Fantastic Food! "Auf Der Au" Restaurant!

[FolkGuitar]

Sunday, my wife and I tried a new (for us) German restaurant in Chiang Mai.

I've lived in Germany and Austria, and will say without reservation, that this was some of the best tasting German foods that I have ever had... And this was at a Buffet, no less! Foods in warming trays!  DELICIOUS!

 

As a buffet, there were dozens of prepared dishes of all types, large selection of sausages (all of them excellent!)  tray after tray after tray of different cold cuts. So many bowls of salads! Vegetables. Breads. Bavarian pretzels, cheeses, pates, etc., etc., etc.!  Even just sampling each, I was unable to try all the different dishes.

Then... the desserts... My word! There were three different types of Cheesecakes alone! Choux-cream puff pastries, mousses, layer cakes, cookies and brownies.. Fresh fruits...  Being on a diet, I limited myself to just one very large chocolate-filled Croissant lavishly slathered with Vanilla mousse, whipped cream, and raspberry compote.

 

Located on the old Lamphun Rd, just about 300m south of the outer ring road on the left-hand side, the restaurant looks like nothing more than the usual Thai-style double-wide shop house. Nothing fancy about it, either outside or in. Small sign out front that reads 'Auf Der Au' and that's about it. But the food is certainly something to write home about. It was fantastic.  Sunday lunch buffet was about 280 baht per person. Reservations are a good idea as it was packed to the rafters!

 

We will go back to this one often!

 

[FolkGuitar]

There are several rows of prepared dishes that I didn't include in the photos, simply because they weren't so photogenic. Just delicious. 

[pgrahmm]

So close - but yet so far....

 

Last week - told the family not to eat breakfast - we were going there for the first time.....

Sunday we rolled up about 15 minutes after opening.....The place was packed to the gills - especially with 70+ year old farangs that weren't going to be moving anyplace soon.....They weren't the healthy, energetic sort - they were there to graze for awhile.....

 

We left - the few open tables had reserved signs on them.....The staff asked if we had a reservation (no) + were perplexed when somebody else barged through - grabbed some food & took a reserved table, it clearly appeared it wasn't who they were expecting for that particular table - but they'd dug into the food, sat down and started eating.....

 

Seems you need a reservation if you're going on a Sunday morning - or maybe a better shot in the mid hours.....I'm betting it's a standard Sunday routine/workout for most of those folks...

I felt bad for our 9 year old she just stood there longing to get at the food staring at it....

 

Looked & smelled great though....

Edited February 14, 2017 by pgrahmm

[jobin]

You know it just might be that those old farangs, sitting around on their smartphones, are keeping the place open. 

And let me ask please if all dishes were labeled as to calorie content?

[pgrahmm]

42 minutes ago, jobin said:

You know it just might be that those old farangs, sitting around on their smartphones, are keeping the place open. 

And let me ask please if all dishes were labeled as to calorie content?

There was a good % of Thai there also....We're heading back again -armed with a reservation this time....

We're kind of spoiled about not really needing to worry about that much....

 

Yep - they seemed like habitual overeaters, probably do help pay the overhead ....

I have a few friends that like to sample many different places and are dedicated "foodies" ..... But they are mobile, robust appearing, & active - for the most part....

[Trujillo]

Quote

I felt bad for our 9 year old she just stood there longing to get at the food staring at it....

Nothing an egg McMuffin can't fix. 

 

So is this a buffet every day or only on Sundays? 

[lordblackader]

CM Eats is now spilling over into Thaivisa. No doubt someone will soon be writing about how Sausage King is the best restaurant in the universe  :)

 

[FolkGuitar]

1 hour ago, Trujillo said:

So is this a buffet every day or only on Sundays? 

 

It's the only Lunch buffet. They run Dinner buffets during the week.

 

47 minutes ago, lordblackader said:

CM Eats is now spilling over into Thaivisa. No doubt someone will soon be writing about how Sausage King is the best restaurant in the universe  :)

 

Let us hope not. I've eaten in both now, and there is NO comparison. Especially for the sausages!  Sausage King looks nicer from the outside. Auf Der Au feels better inside (your mouth.)

 

Although we didn't have reservations (we were told we probably wouldn't need them) and ALL the empty tables had 'Reserved' signs on them, we were grouped together with two other couples and seated at a table at 11:45 that was reserved for 1:00pm. We didn't plan to spend more time than that having lunch. Worked out well. Next time we WILL make reservations first...

 

Edited February 14, 2017 by FolkGuitar

[FolkGuitar]

2 hours ago, jobin said:

And let me ask please if all dishes were labeled as to calorie content?

 

The weren't even labeled as to their names. Who goes to a Buffet and counts calories?!? 

[Paul Catton]

FG, a good post resplendent with pictures:

Thankyou.

[Paul Catton]

9 minutes ago, FolkGuitar said:

 

The weren't even labeled as to their names. Who goes to a Buffet and counts calories?!? 

<deleted> with major hang ups and a propensity to moan.

[roo860]

You know it just might be that those old farangs, sitting around on their smartphones, are keeping the place open. 
And let me ask please if all dishes were labeled as to calorie content?

[emoji23]

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[FolkGuitar]

2 hours ago, pgrahmm said:

There was a good % of Thai there also....

 

 

Offhand, I'd say there were many more Thais than Western folks at the restaurant when we were there. A couple of tables of Japanese diners as well.

