Corner Bistro

I've heard that Corner Bistro's fries are amazing. On the menu, it said the fries are triple fried - not something I've heard of before! Sounds pretty special though, especially when you can choose various dips to come with it, as well as adding some optional toppings like cheese, gravy or chilli. Mmm..

I went with a friend to this great little restaurant for a late lunch. We had a choice of the breakfast or the dinner menu. The menus weren't large, but we really did have trouble deciding what to eat as everything seemed really good. Finally, we opted for the breakfast menu.. which then led to a bit of a discussion about how to have the eggs!

I've heard that the Eggs Benedict here is fantastic... and I've never had Eggs Benedict in Chiang Mai.. it's just not a common thing here. But alas, it was a very hot day and I felt like something a little lighter. The Eggs Benedict will have to wait for another visit ... so I went for the Slow Cooked Omelette with salmon on the side. The menu said the order will take a while but it's worth it, so why not? It did take quite a long time... and yes, the omelette was lovely, fluffy and creamy and went perfectly with the beautifully cooked and flavoured breakfast potatoes which were boiled the sautéed with onions, capsicum and herbs. The toast was good too - very nice bread! 90 baht + a bit extra for the salmon.

My friend, incidentally, chose the Eggs Florentine with homemade hollandaise sauce, and her order came at the same time as mine... which, I must say, is quite unusual in restaurants in Thailand (unless you go to more expensive Western restaurants). The Eggs Florentine looked terrific. I had a little taste, and it was very good. 150 baht.

...And the fries? Unfortunately, Corner Bistro was out of fries, so that'll have to wait till next time too... but that might have been good thing because I wouldn't have been able to fit in dessert. Now, normally, being health conscious (hehe),  I would usually share dessert, but my friend didn't want to share her brownie so I had to get one for myself! Not something that I was very sorry about... because the homemade brownie was very good - rich and very chocholatey.. It was nicely warmed up too, and contrasted well with the cold ice cream. Yum. 100 baht.

Corner Bistro is a very nice little restaurant with a lovely setting and relaxed atmosphere. They also have an outdoor verandah area. There is also an an air-conditioned room on the 2nd floor as well. 

It's definitely a great place for breakfast or brunch. I haven't tried dinner there yet, but the menu also looks pretty good with various steak and pasta dishes. Incidentally, Kevin, the Thai-American owner, said that dinner is when Corner Bistro really shines, so it would be worth going back and check it out at that time. 

The service is good. The staff is friendly and attentive, always kept our glasses filled with ice cold water (very much appreciated on a very hot day!). 

Corner Bistro

8/8 Ratchapreuk Alley

(Close to Kad Suan Kaew)

Opens daily: 

7am-3pm & 5pm-12am

Tel: 096 497 6766

Fongkaew Kafe

Having followed Appleeyes's rather delicious looking food photos (especially of her cakes!) on Instagram for a little while, I decided to try her little cafe in the north eastern corner of the Old City - Fongkaew Kafe.

Fongkaew Kafe is in a set of shop houses in an area with lots of guest houses, and has a nice selection of drinks priced from around 40-65 baht. Cakes are around this price range as well.

This is their specialty drink - The Expresso Bomb. Frozen expresso balls in a sugar dispenser, served with milk, which you pour over the cinnamon stick to give a hint of cinnamon flavour. As the frozen expresso melts, the drink becomes more and more bitter. Honey is also served with the "bomb" in case it gets too strong! 65 baht. I didn't drink this one, but my friend said it was good!

The cakes are very good too! We chose the Coconut Cake -  very moist and smooth cake, full of coconut flavour, especially yummy with the creamy coconut sauce that's served with it.

The Red Velvet cake is also very good - nice and moist and has a lovely smooth, velvety texture with cream cheese topping.

The great thing I found about the cakes are not too sweet, just the way I like them!

The cafe itself is lovely and comfortable.. A nice place to hangout with friends!

