Vacation, Part IV: Chiang Mai
Once our plane landed in Chiang Mai we knew the focus of our time would be shifting… toward food!
After a bit of a bumpy flight into Chiang Mai we settled into our Airbnb in one of the city’s most popular neighborhoods, Nimman. Within walking distance of our stay were more restaurants and stores than we could count. We were excited to explore by foot since we had so much so close.
The routine of our days in Chiang Mai was simple yet relaxing and very satisfying. Sleep in, wake up, relax at the Airbnb, decide a place to eat lunch, travel there by foot or moto, eat lunch, explore around the city until dinner, eat dinner, maybe have a drink, and head back to the apartment. We didn’t have much else planned because we left this time open-ended in case we had to scurry back to Bangkok early due to Covid restrictions. We were happy to hang out and pretend for a week that we lived in Chiang Mai. It was fun!
Some of the highlights from our 10 days in one of our favorite spots (so far) in Thailand.
First, have you ever seen two 7-Eleven’s next to each other?
Now, a taste of the restaurants and eateries we visited…
Our first meal in Chiang Mai would be for lunch at a place called Beast Burger. A good burger comes few and far between in our experience here in Thailand. So we made sure to try this place out. It did not disappoint.
Our first dinner was at Cherng Doi Roast Chicken. This place was so delicious and by far one of the cheapest places we found during our trip. We ended up coming back a few more times during this trip. We got the chance to try lots of things from the menu. This place had great meat and all different kinds of papaya salads. They even had a deep fried papaya salad! We would highly recommend coming here when you are in Chiang Mai. We will certainly be back.
On New Year’s day, we walked to an area called Santitham West for lunch. We ate at a dumpling restaurant called Taiwanese Food Jinjiao Dumplings. This place was the shit. We ate a total of 34 various types of dumplings and wontons as well as some cabbage topped with pork. We ordered half the dumplings jiaozi (steamed) and the other half, fried (gyoza). Check this place out if you get a chance.
Even though we were stuffed from all the dumplings we just indulged in, we always try to make room for dessert. We walked back to Nimman and found an amazing homemade ice cream shop called I Tim Baan Yaii. The ice cream was pretty tasty, although their waffle cones stole the show. They were so thin, delicate, and delicious. We returned to this place at least two more times.
Our first day in Chiang Mai was a success!
If you read our post about our time in Korat, Thailand, then you may have heard of Auntie Prim. She is Sunny’s (our Thai language teacher) aunt. She lives in Chiang Mai and she told us when we met at Sunny’s house to give her a ring when we were in Chiang Mai so we could meet up for dinner. There was a specific restaurant she wanted to take us to, her favorite spot in the city. It was called Puang Thong Restaurant. We knew we were in for a treat when we learned this is a restaurant served in the backyard of a family’s home serving their family’s recipes.
The dishes we ordered are as follows:
Moo sab kap kung phad kapi
Si khroong moo tum khem
King phad nam phrik phao
Phad kha na nam mun hoi
We will let you figure out which is which. ^_^ Needless to say, everything was done very well and we would love to go back.
This meal was delicious and we enjoyed the experience we had at the restaurant, although this meal did change the course of the entire trip for us. Unfortunately, after eating this meal, we developed something our expat friends call the “Thailand Tummy.” We ended up not feeling well for almost all of the remaining days of our time in Chiang Mai. Something in the meal definitely did not sit right with us afterwards. We even texted Auntie Prim to see if she felt anything but she did not. Because we were feeling a bit under the weather the next several days we took it slow and tried to be cautious about what we ate.
One afternoon Emily found a fancy tea and pastry café called Saruda Finest Pastry. They had delightful cookies, and this cheesecake with raisins, rum, and parmesan that was oddly satisfying. The staff said that foreigners really like that dessert. We ended up returning to this cafe later in the week to enjoy another sweet treat or two.
