Moo Joom - a footpath eatery

Many Asian countries have their own version of the hot pot. Here is Thailand's street version - "Moo Joom". "Moo" means pork, "Joom" = "dip", so you cook the pork in the spicy tom-yum like soup in these cutest little earthenware pots, heated by charcoal.

We came across this footpath restaurant just up the road from Suan Dok Temple, opposite Chiang Mai University's Faculty of Dentistry. Some of Chiang Mai's streets tend to come "alive" after dark with these kind of street restaurants offering cheap street food, and the areas behind Chiang Mai University is no exception.

This particular Moo Joom place was rather busy. It was quite early in the evening, and the stall, spanning over 2 shopfronts, was already packed - a hallmark of a good street eatery. Of course, if you choose to eat at a street restaurant, you should always select a busy place to ensure fresh food!

The standard fare here comes with a plate of sliced pork and a plastic basket of vegies and fresh egg. All these for only 60 baht. Yes, it was very tasty and quite delicious (and probably full of MSG too!) You can also order a variety of pork internal organs to accompany your hot pot, if you so fancy. : )

The restaurants also offer other dishes as well, eg. the ever popular Som-tum (papaya salad), and very tasty chicken and pork, grilled by the roadside.

Altogether, the bill came to...110 baht for 2 - only 55 baht each for a good meal!