The best food in Thailand has to be the street food. It is so good that vivid memories of certain Bangkok dishes played a definitive part in luring me back there this month.
Chiang Mai's food stalls are perhaps even more celebrated than Bangkok's - Chiang Mia was chosen to host the 2012 Masterchef final because of this... So after finding out that my Thai island detox was not to be, I let my stomach do the talking... Goodbye slim, tanned me!
I soon found myself faced by stall after stall of curiosities, and rearing to go and curate my first meal. As with all the best food markets, it's soon clear from the size of the huddles around each vender which dishes have the local vote. I have always gone by what looks most popular and believe this has let me eat like a king without getting sick... if the food sells out quickly, it doesn't have time to fester in the heat!
If you drive around the outskirts of the old town you will find plenty of clusters but here are few of my favourite hot spots...
Chiang Mai's food stalls are perhaps even more celebrated than Bangkok's - Chiang Mia was chosen to host the 2012 Masterchef final because of this... So after finding out that my Thai island detox was not to be, I let my stomach do the talking... Goodbye slim, tanned me!
I soon found myself faced by stall after stall of curiosities, and rearing to go and curate my first meal. As with all the best food markets, it's soon clear from the size of the huddles around each vender which dishes have the local vote. I have always gone by what looks most popular and believe this has let me eat like a king without getting sick... if the food sells out quickly, it doesn't have time to fester in the heat!
If you drive around the outskirts of the old town you will find plenty of clusters but here are few of my favourite hot spots...
Thanin market
At the top of my list is Thanin Market, a proper food market selling tonnes of fish, meat, fruit and vegetables, along with a wide selection of prepared food. As with all Thai street food, the prices are amazingly low and we bought a lavish feast for a mere £3.
At the top of my list is Thanin Market, a proper food market selling tonnes of fish, meat, fruit and vegetables, along with a wide selection of prepared food. As with all Thai street food, the prices are amazingly low and we bought a lavish feast for a mere £3.
This is our favourite stall, selling beautifully fragrant curries and delicious stir fried meat and vegetables.
And this lady sells yummy Thai desserts.
My favourite are these syrupy Tong Yord which are balls of egg-y rice dough cooked in a floral syrup.
Banruang Buri Road /
Chiang Mai Gate
There is a fruit market here by day with a couple of food stalls but by night it comes alive with hawkers all along the street selling noodle soups, curries, stir fries, and grilled meats. While I enjoyed the food I tried here, I had one of the best meals just along from these stalls, on the same stretch of road, towards Wat Moon Muang. There, beneath a closed Michelin Tyre shop, is a stall selling Suki Yaki three ways – in a broth (as is traditional), dry on a hot plate, or stir fried on a normal plate.
There is a fruit market here by day with a couple of food stalls but by night it comes alive with hawkers all along the street selling noodle soups, curries, stir fries, and grilled meats. While I enjoyed the food I tried here, I had one of the best meals just along from these stalls, on the same stretch of road, towards Wat Moon Muang. There, beneath a closed Michelin Tyre shop, is a stall selling Suki Yaki three ways – in a broth (as is traditional), dry on a hot plate, or stir fried on a normal plate.
We love the seafood Suki Yaki on a hot plate...
...but aren’t so keen on this strange looking deep fried oyster dish!
Malin Plaza
This covered market is next to Chiang Mai University so a regular haunt for students. It is also a fun place to wander around as they sell all sorts of other things there too. There are a number of stalls, all with seating, selling a wide array of cuisines. Japanese food is particularly popular here but if you want to try Thai food there are also a good few traditional stalls to choose from. The Suki Yaki stall photographed here is particularly popular.
Nimmahaemin Road Sois
The sois (avenues) coming off the Nimmahaemin road have plenty of bars, restaurants and street food options for lunch or dinner. It is vibrant fun neighbourhood in any case so is perfect if you also want to browse some boutiques around lunch or go out for a drink in the evening (see my introduction to Chiang Mai post here).
We found this delicious egg curry and noodle dish at on of the stalls visible from Nimmahaemin road itself.
There is also a great Northern Thai restaurant there called Tong Tem Toh that gets packed with locals. We tried some chilli fried pork, stir fried morning glory, Chiang Mai sausage, and crispy pork with Nam Prik Ong – a chilli dip that was so delicious I finished it off without any thing to dip in it at the end!
 |
| It was so good I only remembered to photograph it half way through eating! |
Warorot Market & Tonlam Yai Market
This is another night market that has a few food stalls but not as wide a selection as elsewhere. They also sell clothes and other bits and pieces. In the day (until around 5pm) there is a covered food and spices market called Tonlam Yai which is a great place to pick up ingredients to take back home. I bought dried Kaffir Lime Peel since you can’t get fresh Kaffir limes back in the UK because of some importation restriction. I also bought some of the dried chili flakes for sprinkling over things, some dried birds-eye chilies that were so hot they gave my hand a rash when I first used them, some Gaeng Hang Lay spice mix to make the Burmese curry I learnt in my cookery class. You can only get this in little sachets. Some Thai cardamom – this is different from regular cardamom in that the pods are fatter, greener and more fragrant. I found it impossible to get these at home and they are an important component in making Massaman curry paste. I also got some Thai garlic as it is expensive in London and really does have a different, mellower taste.
Samoer Jai
Last on my list is a little restaurant called Samoer Jai
that is famed for its Khao Soi – a famous Chaing Mai curry dish that has Indian
masala spices in its paste, is thickened with coconut milk and served with
crispy deep fried noodles on top. The one we had was scrumptious so I would say
it is worth the short drive from the centre.
We also tried the Khanom Jeem Nam Ngiao – a spicy, tomatoey broth with meat, offal, noodles and fresh herbs, which was pretty interesting though not an all time favourite.
We also tried the Khanom Jeem Nam Ngiao – a spicy, tomatoey broth with meat, offal, noodles and fresh herbs, which was pretty interesting though not an all time favourite.
Chiang Mai foodie blog, Chaing mai
where to eat, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai street
food, Chiang mai food markets, Chiang mai restaurants, Chiang mai food stalls,
Chiang mai northern thai restaurant, Chiang northern thai food,
Chiang Mai foodie blog, Chaing mai where to eat, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai food markets, Chiang mai restaurants, Chiang mai food stalls, Chiang mai northern thai restaurant, Chiang northern thai food,
Chiang Mai foodie blog, Chaing mai where to eat, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai food markets, Chiang mai restaurants, Chiang mai food stalls, Chiang mai northern thai restaurant, Chiang northern thai food,
Chiang Mai foodie blog, Chaing mai where to eat, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai food markets, Chiang mai restaurants, Chiang mai food stalls, Chiang mai northern thai restaurant, Chiang northern thai food,
Chiang Mai foodie blog, Chaing mai where to eat, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai food markets, Chiang mai restaurants, Chiang mai food stalls, Chiang mai northern thai restaurant, Chiang northern thai food,
Chiang Mai foodie blog, Chaing mai where to eat, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai street food, Chiang mai food markets, Chiang mai restaurants, Chiang mai food stalls, Chiang mai northern thai restaurant, Chiang northern thai food,