There were a couple of restaurants we wanted to try that were a bit farther away so we decided to rent a moto for a couple of days to check them out. I got to practice driving in Chiang Mai traffic while also enjoying more tasty treats. Since the last time I was in Chiang Mai, I heard about this bakery that specializes in croissants called PROOF. This intrigued me very much. It had been closed for renovations during my last stay so I knew I had to try and make it this time.
The first time we arrived we saw a SOLD OUT sign out front, which we were shocked to see. They told us that they were out of croissants and only had a couple pieces of money bread available. We bought what they had and made a plan to come back early the following day before they opened to make sure we were in line to get a croissant.
We woke up early the next day to arrive at PROOF before it opened. Our queue number was #38. With one queue card, you are allowed to buy up to six croissants. There were several people who had multiple queue cards at a time. This to us didn’t seem entirely fair but if you have ever seen Thai people at Krispy Kreme in an airport, then it totally makes sense. No wonder it was all sold out the day before.
When they opened, we all filed in and sat down on their fancy sofas and took in the overly picturesque aesthetic of the space. The staff would call five numbers at a time to order their croissants. We don’t know what PROOF looked like before the renovations but what we saw was honestly a bit much for a bakery. It was very elegant and it was evident the space catered to the Thai photoshoot obsession. I mean the amount of cameras present was as if a celebrity walked through the door and we all turned into paparazzi. But the celebrity was the croissants.
It was finally our turn. The croissants looked exquisite, of course. We ordered three almond, one butter, one salted caramel, and one truffle.
These croissants were definitely delicious. Not the best I’ve had in Thailand, but damn close. The experience at PROOF was odd to say the least, but they certainly know how to bake.
This time around we didn’t eat khao soi every day, but we made sure to hit up two new spots and one we really liked from before. One of our new favorites is Kao Soy Nimman. We ordered khao soi and sai uaa. Some have said that this khao soi ranks amongst the best in the world and we could see why. It was one of the best we have had for sure.
The other new place was called Khao Soi Islam Noodles. We loved the vibe here. It definitely seemed family run and all hands were on deck. This place was massive and there always seemed to be a sea of people in motion from the kitchen to waitstaff. Their food was appetizing and flavorful. The khao soi was a bit spicy for Em but boy was the meal tasty.
We returned to one of our favorite spots, Khao Soy Maesai for lunch one day. We visited this place last time we were here and their khao soi is still up there with some of the best we have had to date.
Of course we had to make some time to enjoy one of our favorite places in Chiang Mai, Rustic and Blue. If there is one in town, we go. We went there for lunch and enjoyed the ambiance of the garden area out back. We have always had a good time and eaten great food at Rustic and Blue. This time around was no different.
Last time I was in Chiang Mai I tried the best Japanese curry I had ever had at Papa Curry. Emily wanted to try it so we took the moto there for a late lunch. And as expected, it was delicious. The restaurant has such a cool atmosphere and the gravy is so flavorful, it makes for a great experience.
I have had my eye on Sanmai Ramen for a while now. It has weird hours and was impossible to get a seat last time.
We showed up before they opened and were seventh in the queue. They do not do reservations because it’s so small. As we waited for them to open, we placed our order so that once we were seated, we would get our food rather quickly.
Ever since working at a Japanese restaurant, I have always taken interest in ramen. This place simmers their bone broth for 18 hours. I was very excited, to say the least. Because the restaurant was quite small you could hear the back of house playing My Chemical Romance and other various emo bands. As my inner teenage angst settled in, I knew I was going to like this place.
We were the last group to be seated in the first round of seating. Our ramen was some of the best ramen we had ever tasted. Emily opted for the Hakata style tonkatsu ramen while I opted for the spicy version. Emily’s bowl was creamy and rich and mine was not very spicy, but full of umami and flavor. After adding a bit of chili pepper, I had the perfect bowl of ramen, hands down. Go here or you’ll be missing out on a mouthwatering experience.
