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| Saturday, 20-Mar-2004 00:00 |
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Chinese-Thai shophouse.. stuck in time / Wikulpanich Salapao
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Wikul Phanich Salapao Shop. Lottery ticket seller in front
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Not much has changed since I first came here in 1947
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Salapao bun and Khanom Jeeb
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty definite that this is the best place for Salapao, the Chinese steamed buns with either a savoury pork filling or a sweet bean-paste filling. You often find these sold by vendors on a motorcycle with sidecar. None are as tasty as the ones from this shop. Also the dim-sum-like "khanom jeeb" are pretty good. Just look at the pictures, this place seems stuck in a time-warp.
Tip for eating salapao: They're usually stuck to a piece of paper on the bottom. They taste a lot better if you remember to remove it first. 
The shop is called "Wikulpanich" (Wikoon-phanit, locally just called 'Raan Wikoon'). It's on Charoen Muang road, a road with mostly shophouses selling mechanical/industrial supplies and tools, as well as car accessories shops. After crossing Nawarat bridge coming from Thapae Road, go straight on to Charoen Muang and you will find this shophouse on the right hand side. The sign is in Thai only.
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| Friday, 19-Mar-2004 00:00 |
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Love at First Bite
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Thailand is pretty much the last place to go for cakes and pastry of any kind. If you ever joined a Thai birthday party you will likely remember the margarine-like paste that passes for whipped cream more than anything else. At the more fun & rowdy birthday parties this paste is then used to smear on other peoples faces, indeed a better use for it.
Fortunately, all this is changing. Little cake & coffee shops are mushrooming all over the place, and are becoming very popular among the young and middle class, as well as foreign visitors of course. One of the nicer of these places is Love at First Bite. Their motto is: "To be happy for an evening, get drunk. To be happy for a week, get married. To be happy for life, visit Love at First Bite." 
They do a good variety of cakes and pies. You can get takeaway, or eat in the very clean and bright airconditioned garden house or in the garden itself. This nice setting for an afternoon tea makes it one of the better places in my opinion. The cakes at the Sheraton Hotel bakery probably have the edge, but this place wins hands down on atmosphere and cheerful service.
If you're ordering for a birthday party then you probably want to order a whole cake in advance. Or you can get it by the slice, most cakes go for 50-60 baht. The place is on the Old Chiang Mai - Lamphun road soi 1. When crossing the Nawarat bridge coming from Thapae Road, turn right onto the Chiang Mai - Lamphun road, then it's the first soi on the left, before you get to the Chiang Mai TAT office.
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| Thursday, 18-Mar-2004 00:00 |
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Ban Som Tam
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Ban Som Tam
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Som Tam & Sai Ua
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Update 2 March 07: Place is closed. Good riddance. 
Update 16 May 04: I no longer recommend this place. Reason is that fairly recently they now use a separate English menu and Thai menu, and... the prices on the English menu are 25-50% higher for every dish, even the drinking water!! This practise is not very common at all in Chiang Mai, I don't think I can think of any other restaurant in Chiang Mai that uses blatant double pricing. (I've seen some cases in tourist beach resorts) Many restaurants offer English menus of course, but I personally always also get the Thai version mostly because it tends to be more accurate and is sometimes more extensive than the English menu. Up to now I never found any discrepancy in pricing.. until today at Ban Som Tam. In my intro at the start of these food reviews I write there will be no "typical food-critic sour slagging off of places I didn't enjoy (unless they really deserve it)", well, this place found a way to really deserve it!  Even after pointing out that one of their dishes was just 35 baht in their Thai menu, they went and corrected the charge but still left the double charge on the drinking water.. Amounts involved are not so that they're going to make me any poorer, but charging double for drinking water is just sad, and let's leave it at that, and the hope that karma and the wrath of the Gods of Som Tam will catch up with them and may they be pounded in Satan's mortar for eternity! With extra chillies and pla ra please!!  I leave the original review in place below:
