Chiang Mai – Art Cafe

Art Cafe at Taepae Gate, for me, has all the ambiance and charm of a 70’s/80’s U.S. roadside diner.

I believe Breaakfast is the ‘main event’, but they also serve lunch and dinner. HUGE MENU!

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MY FAVORITE is the ‘American Breakfast’; where I select:

– scrambled eggs

– three pieces of bacon

– two pieces of whole wheat toast

– mango jam

– mango juice

– mango coffee

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Keeping in line with the 70’s/80’s, the TOTAL COST is 150baht, $4.62.

That’s right, $4.62 USD!

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Chiang Mai – Nu’s Place Restaurant

Nu’s is a small open air restaurant in the North End of Chiang Mai, serving both lunch and dinner.

Nu is fluent in English, and has menus in Thai AND English.

Note: If you don’t want the food ‘too spicy’ he will understand.

The vast majority of dishes are Thai, although he does have several western items, such as club sanwhiches.

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ONE of my favorite meals:

A very well made, and large, Chicken Pad Thai, and (3) three chicken satays (skewers) with peanut sauce.

TOTAL COST = 65baht @ 32.5 = $2.00. That’s right, $2.00USD!

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LOCATION:

It’s about 100-feet from the BEST Seviced Apartment in  Chiang Mai, the Viangbua Mansion.

https://seattle99.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/chiang-mai-%e2%80%93-viangbua-mansion-review/

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I tell ya what: ‘Everyday in Everyway, it’s getting Better, and Better, and Better’!

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Chiang Mai – Night Safari wins award for BEST £60 ‘Exotic Buffet’, AND . . .

AND, what?

‘BEST EDUCATIONAL RECREATION AWARD’

Via: City News – Chiang Mai

Thailand Tourism Awardshas been held once every two years since 1996 and is approved by World Tourism Organisation.

“After three years of hard work, Chiang Mai Night Safari is proud of this award and we promise to continue improving,” the director of Chiang Mai Night Safari, Sarawut Srisakun, said.

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=2405

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Okay, now what about the BEST £60 ‘Exotic Buffet’?

Via: Daily Mail

‘Come to zoo . . . then eat the animals’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-594367/Come-zoo–eat-animals.html

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Seriously, you can’t make this sh*t up!

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Chiang Mai – Cafe Din Dee (Mudhouse Cafe)

Via: Where to Eat in Chiang Mai

Nestled in a little mud house in the carpark of Chiang Mai University Art Centre on the quiet end of Nimmanhaemin Rd, this Japanese runned cafe offers lovely healthy vegetarian meals, fantastic looking drinks (especially on a hot day!) and desserts.

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After much deliberation on the type of curry I want, I settle for the DinDee Original Curry, which contains chickpeas, kidney beans, vegetables and gram masala. If you can’t eat spicy food, you’d be relieved to know that this curry is only very mildly spicy, and it’s very lovely with the brown rice – a very nice, light, gentle and comforting meal. White rice is also available if you don’t like brown rice. The soup that comes with the curry is great too.

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109 baht  ($3.63 USD – OUTRAGEOUS!) for the set or 90 baht ($3.00 – hey, that’s much better!) for curry only.

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http://cm-eat.blogspot.com/2013/06/cafe-din-dee-mudhouse-cafe.html

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note:

Normally I find veggie food ‘way too healthy’; but when I want to tempt fate, hey why not?

 🙂

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Chiang Mai – (7) Seven Veggie Restaurants

Via: City Life

1. Brown Rice Organic Bistro

Now in a new open-air space in the middle of the Old City, Brown Rice Organic Bistro is a lovely place to linger over healthy juices (G.O.D. – featuring chlorophyll, honey and coconut water – is the perfect refresher on a steamy day), homemade baked goods and a variety of delicious Thai fusion dishes made from scratch by award-winning Chef Duang. Don’t miss the Thai herbal salad, and arrive on a bicycle for a 10% discount! (cool!)

www.facebook.com/BrownRiceOrganicBistro

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2. Anchan Vegetarian

In existence for less than a year, Anchan Vegetarian is already rated number one out of 979 restaurants in Chiang Mai on TripAdvisor. An impressive feat, but as soon as you enter this lovingly decorated little second floor establishment off Nimman, you’ll understand the charm. Friendly staff serve up delicious Thai curries, fresh homemade butterfly pea juice and a killer deep fried banana flower salad, all made from organic, locally sourced ingredients.