We were recommended to visit a specific stall at the Chang Puak Market (otherwise known as Northgate Market). One evening we decided to check it out for dinner. We didn’t know the name of the stall but we were provided a picture of the sign (see the one below). We were told to eat their spicy chicken salad and their stewed pork leg on rice. The stall wasn’t hard to find as she was stationed out front with plenty of customers milling around. (We later learned that the cook at the stall next to hers famously wears a cowboy hat and attracts crowds of tourists.)
The lady asked if we wanted to try her tamarind sauce chicken which was amazing and she added some of it to our order. The market seemed to have great food all down the street, which we could have spent days trying all the different vendors. We will be spending more time here next time.
For dessert that night, we moto’ed to a rotee stand called Rotee Padae. It was recently recognized by Michelin. It was the only stand in the middle of an empty street in front of a wat. There were three ladies behind the stall cooking what was the best rotee I had ever tasted. It was cheap and delicious. They were so kind and even kindly offered Emily a chair for her to sit on while we waited for our food.
For our last meal, I wanted to go to a place I had my eye on this entire time. A place called Ginger Farm Kitchen. I knew the ambiance would be something Emily would enjoy and the food looked vibrant and inviting. We ordered a lot of food and a few drinks as well.
We ended up ordering so much food that the waitress said the chef would like to gift us one of the two meat dishes that Michelin recognized. That said, we went for the crispy pork belly. It was outstanding. We ate so much food but we knew that because our flight was during dinner that it had to last us until tomorrow.
Despite the focus on food throughout our time in Chiang Mai, we also enjoyed adventuring to places not food-related. While we won’t mention all activities, here is a solid summary of many of the places we did visit.
Because we were located in the heart of Nimman we spent a lot of time exploring the neighborhood streets, shops, and sites. One of the most happenin’ places in the neighborhood is a place called One Nimman. It’s an outdoor shopping area with various pop-up markets throughout the week.
One evening we went to a vintage market. They sell a lot of older clothes and band t-shirts. It was quite a trip to walk though. I saw so many bands that gave me a bit of a blast into the past. Lots of 90s and early 2000s nostalgia. I even asked around to see if they had any Rush shirts but the only one I could find was way too large for me. Oh what could have been...
On New Year’s Eve, we attempted to visit a couple of bars, but couldn’t find a place that wasn’t too expensive or had what we were looking for as far as drinks. So we ended up going to 7-Eleven and getting bottles of Singha to enjoy back at our Airbnb. From there we were actually able to see fireworks in the distance which was great. While it sounds like a dud, it was lovely to be with each other to reflect and remember the past year’s ups and downs.
Emily was able to try out a yoga studio recommended to her last time we were in town. The studio is called Wild Rose Yoga and has a calm nature-y vibe. The class was hosted in a wooden house with a garden surrounding the space and a skilled, strong teacher leading the class. Emily enjoyed the lovely reprieve to take some time to relax and recharge. She was able to fit in two classes during our time there and looks forward to returning next time we’re in the area!
One evening we decided to spend the evening at the movies. We watched a film called Chungking Express. We went in knowing very little about the movie except that it came out in 1994 and was made in Hong Kong. It ended up being a great stylized romantic comedy with noir vibes. We both enjoyed it very much. Check it out!
One thing to know about Chiang Mai is that there is lots of great coffee. There are many coffee farms in northern Thailand, as well as many specialty coffee shops and cafes all over the city. With that in mind, I mentioned to a college friend of mine who now works in the business of coffee that we would be in Chiang Mai for the next few days. I offered to buy some coffee and send it to him while we were here. He gave us a few places he was interested in.
We ended up going to several places but the one that stood out to us was Specialty Coffee Collection. We knew right away that this place was something special. The barista had a coffee academy certification embroidered on her apron.
As many of you may or may not know, I have never tried coffee in my life. I enjoy the smell but have never wanted to drink it. Emily ordered a pour over which we thought would be a simple drink to make. We were dead wrong. The amount of time and effort this barista took to make the perfect coffee was something we have never experienced before. Since both of us know very little about coffee, we were amazed. I am sure a coffee enthusiast would’ve known what was going on.