[tpiety2]

location location location.... please

[FolkGuitar]

1 hour ago, tpiety2 said:

location location location.... please

 

As I wrote in the original post;

Located on the old Lamphun Rd, just about 300m south of the outer ring road on the left-hand side

Google map:

18°43'33.5"N 99°01'28.7"E

[elektrified]

Been going there for a couple of years now. Food is fantastic, but very filling. Very popular with both Thais and foreigners.

[sharktooth]

Wait until the Chinese discover it....

[KhonKaenKowboy]

3 hours ago, sharktooth said:

Wait until the Chinese discover it....

Then it will be "Close on Sunday."

[jonwilly]

" No doubt someone will soon be writing about how Sausage King is the best restaurant in the universe"

 

Now don't be silly.

Rob at Sausage King has outstanding Breakfasts and he does have without any shadow of doubt the Finest Dry Cured Bacon. Probably in South East Asia and undoubtedly in Cm.

 

john

I love German food, must be the 12 years I spent there.

 "Auf Der Au" 'On the Au'  river I guess.

The Buffett at F1 was fantastic and later Gypsy did a good barbeque. 

[stament]

I recall this restaurant being recommended in the past,

 

only thing that seems to have changed is the price, but thats understandable inflation and all.......

 

looks like it could be an alternative to CMEC buffet breakfasts ?

[stament]

15 hours ago, Paul Catton said:

FG, a good post resplendent with pictures:

Thankyou.

A potential vene for your trip?  You could walk the heavy lunch off at the Sunday market ??

Edited February 15, 2017 by stament

[Trujillo]

Quote

Sausage King has outstanding Breakfasts  ....

haha...that's a good one...   

 

Looking at the photos, I can't imagine all that food is actually consumed on the day. I wonder how much of it is refrigerated and set out the next day (time), and so on until it's just about spoiled. Not trying to diss the place, it looks interesting, but just that that's a ton of food under any measure. 

[stament]

2 hours ago, jonwilly said:

" No doubt someone will soon be writing about how Sausage King is the best restaurant in the universe"

 

Now don't be silly.

Rob at Sausage King has outstanding Breakfasts and he does have without any shadow of doubt the Finest Dry Cured Bacon. Probably in South East Asia and undoubtedly in Cm.

 

john

I love German food, must be the 12 years I spent there.

 "Auf Der Au" 'On the Au'  river I guess.

The Buffett at F1 was fantastic and later Gypsy did a good barbeque. 

you sound like a regular, are you there everyday in SK?  Outstanding is very high praise indeed, not so sure such praise is justified. Good, excellent I can live with, but  outstanding? Pls describe why it is outstanding, I am open to persuasion although I'm no mug!!!

 

How does it compare to CMEC which for the record I rate but wouldn't go so far as call it outstanding.

Edited February 15, 2017 by stament

[Thailand]

Main complaint about this post is that you have told other people about this gem! 

[stament]

6 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Main complaint about this post is that you have told other people about this gem! 

guess where we are all going this sunday ??

[FolkGuitar]

49 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Main complaint about this post is that you have told other people about this gem! 

 

43 minutes ago, stament said:

guess where we are all going this sunday ??

 

We're going to wait two weeks before we go back. That way, all you old guys will have completely forgotten about it...  

 

[stament]

Just now, FolkGuitar said:

 

 

We're going to wait two weeks before we go back. That way, all you old guys will have completely forgotten about it...  

 

who are you calling old? ? I will see you in no.1 bar on Weds, pistols at 8 ?

[MadMac]

Auf der Au, Udo & Family rocks! Best food you can find anywhere in Thailand. And I say that as German.

[Thailand]

1 hour ago, FolkGuitar said:

 

 

We're going to wait two weeks before we go back. That way, all you old guys will have completely forgotten about it...  

 

Forgotten about what?

[totally thaied up]

I have been going for many, many years to this buffet but I think I will not be going again anytime soon. I might go again with a large group of friends for novelty value, but that will be about it.

 

The buffet for my tastes has become too popular but that is the idea of business - to make money, and the owner sure does deserve the success; the food on offer is decent. His family has excellent service manners for all. Such a kind family. Stil, the last time we went, it was packed (and I mean packed) to the rafters, and it took off the shine for me for a few reasons that I will note.

 

I think it has become too popular now. Years ago, not a problem getting a table. The food was never cool like on my last visit and that disappointed me. One other issue really put me off last time I went too many flies hanging around. Never had that problem before.

 

We both had one medium plate of food, a few pieces of ham; my wife had cake and coffee. Took us about 40 minutes to eat and we left. I suppose I am not the 'total buffet' monster as in a sense, after one medium plate I am full. I am the type of person that cannot stuff myself silly over a few hours of eating.

 

My wife was laughing at me as we left as she said, some of the 'super heavyweight' guys were like on their 3rd fully stacked plate, and she said I cannot eat enough to get 'value' for money as the other patrons were.

 

All up, I still think it is a great place, but from popularity, the shine has now come off for me.

 

I go mainly now to another restaurant near Doi Saket and for a lower price, I can get almost ala carte, farang food freshly (hot) cooked with personal service in a quiet environment. I suppose we just change over the years the way we eat and how our expectations differ.

 

All up great buffet for the masses now as the secret it once was many, many years ago is well and truly out. The amount of Thais now going from previous years is growing as well. Before it us to be just us farangs and the wife/friends but the last few visits, I encountered many tables of Thais.

 

I wish the owner and his family the best for success as he has certainly earnt it.