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www.facebook.com/AnchanVegetarianRestaurant

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3. Free Bird Café

As part of one of Chiang Mai’s most beloved non-profits, Thai Freedom House, Free Bird Cafe is the place to be when you’re looking to feel good inside and out. Their meat-free Burmese food is of the extra healthy variety – no deep-fried veggies here – but still manages to taste absolutely delicious, from the Burmese green tea leaf salad to the veggie-loaded khao soy. Used items and crafts made by refugee students are also for sale in the back, so give it a browse and support a great cause! Their new location is easy to find, just across the moat from the north gate.

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www.facebook.com/FreeBirdCafe

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The other (4) four, HERE:

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http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/viewfa.php?id=3802

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Thailand – Yum, Yum, Good!

Via: Pattaya Daily News

on a winter’s day, a reporter driving in Phitsanulok province noticed a big poster on the side of the road, which said “GRILLED RATS.” The sign was on the roadside along the route going from Sukhothai to Pitsanulok in Tambon Phaikhordorn, about 10 km from Phitsanulok.

The reporter stopped and talked to the rat-selling owner, Mrs. Somboon Yuyen, age 50, who lives on Tharmmul road, Amphur Meuang, Chainart province.

She said that selling grilled rats is a business that provides revenues to many families in the area. In winter, many local people like to eat grilled rats and come to buy her rats. Sometimes there are so many customers, she runs out of grilled rats to sell.

Mrs. Somboon has been selling grilled field rats for about 7 years. In the decade before that, she used to mainly catch the field rats to sell to the grilled rat shops. Back then the price would be 30 THB per kg ($1USD). Her revenue would total only 200 THB per day.

Then the wholesale rat prices increased to 80-100 THB per kg. However, the grilled rats had a higher price of 150 THB per kg. So Ms. Somboon and her husband began to catch the field rats to grill and sell themselves.

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Read more, HERE:

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2013/01/25/grilled-rats-are-a-tasty-snack-in-phitsanulok/

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photo:

” Popular rat dishes include fried field rats, curry field rat, and fried field rats with garlic.” – Bubba Gump

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Chiang Mai – Fern Forest Cafe

Via: Where To Eat in Chiang Mai

What a better way to catch up with a friend over coffee and cakes in the lovely tropical garden of Fern Forest Cafe.

Fern Forest Cafe is set in a wooden Thai house in one of the lanes in Chiang Mai’s charming old city. You can dine in the shady tropical garden, or in an air-conditioned room in the house. The menu is quite extensive, with lots of different types of cakes, coffee and other drinks, as well as meals like quiche and sandwiches.

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I opt for the Banofee Pie (see photo) – very interesting! I have never seen anything like it!

The base is nice and crumbly and crunchy, laced with caramel, I think. There are lots of just plain old bananas, as you can see, and a layer of caramel syrupy thing is spreaded over the top, and the “pie” is then topped with a thick layer of cream. Very nice and lightish (if not for the cream!). 75 baht. ($2.42 USD)

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My friend chose the Coconut Pie, which is also quite nice. The pie is filled with shredded coconut in smooth, soft and creamy (something like) custard. Also 75 baht ($2.42 USD). Incidentally, quite a few people from various internet sites recommend this pie.

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The coffee is fine. Apparently Fern Forest Cafe grows their own coffee. Coffee connoisseurs may not find it too impressive though, but I find it quite pleasant, and not bitter.

All in all, I think Fern Forest Cafe is a lovely coffee shop. Very nice relaxing ambience, very good (and interesting) cakes, pretty good coffee, reasonable prices. It’s worth a visit if you’re in the area. It’s also quite a popular place with streams of people coming in an out the whole time we are there.

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See website for address and map:

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http://cm-eat.blogspot.com/search/label/Old%20Town

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personal thought:

I can’t recommend this place enough – check it out!