Make no mistake, "Ban Som Tam", the place I review today, is by no means a candidate for any title of 'best som tam' in Chiang Mai. It's worth mentioning because of the more up-scale setting. Som tam is typically sold by vendors from some food stall or tiny little shop for 15-25 baht. Thai friends refer to Ban Som Tam as 'Som Tam High-So'... "Upper class som tam"! Indeed it's pricey for som tam, but given the nice setting and larger menu this may be justified. Som tam sells for 40 baht, and most other dishes are also in the 40-50 baht range. What I didn't like is the common trick of giving you your own bottle of water AND bucket of ice for which they charge 15 and 10 baht respectively. Won't break the bank of course, yet I like places more that just serve free water without fuss. I ordered a pretty baby-vanilla-style som tam: "Tam Thai" = "(Central) Thai Style", so sweet-sour and with just 3 chillies thrown into the mix. Can't judge a place on that alone of course, but I have the feeling that if you bring an Isarn person here he/she will not be impressed. One thing I can recommend is their version of Sai Ua, the Northern sausage. They do a nice variety with some herbs in it you normally don't find in this dish. (See picture)
The place is in a soi off Kamphaeng Din road. Coming from Thapae Road and walking on Kamphaeng Din past the AIS / Shinawatra building, it's the first soi on the right.
So the quest for the ultimate som tam continues.. Might as well go looking for the holy grail, as there seem to be as many preferred styles of som tam as there are people. Yet it would be a worthy cause: "The Quest for the Holy Khrok" (=mortar) so to say..
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| Wednesday, 17-Mar-2004 00:00 |
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Khao Larm
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Mengrai Khao Larm
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Three different kinds of varying fillings/sweetness
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Peel open the bamboo to reveal the rice snack..
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Today not an actual restaurant but more of an outlet for a famous Northern snack that's also often brought back by Bangkok people after travelling to Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai. I'm talking about Kho Larm: rice cooked inside a bamboo stick. Khao Larm may vary in sweetness, mostly it's sweet, but not overly so. Coconut milk and some type of bean is often added, and you can get Khao Larm from various kinds of rice, including the dark reddish 'black rice'. You often see stalls selling Khao Larm along major highways in the North. None of those are as good or even as cheap as the Khao Larm from this outlet opposite the Sheraton Hotel (formely Westin Hotel). It's just across the bridge over the Ping river on the left side of the road, so opposite the Sheraton. Varrious kinds go for 10, 12 or 15 baht per 'stick'. Try it! Note that this place also sells the paper hot air balloons (khom loi) that are released in great numbers around the Loi Krathong festival. This place sells them throughout the year, not just a few weeks before Loi Krathong.
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| Tuesday, 16-Mar-2004 00:00 |
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Muslim / Halal Food
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There's a sizable community of Muslim people in Chiang Mai mostly around the Chang Klan area. Also many small Muslim eateries in that area, which are a nice change from regular Thai lunch fare. None of these restaurants are particulary fancy. This one I review today stands out because it combines so many different types of food in one place. They do khao soi (noodles in curry soup), chicken and mutton(!) biryani, 'honey grilled duck' dishes, some curries over rice, and chicken and beef sateh skewers to name a few. Also on the off-chance that you ever went looking for goat-milk in Chiang Mai: they have that too. Most dishes go for 20-25-30 baht, with the mutton biryani (khao mok phae, see picture) going for 50 baht. The restaurant is called Suthasinee; it's a nice friendly place, on Chang Klan road (Night Bazar road), but well South of the Night bazar on the left side before you get to Chiang Mai Land.
