Friday, 27 December 2024
Western meals in Chiang Mai, Thailand

I am often asked why I eat western-style food while I am in Thailand. The answer is simpler than you might think: because it tastes so good. There is a difference in the food chain in Thailand and at home in the U.S.A. Here, the distance from the farm to your plate is very, very short. The egg I ate for breakfast might have been laid yesterday or the day before. Tomatoes are picked ripe by the farmers and sold that day in the market. Restaurant, guest-house, and hotel staff go to the market every day and buy fresh produce. In Chiang Mai, Mueang Mai Market, a large market where farmers sell their produce, operates 24 hours per day.

A man from Italy I once knew had an Italian restaurant in the old city down the soi from Kanjana (a very popular Thai restaurant). When I complimented him on something, he told me he could make better food here than at home in Italy because of how fresh the ingredients were, the tomatoes, the onions, the basil, the garlic, the shallots, the cilantro, all so, so fresh. He and his wife moved back to Italy a few years ago to raise their family close to their extended family, so they are no longer here.

It is that freshness that makes the flavor of the food here taste so good, even familiar food tastes better here. And I understand that a part of this is the novelty of eating something familiar far from home in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

And to be clear, I eat a LOT of Thai food. Easily more than half my meals are Thai: Pad Kaprow (my favorite when done well, and even when not so well), Khao Soi (northern-Thai noodle dish), stir-fried chicken and vegetables, etc. A few years ago, a friend sent me a link to a video by Mark Weins, a food vlogger, in which he and friends ate the best 5 dishes of Khao Soi in Chiang Mai. I tried 4 of the five and a few others, not in one day as Mark and his friends did, and posted my thoughts on Khao Soi. Here is a link to his video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqzON6oWpOE Last year after discovering Pad Kaprow, I had that dish at several restaurants and shared photos in this blog. Probably the best and spiciest Pad Kaprow I have had was at Mark Weins’ restaurant in Bangkok earlier this winter (see https://james-intrepid-pilgrim.blog/2024/11/24/full-day-in-bangkok-5-phed-mark-and-an-adventure/).

When I first came to Thailand for my yoga-focused winters, friends asked me, “what does the food look like?” Ok, after getting that question, I often photograph my meals. And then I forget to include the pictures in my blog. So this post is photos of Western style meals here in Chiang Mai.

The day starts with breakfast at The 3-Sis, the guesthouse and restaurant where I am staying. Breakfast is included, so I eat there every day. Here are a couple pictures of my breakfast meals, Thai omelette (on top of rice, which cannot be seen), and French toast. Also some fruit (the mango is so, so good!), orange juice, and coffee.

For a high protein dinner one day after a hike, I celebrated with a small sirloin at Arno’s. Arno’s started as a butcher shop in Bangkok, grew to be a restaurant, and has a small place in Chiang Mai. I believe the meat is imported from New Zealand. Thailand is not known for cattle. And on another day, I had a smaller meal at Arno’s, a cheeseburger and a salad.

Also notice that in a few of the photos, a Coke can be seen. The Coke tastes so good here, because it is made with real sugar. But I only have about one Coke per week (it is a LOT of sugar). Also note that I like to have a salad. With the ingredients being fresh, the salads are very good.

A place I like more for the salad than the hamburger is Maya Burger Queen. Maya first opened a restaurant in Pai, then another, and now one in Chiang Mai. The burger is all right; the salad excellent.

Another favorite place is Street Pizza and The Wine House. They make their pizza sauce fresh every day. Excellent flavor! [And they are not on the street – up on the second floor of an old building close to the Nawarat Bridge.]

Another favorite place for foreigner-style food is The Dukes. The Dukes has been by the Mae Ping River for more than 25 years. Their motto is “No claims… no games… just great food in Chiang Mai.”  The things people often get there are steaks, ribs, burgers, pizza, and salads. All of their sauces are made fresh every day. I went there after a hike and was there in time for the pre-6 PM specials. One caught my eye, the pork tacos with a Mexican salad, so I ordered it, and as is everything at The Dukes, it was very tasty! Aloy Maak! or อร่อยมาก as would be said in Thai (“aloy” means “tasty” and “maak” means “very”).

And thinking about The Dukes, I was there another time, forgot to photograph the salad, but did get the cheeseburger and fries. The fries at The Dukes are very good. Not as good as my favorite fries at Chief’s Burgers and Brew near home in Solana Beach, California, but very good.

On the subject of burgers and fries and the recent trend of “smashed burgers,” another place that is pretty good, is Smash Daddy out in Nimmanhaemin. The burger and fries are good and the milkshake is better, probably the best I have had in Chiang Mai (also the only milkshake I have had in Chiang Mai).

Another favorite place is La Casita, a Mexican-style restaurant in the Old City. A few years ago, when I went there, I was the only person, and I worried that they would not make it. Now they are busy every day. And the quality is still top-notch. I like several things, the chicken enchiladas, the pork tacos, and especially the red chili pork burrito (muy picante!).

On a whim, while sitting with Nong and Nat at the Crepe Cart on Loi Kroh Road, I went to an Indian restaurant very close by, called Taj Mahal. I ordered a small dinner of Chicken Marsala, rice, naan, and a soda water. A very good meal!

And finally, for this post anyway, last night I went to Blue Diamond to have a smaller dinner. Blue Diamond is located in the northeast quadrant of the Old City in an area where many of the “backpackers” stay. Also known as “The Breakfast Club” (sounds like a movie), and is busiest in the morning. Their baked goods are made on-site, and their cinnamon rolls are decadent. Khun Knee, the owner, has a reputation for not being friendly. My perspective is that she is not there to be my friend, rather, she is there to make sure I get good food efficiently. She is always friendly to me, though, since she has seen me over about 12 years. The food is very good at Blue Diamond. I got a Greek salad, a toasted whole wheat roll with butter, and a watermelon smoothie. Excellent salad – many tomatoes and veggies, just delicious.

That’s a wrap!

Next: Maybe I’ll get the post of the Princess Dararasmee Palace/museum and temple done soon. Also a hike up the mountain to Wat Phalad and then up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.