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Chiang Mai – ‘Butter is Better’ Restaurant

Via: Dining Guide

This cutely named eating place opened in its new premises a few months ago on the Chang Klan Road, on the same side of the road and about three hundred meters before the huge Shangri La Hotel. There is a car park adjoining the spacious restaurant, which is open from 8a.m. until 5p.m. every day (closed on Tuesdays in ‘low season’).

It’s a difficult place to categorise, perhaps more of an all day café or what might be called a ‘diner’, than a restaurant. The menu is quite large and features breakfast ‘sets’ as well as many other dishes. It serves so many things that one would never go hungry, but it is not a dining out experience in the style of a fancy restaurant. It has plenty of space, comfortable tables, a huge selection of magazines and newspapers and makes for an idea place fro a ‘brunch’ or tea as well as breakfast.

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There are classics on the menu such as Eggs Benedict, Club Sandwiches, Shrimp Gumbo and such items as chili hot dogs and hamburgers. There are plenty of sweeter items, from English muffins to blueberry pancakes and  chocolate puddings , plus a full range of soft drinks, coffees and teas ( some of them rather special)

On a recent visit I enjoyed the home made bagel served with plenty of butter on the side, cream cheese and  Norwegian smoked salmon while by Thai friend went for the mildly spicy chili hot dog. We both had smoothies and they were absolutely delicious, a nice blend of different fruits.

This is a quiet place for a snack or a substantial day time meal.

(On the Night Bazaar Street, virtually caddy corner to Pantip Plaza, the giant high tech shopping center).

http://www.diningguidechiangmai.com/2010/11/butter-is-better-review.html

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NOTE: If you don’t wan to go out, they WILL deliver!

You can see the FULL menu, with prices, HERE:

http://www.mealsonwheels4u.com/food_shows.php?restaurant_id=077

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personal opinion:

Very Good American food, especially considering, it’s half way around the world!

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Chiang Mai Miquel’s Restaurant – Real Mexican Food

Via: Miquel’s Cafe

EXAMPLE: #1 – “Dos Amigos” (160 baht / USD $5.16)

your choice:
– 1 taco (veggie, beef or chicken)
– 1 enchilada (bean, cheese, beef or chicken)

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EXAMPLE: #2 – 3 “Amigos” (220baht /USD $7.10)
– cheese enchilada
– mini beef burrito
-chicken taco

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EXAMPLE #3 – “El Rico” (250baht / USD $8.06)
– 1 mini super (sauce & cheese) beef burrito
– 1 mini chicken quesadilla,
– 1 steak taco

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personal thought:

If you get tired of pad thai, check out Miquel’s; seriously, it’s quite good.

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their website (locations. full menu):

http://www.miguels-cafe.com/

And YES, they deliver!

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Chiang Mai – Le Spice Restaurant

Via: Epicurean

Of all the indian restaurants I’ve tried in Chiang Mai, Le Spice is my favourite.

This place identifies as an indian, thai, and seafood restaurant. My suggestion: go indian. The sets start at 99 baht (USD $3.19) and generally include two curries, a dahl, raita, papadum and rice. (see photo)

If you’re with a group of people, it’s always fun to order a number of dishes a la carte and share. Just think, the more people you’re with, the more dishes you can try.

The menu is extensive.

To aid the selection process, decide what kind of curry you’re in the mood for [vindaloo, masala, saag, etc.] and then choose the meat/vegetable [chicken, mutton, beef, fish, paneer, etc].

To get there, drive down the night bazaar road and about midway you’ll see the Kalare complex on your left.  Turn immediately left down the soi and you’ll see the brightly-lit Le Spice sign on the right.

notables | fish tikka. malai kofta [vegetable balls in a creamy curry]. vindaloo and/or masala [fish, chicken, mutton, you decide]. saag paneer [homemade indian cheese in spinach curry]. bengan bharta [eggplant curry]. any rice biriyani. lots of garlic naan. le spice naan [addition of dried fruit, coconut = funky].

sweet notables | kulfi [spiced rice ice cream]. kheer [indian rice pudding].

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note | definitely vegetarian-friendly.

personal note: It’s also  very ‘carnivore friendly’.

http://chiangmaiepicurean.blogspot.com/2008/10/le-spice.html

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