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| Monday, 15-Mar-2004 00:00 |
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Grilled Duck & Dim Sum, Chinese Style
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Ped Yang Yaowarat Chinese grilled chicken
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Dim Sum type stuff available as well
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Perfect duck over rice, or get a whole plate if with more people
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I think this is one of the best and fairly inexpensive places for some Chinese fare, especially the grilled duck dishes as well as dim sum and made-to-order Chinese food. Ever since I went to Hong Kong I've invariably been dissapointed at dim sum in Thailand. This one gets pretty close though! The restaurant is a typical shophouse setting on Suthep Road, on the left side JUST before you get to the intersection (T-crossing) with Nimmanhaemin Road. It's a fairly new place, clean and bright with a nice Chinese theme to it. I can recommend this as one of the best places for duck, when you don't want to go to a fancy restaurant but also don't care for the typical 'dirty Chinese shophouse' experience. Also it's just the best place for Chinese grilled duck in Chiang Mai, not including the top of the line Chinese 'pattakans' (restaurants)
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| Saturday, 13-Mar-2004 00:00 |
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Real Belgian Chocolate Bonbons!!
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Duc de Praslin
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You get to cherry-pick your chocolates by the piece
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Display case with the sweet stuff from heaven, err, Belgium.
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Wow. This place is one of a kind in Chiang Mai. We all know Thailand is not famous for chocolates of any kind, but this place is really awesome. Various kinds of chocolates and bonbons are made at this companies factory in Bangkok, and now Chiang Mai has a branch. It's not cheap of course, but who cares because it's the only one of it's kind and it's real good! You can select bonbons or truffles or chocolates form a display case, where they pack them for you in a box. Most go for like 12 baht a piece. There are a few tables where you can order coffees and hot and cold chocolate drinks. These go for like 45-55 baht and this includes two chocolate bonbons per cup/glass.
The place is on Bamrungrat Road, near the British Council, but on the other side of the road, close to the intersection with Kaew Nawarat road. Some people may know Bamrungrat Road as the Sayuri Road. 
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| Sunday, 7-Mar-2004 00:00 |
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The Best Khao Soi in Chiang Mai
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Mae Jam Paa Khao Soi
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The shop grew very fast and is still almost full for lunch daily
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Size of the bowl makes the serving look small on pic. It's not!
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The picture doesn't make it quite so obvious, but beware when you order the 'special' Khao Soi (Burmese style yellow noodles in curry, a traditional Chiang Mai dish) at this particular Khao Soi restaurant. I actually asked to have it changed into the smaller bowl you see on the last picture #6 here. I was so stunned at the first one, I thought they were taking the piss at the 'big Farang', serving him an absolutely embarrassingly large bowl, more like a tub, of Khao Soi..
So I actually was embarrassed and asked to have it changed, and they brought me this slightly smaller one.. But then upon looking around in the restaurant, I saw other people (Thais only) also getting served these huge tubs of 'special' Khao Soi. (blush) Even in this one on the picture the only way the chopsticks can be placed on top is by moving them to the side, the center diameter is too large!
Suffice to say, this is probably the best place for Khao Soi in Chiang Mai. Not just in quantity but in taste as well. It's not one of the longer established 'famous' ones, like those on Fa Ham road. This one is off Aom Muang road, the Southern part of the ring road. The place is called 'Mae Jam Paa'. When coming from Nong Hoy intersection on the ring road going towards Don Chan (Big C) intersection, do a U-turn under the frist flyover over the railway tracks, then it's the first soi on the left. (Soi Techno Asia) Keep driving along the little canal and cross the little bridge at the first opportunity, the shop is right there. Many cars will be parked there at lunchtime. Also try the Kuaytiow Tom Yam noodles! This special sized Khao Soi bowl that seemed to have like half a chicken in it was 30 baht. Regular is 15 or 20 I think.
