Som Tam isn't actually "Papaya Pok Pok", Khanom Jeen isn't "Isan Spaghetti", Phad Kraprao not "Kapow", and the existence of "Red" and "Yellow" curries is debatable unless referring to the Southern spicy soup which it rarely does.

(hmm.. this is turning into a dream topic.. Food and linguistic pedantry coming together.. )

Edited March 1, 2016 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Bassosa]

I think the Chiang Mai food scene is slightly overrated. As a huge foodie I have literally tried hundreds of restaurants in Chiang Mai over the last 2 years, I don't have a proper kitchen. I eat out almost daily, lunch and dinner and leave mildly disappointed most of the time. Only a handful of restaurants are actually worth the money, I find.

There's a couple of issues. The quality of ingredients is often lacking. When's the last time you had a tasty shrimp or prawn in this town? I had a few Spanish gambas during my last trip to Europe and it brought tears to my eyes. I had forgotten what they taste like.

Then there's leadership. Most restaurants lack it. In most restaurants the staff don't give a damn. When's the last time you've been to a restaurant where there's a clearly visible manager/owner leading things? A 18-year old with her face glued to her phone more likely.

I also think, and this was raised by LivingLOS in a previous post, that most of the food outlets are cost-driven. Food needs to be produced on the cheap and the dishes suffer from it. Why make a stock with actual bones when you can use a powder? Nobody notices, or so they think (and they're probably right).

Then there's the speed that food needs to be produced. Restaurants in Thailand have your food ready QUICKLY right? This is actually quite handy and convenient, but never conducive to a quality dish. Some food/dishes require TIME, of which there is none.

My two cents...

[CNXBKKMAN]

CM is a food paradise only if you come from the angle of choice, quantity of choice the restaurants and carts being everywhere, and price nearly everything is very cheap, plus there are very exotic and strange options say dancing shrimps at HTT.

If you think about Michelin star chefs, smart restaurants with top service, the freshest ingredients flown in from every corner of the globe, the best wines in the world , 5000 baht a head meal prices being seen as average. Well CM is not your food paradise.

[Bassosa]

Yep, that says it all.

Quantity over quality.

Definitely...

[Konini]

.... Food and linguistic pedantry coming together.. )

I love it when you talk dirty

[Sandman77]

For first visitor chiang mai food is ok, I stay in this city every year 2 month since more then 10 years and espasaly around night market the street kitchen have a very bad quality and often dirty food I got diaherra also! In total night market food to fat in Kuala Lumpur was more deloices for me and the choise in food stalls was also bigger then here !