Oh my gosh! I haven't been so excited about food…since last entry! Here we have the no so humble Khao Soi sold in a rather humble little shack like place in a small lane off Chotana Road. I knew it would be good when the Thai friend who took us there said it's his favorite Khao Soi place since childhood, and I got really excited as soon as I see the place (see above photo), and the two older ladies who run it - you can find some of the best food in such places!
The shop itself is fairly simple and clean. The walls are adorned with posters of reviews and articles about this eatery from various magazines. Looking at the rather extensive looking menu board, I was little astounded. I've always thought Khao Soi comes in 3 varieties - pork ribs, chicken, beef…was rather surprised to see varieties like Mama (instant noodles) Khao Soi, Vermicelli noodles Khao Soi, as well as fish, pork and beef ball khao sois on the list. Regular Khao Sois are 25 baht per bowl, and you can even combine 4 different "meats" together for 90 baht. They even have special Khao Sois for children (on request).
I decided to put in my regular Khao Soi order - Khao Soi with Pork Ribs.
As we helped ourselves with complimentary water and ice, our Khao Sois arrive with condiments - lime wedges, shallots and generous amounts of homemade pickled mustard greens. The deep colour of the broth already hints on how great the Khao Soi would be.
And yes, it was GOOD. The broth was beautiful, rich and deeply flavored, and surprising not that spicy (for me). Of course, you can always add extra chilli if you like. The pork ribs were lovely - succulent and tender, and the homemade pickled mustard greens were great too - crunchy and mild tasting to add an nice contrast to the khao soi.
Khao Soi Mae Manee
18 Soi Chotana 24
T. Changpeuk, A. Muang
Chiang Mai
Tel: 053 218 286, 053 218 519, 0819612235
Open daily, closed on Buddha days.
...and yes, this is my new favourite Khao Soi place!
