262747 Mon May 26 08:50:46 -0700 2003 5 26 International 0 1388319 I will be in Chiang Mai soon, and would greatly appreciate any recommendations on where and what to eat. I am most interested in the regional cuisine, about which I know very little. Where might I find the best bowl of Khao Sawy (or however it's spelled)? What other dishes should I try? Many thanks in advance, Michael Mon May 26 08:50:46 -0700 2003 0 Michael Lerner 1 1388357 I've unfortunately not been to Chiang Mai, but one item worth searching out is a specifically northern local version of khanom jeen, which are long thin noodles made of fermented rice (do you have something similar in Cambodia?). In Bangkok and south these are topped with various curries, but one Chiang Mai version has them served with coconut milk, lots of shredded ginger, pineapple, dried shrimps. According to my Thai teacher it is best found at the major Chiang Mai market in the *morning* (not the night market). Also try khanom jeen nam ngiaw (originally from Burma) which is rich and tomatoey, with shrimp paste, pork, and often a square of pork blood. Wild mushrooms shipped down from the north and northeast are are just beginning to appear in Bangkok markets right now and they are wonderful. The northern mushroom season is a bit later, but you might look for a place serving yam het (mushroom yam) or anything het for that matter. Thai friends from the north recommend also looking for gaeng ho (preserved bamboo shoot soup), gaeng khanun (jackfruit curry), and nam phrik noon khaeb muu (chili sauce with pork rinds for dipping). Don't know what day of the wk you'll be there but every Friday morning there is a hilltribe market on Soi Surao near the Phetch Ngam Hotel --- it may be produce only with no stalls but who knows. And something I clipped from a Bangkok paper a while ago, written by Suthon Sukphisit, a Thai food writer whose recommendations I've always found to be spot on: some of the best and most representative northern cuisine to be found is served up everyday from a pushcart across from the Saraphi district office in Chiang Mai. Sounds like the propietress has a few dishes on offer but is especially known for her laab nya (beef laab), which is sold "wet" (made with blood) as laab lyat. The "dry" version is just "laab". Sold out by the end of lunch. There's alot of Yunnan food in Chiang Mai, including "crossing the bridge" rice noodles (khanom jeen kham saphan). From the same source as above: Mitr Mai Yunnanese Restaurant on Rachamankha Road, specialties include muu sam chan (pork belly fried with pickled veggies), hua chai thai (hot-sour salad made with Chinese radish), Yunnanese ham, grilled duck. Sorry not to be able to provide more restaurant recs, but you'll probably do better anyway by pinning down a couple locals, naming some dishes, and asking where they'd go. Hope you'll report back after your trip, for those of us wanting to get to Chiang Mai at some point! Tue May 27 23:19:26 -0700 2003 1388319 0 foodfirst 2 1388359 Thanks for the tips! I've had khanom jeen in Bangkok and in the South (Trang), but have not tried the northern version. I haven't run into anything like it in Cambodia. I'll be in CM for several days, but will be there for a conference -- and so my lunchtimes will probably be spent eating bland hotel food. But I'll try to make it to the pushcart vendor for laab! I'll let you know what I find. Thanks, Michael Tue May 27 23:41:14 -0700 2003 1388357 0 Michael Lerner 1 1388542 It's been a few years, but I remember some very good khao soi at Aroon Rai, which is listed in all the guide books and is a simple, open air place. I've eaten twice at the restaurant at the River Ping Palace, which is further south down the river from the night market strip. Once was superb. The other time, just good. This is a lovely place to stay, but out of the way--I tried walking and it's much farther than the map suggests. BTW if you happen to get to Mae Hong Son (which you should--it's a half hour flight from Chiang Mai and spectacularly beautiful, if you can imagine a Swiss village in the Thai-Burmese hinterlands), don't miss the vegetarian restaurant across from the police station. Only open for lunch. Around 50 cents for one of the best meals I've eaten, including a lovely sweet corn soup for dessert. The owner/cook and his wife refused any kind of tip. I spent a bit of time lounging around the cafe at Piya Guesthouse, watching the world whiz by at the lake. Kai Muk also serves delicious food, and further out of town, I went to a restaurant newly opened by a man named Tawan. Thu Jun 05 02:38:22 -0700 2003 1388319 0 Windy 1 1388556 The Gap Guest House in Chiang Mai has a one day course in Thai Cooking. It's a great place to have a meal as well. Any tuk tuk driver can take you there. Happy Chow Thu Jun 05 15:36:24 -0700 2003 1388319 0 GratefulChow 1 1388827 I was in Chiang Mai a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I stayed at Gap's House which has been mentioned in a previous post, but I took a week of cooking classes at the Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School. This was by far the best food that I had in all of Thailand. The class is really cheap $100 for the entire week. This included hands on classes, all your meals, visits to the local markets, tropical fruit tastings daily as well as a full color cookbook to take home of all recipes covered in the class. they've got a website. I suppose you could do a search for the school to find out more if this interests you. You must try the mango sticky rice.. yum.... Tue Jun 24 02:29:45 -0700 2003 1388319 0 cherylp