Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [255]
There are also a number of simple restaurants and vendors selling Thai-Muslim curries, kôw soy (curried chicken and noodles), kôw mòk gài (chicken biriani), and néu·a òp hrm (‘fragrant’ dried beef), a speciality of Chiang Mai’s Yunnanese Muslim community. An evening food vendor does delicious roh·ee (Indian flat bread).
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Love at First Bite ( Map; 0 5324 2731; 28 Soi 1, Th Chiang Mai-Lamphun; pastries 40-80B; 10.30am-6pm) Tucked deep into a residential soi on the east bank of the river, this famous dessert shop is filled with middle-class, cake-confident Thais. Don’t be surprised to see folks posing in front of the dessert display case for a souvenir photo – the bakery’s cheesecakes are famous among food bloggers.
Riverside Bar & Restaurant ( Map; 0 5324 3239; Th Charoenrat; dishes 90-200B; 10am-1am) This rambling set of wooden buildings has been the most consistently popular riverside place for over 20 years. The food – Thai, Western and vegetarian – is just a minor attraction to the good-times ambience. The clientele is a mix of Thais and fa·ràng, lured into a singalong by the classic-rock band. There’s inside and outside dining, as well as a spiffy new overflow building across the street. Some veterans opt to dine on the docked boat (90B surcharge) before the nightly 8pm river cruise.
Huan Soontaree ( Map; 0 5325 2445; 46/2 Th Wang Singkham; dishes 100-150B; 5pm-1am) Visiting Thais from Bangkok make the pilgrimage to this rustic restaurant built on the west bank of the river, partly for the food but mainly for the owner, Soontaree Vechanont, a famous northern singer popular in the 1970s. She performs at the restaurant on weekends while other local musicians perform during the week. The menu is a pleasant blend of northern, northeastern and central Thai specialities.
Good View ( Map; 0 5324 1866; 13 Th Charoenrat; dishes 100-200B; 10am-1am) Next door to the Riverside, Good View lives up to its name with open-air seating in a contemporary setting. The formula is similar to the Riverside, except the menu focuses more on Thai food and the nightly music covers a broader genre range.
Mahanaga ( Map; 0 5326 1112; 431 Th Charoenrat/Faham; dishes 250-600B; 5.30pm-midnight) The Chiang Mai branch of a Bangkok-based fusion restaurant, Mahanaga is all style and romance with flickering candles, traditional Lanna-style buildings and tall trees. The menu features citified Thai food: classic recipes using high-end, imported meats, such as New Zealand lamb in yellow curry.
West of the Old City
THAI
The area west of Wat Suan Dok on Th Suthep has several popular vegetarian (ah·hhn jair) restaurants, indicated by yellow banners, as well as a carnivore’s friend, a crispy pork (mo gròrp) restaurant. Dining becomes more contemporary on Th Nimmanhaemin but the busiest place is the grilled pork (mo îng) restaurant, near the corner of Soi 9, that is open only in the evening.
Milk Garden (Suan Nom; Map; 0 5381 1680; Th Huay Kaew; dishes 15-90B; 11am-9pm) The backbone of the Western culinary tradition, bread is merely a fanciful dessert in Thailand, often toasted and drowned in sweetened condensed milk. It is normally served from vendor stalls, but milk shops, like this arty hangout, often pop up wherever there are students. Drinks and other snackable dishes are also served.
Kanom Jeen Nimman ( Map; Th Nimmanhaemin; dishes 25-30B) You don’t have to trek out to a morning market to blast your senses with the intense flavours of kà·nm jeen (white rice noodles served with curry). This open-air shop along the main road saves you the commute.
Khun Churn ( Map; 0 5322 4124; Soi 17, Th Nimmanhaemin; dishes 50-70B) You might think that vegetarian means rustic, but Khun Churn has kept up with the times with its 21st-century minimalist dining space. The main attraction is the extensive daily buffet (80B) as well as à la carte fruit drinks, crispy rice with coconut dip or pomelo salad. It’s closed on the 16th of each month.
Hong Tauw