Not only did the barista clean the grinding machine meticulously, she individually picked each bean that would be ground for this pour over. She made sure it weighed correctly and proceeded to grind the coffee. The barista would give us whiffs of each new stage she put the coffee beans through. More scales came out for measuring weight and temperatures. Then she took it over to the sink where there was an ice bath. She dunked the container that had the coffee in until it was exactly at the temperature at which it was supposed to be consumed. She poured it in a WINE GLASS and handed it to us.
I knew right then that THIS coffee had to be the first coffee I would try. We took our seat and I took a sip. As I predicted from the start, I did not like it. I don’t understand coffee. It is too bitter for my taste buds at my current stage in life. Maybe that will change, who knows. Emily enjoyed it very much. Later that day we shipped the beans to my friend, hopeful they would get to him at some point in the near future. Shout out to Rob at Made Coffee in Florida.
After walking around the city and observing the street art here and there, Emily did a bit of research and discovered that street art is pretty popular in Chiang Mai and that Nimman was a great part of the city to spot the art of several local artists. One afternoon we decided to walk all around Nimman taking pictures of all the cool street art and murals around the area.
After several days wandering around the city we were itching to see some greenery and adventure into the mountains for a day. We rented a moto and rode an hour north of the city to a place called Mon Jam. Mon Jam is an area of mountain top farming that overlooks the Mae Rim Valley. While most of the views are cluttered with touristic accommodations like overnight tents, restaurants, and coffee shops, it is nonetheless a breathtaking place to visit.
We weren’t sure our moto would make it up some of the very steep windy roads leading up the mountains but we made it. There were several gardens that cost a dollar or less per person to enter. The flowers were beautiful. Some of the panoramic views were mitigated by the fact that the smoky season had started in Chiang Mai and covered some of the valley’s view. Emily fully enjoyed this excursion and loved taking in all the beautiful flower scenery.
On our way down we bought some strawberries as every stand on the way up was selling them. It must have been the season and what the majority of this community farms. Thailand is generally too hot to grow strawberries, so we felt lucky to find some local ones up in the cooler northern part of the country. They were perfectly sweet and delicious.
On one of our walks around the neighborhood we saw a billboard advertising something called Bully Bowl. After a Google search we learned there was a bowling alley not too far from our stay. So, one evening we decided to check it out. It was unclear where exactly in the mall it was located. We headed up the escalators and wandered around attempting to follow the signs, but the whole top floor was deserted. When we say “deserted” we really mean it. Lights flicked, areas were unkept, and we began wondering if we were even allowed up there.
Every once in a while we would see a Bully Bowl sign and after walking for a while longer we finally heard voices and pins dropping and crashing. When we got there we saw another group bowling but otherwise the place was empty. It was perfect. It only cost 300 baht (or $10) to rent shoes and play three games each. We haven’t bowled in a very long time and were quite rusty to say the least. So it was nice to have the whole place practically to ourselves. We were disappointed with our scores but told ourselves that if we found a cheap place in Bangkok that we would continue to practice.
A complete list of all the restaurants we visited on this trip:
New:
Beast Burger
Cherng Doi Roast Chicken
Taiwanese Food Jinjiao Dumplings
I Tim Baan Yaii
Puang Thong Restaurant
Khao Soi Islam
Saruda Finest Pastry
PROOF
Kao Soy Nimman
Sanmai Ramen
Chang Puak Market
Rotee Padae
Ginger Farm Kitchen
Already visited:
Papa Curry
Rustic and Blue
Soy Maesai
And that ends our Christmas/New Year vacation. The entire experience will go down as our best (so far) vacation of our lives. From the jungle of Khao Sok, to the beaches of Phuket and Krabi, to the bustling food endeavors of Chiang Mai. We hope you enjoyed reading about our adventures and foodscapades. We hope 2021 brings a better year to all.