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| Thursday, 1-Jan-2004 00:00 |
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Index
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Food Stalls / Takeaway food shops / General rants on food
Noodle Soup stalls & restaurants - Thai - $
'Made to order' (taam sang) restaurants and food stalls - Thai - $
Fruit Shakes - Thai - $
Khanom Thuay (Sweet custard cups) - Thai - $
Thai Desserts - Thai - $
Sai Ua (Northern Thai Sausage) - Thai - $
Khanom Khrok (Miniature pancakes) - Thai - $
Kha Moo Chang Phuak (Pork Meat Stew) - Thai - $
Wichian Buri Grilled Chicken - Thai - $
Kuaytiow Lod (Stuffed Noodle Rolls) - Thai - $
Khanom Bueang (Cookie-Crepe) - Thai - $
Khao kriab pak mor (Sweet steamed dumpling snack) - Thai - $
Lucky Film 'Runway' Pizza & Steak - $
Mengrai Khao Larm (Sweet sticky rice in bamboo) - Thai - $
Vietnamese Springrolls - Thai/Vietnamese - $
Roti (Indian style sweet 'pancake') - Thai - $
Fried Banana - Thai - $
Khao Mao (Fried Banana & Coconut) - Thai - $
Wikulpanich Sarapao (Chinese steamed buns) - Thai - $
Yatai Japanese Noodles - Japanese - $$
Kafae Boran (Old style Thai Coffee) - Thai - $
Chocolaterie (Belgian bonbons & chocolates) - Western - $$$
Restaurants
3 Baht Kuaytiow Noodle Soup - Thai - $
Amazing Sandwich - Western - $$
Ban Khanom Jeen (Thai cold noodles & curry) - Thai - $$
Ban Rai Yam Yen - Northern Thai - $$$
Ban Som Tam (Spicy green papaya salad) - Thai - $$
Boat Restaurant - Thai/Western - $
Buffet Phitsanuloke - Thai - $
Burrito House - Mexican - $$
Carrefour Foodcenter - Thai - $
The Gallery Fried Icecream / Riverside restaurants - Thai/Western - $$$$
Eat Me! Restaurant - Thai/Western - $$
Hor Jia Ostrich Noodles - Thai - $
[Italian Lang Mo - Western - $$
Jerusalem Falafel - Israeli/Mediterranean - $$$
Kaen Chai Isarn - North-Eastern Thai - $$
Kafe Restaurant - Thai/Northern Thai/Western - $$$
Khun Churn Restaurant - Thai Vegetarian - $
Kitamon Japanese & Chinese Restaurant - Japanese/Chinese - $$$$
Lemon Tree Restaurant - Thai - $$
Love at first bite - Western/Cake - $$
Lung Jit - Southern Thai - $
Mae Jam Paa Khao Soi (Burmese style noodles in chicken curry) - Thai - $
Mad Dog Bar & Restaurant - Western - $$
[Madame Ian - Vietnamese - $$
Mango Tree (& girlie bars..) - Western/Thai - $$$
Mata Jay Food - Thai Buddhist Vegan - $
Chinese Restaurant & Mushroom Suki - Chinese - $$$$
Naina Indian @ Galare Food Center - Indian - $$
Nantharam Khao Man Kai (Hainanese Chicken Rice) - Thai - $
Nobody German Restaurant - Western - $$$$
Ped Yang Yaowarat (Chinese Grilled Duck) - Thai/Chinese - $
Phad Thai Sawoey (Fried Thai Style Noodles) - Thai - $
Phichit Raad Na (Rice Noodles in gravy) - Thai - $
Phuket Laikhram - Southern Thai - $
Pop Am - Thai/Western - $
Ring Road Restaurants - Thai - $$
Salsa Kitchen - Mexican - $$$
Siam Celadon / Old architecture - Western - $$
Sizzad Steak & Salad Buffet - Western - $$
Suthasinee Muslim Food - Thai Muslim - $
Toey Dim Sum - Thai - $$
Upper Crust Cafe - Mexican/Western - $$$
The Chiang Mai Vegetarian Center - Thai vegetarian - $
Yentafo Sa-Aad (Seafood Noodle Soup) - Thai - $
$ Cheap; 5 - 50 baht per person
$$ Inexpensive; 50-100 baht per person
$$$ Moderate; 100-250 baht per person
$$$$ High; 250-500 baht per person
$$$$$ Off the Chiang Mai scale.
All of this not including alcoholic drinks. Price levels are an approximation. Your mileage may vary.
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