Fongkaew Kafe
Turn left and Moonmeung Soi 9, after 20m, turn right into a soi full of shop houses.
Opens: Tue-Sun 8:30am-7pm
Tel: 085 107 8387

Facebook page


View Fongkaew Kafe in a larger map

My Secret Cafe

Yes, this charming cafe really lives up to the name, and I do wish that it really is a secret... Which means I shouldn't really write a post about this! LOL

When a friend first took me to this rather well hidden location... my first thought was... wow! This is rather adventurous.... Then it was... where on earth are you taking me? She took me through a beautiful tree lined street, crossed a little canal, over a dirt road, and into a rather bushy carpark with no building in sight.

A short stroll through a row of roses later, a pink house appeared. I excitedly quickened my step towards this littIe cafe. I could see immediately that this would be a very nice and relaxing place to hang around for the afternoon.

The decor is an eclectic mix of antiques from various places, but somehow they work! The cafe itself is very comfortable and cosy.

If you like to have a bit of a walk afterwards to burn off some calories, you'll also be able to wander the grounds of My Secret Cafe, may be say hello to the resident dogs and horse, walk over to the large pond and check out the guest house.

Ja Jaa, the lovely young Thai owner lived in the UK for about 10 years, and studied cookery at an Irish country hotel before returning to Thailand, which explains the unusual (for Chiang Mai) country style cakes in the cafe...At My Secret Cafe, you'll be sampling homemade cakes such as Peach and Kumquat Upside down Cake (90 baht), GCC- Giant Cookie Cake (90 baht), Apple Cake (80 baht), and more..

The Peach and Kumquat Upside down Cake was nice and moist - quite lovely, and with chunks of peaches and kumquats providing a nice contrast of flavours and texture.

The GCC was exactly that - a giant cookie. Nice, chunky and rich.

We also had the brownie, which was very lovely and rich with all the chocolaty goodness. Perfect for a chocolate fix.

In terms of beverages, I ordered a Nutella cocoa drink. It was quite nice, but wasn't very hot when served. 65 baht. Hot coffee here cost about 55-65 baht.

....all these between two people...we were extremely full!

From front and going clockwise - GCC (Giant Cookie Cake),
Peach & Kumquat Upside Down Cake & Chocolate Brownie

The second time I visited with my family one afternoon, there weren't many cakes left. However, Ja Jaa was making fresh waffles - Thai Tea Caramel Waffles (with caramel sauce that has been infused with Thai tea) and Chocolate Chip Waffles. We ordered one of each and they both were fantastic - warm, crispy on the outside, richly flavoured and soft on the inside. They were great ... some of the nicest waffles I've had!

All in all, we all really enjoyed My Secret Cafe. It's such a charming place, and very relaxing. A perfect get away for an afternoon. The homemade country style cakes are lovely and very different from what you'd get elsewhere. Really worth visiting!

My Secret Cafe
10/4 Moo 3
T. Sanpheeseur A. Muang
Chiang Mai
Tel: 081 499 9911
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Secret-Cafe/160854730624889
Opens: Tue-Sun 10:30am-5pm



View My Secret Cafe in a larger map

Kafe Vino Coffee and Wine Bar

Kafe Vino is one of those places that only locals would know (unless you get the word from bloggers like me!)..actually, some locals may not even know about it... This funky cafe is a great place for coffee by day and wine by night! ...Although the you wouldn't want to have a little too much wine after leaving Kafe Vino for fear of driving (or falling) into the very large drain along the road side opposite the cafe (you'll know what I mean when you see it!). Don't let that deter you though...the food here is  good, the ambience nice and cosy, and there's a wine buffet for wine lovers!

Kafe Vino offers Thai and Western food, as well as mouthwatering desserts. Lunchtime specials start from 49 baht. I went for dinner though...with a goal of eating dessert in mind...

So I order a...Crispy Prawn Salad with Thousand Island Dressing, which is lovely and fresh. The thousand island dressing is quite interesting with a peachy orangey flavour. My friend orders the Grilled Beef Salad with Sesame Dressing, which is also very nice ...looks exactly the same, but with tender grilled beef on top. Both 125 baht each.

We also order the Fried Chicken with Wasabi Mayo Sauce to share, which is more of a snack size. I would have liked the chicken to be hotter (but it could have turned cold as I took photos though..hehe) and crunchier, but overall, it's pretty good, and the wasabi mayo adds a nice punch to the dish. 115 baht.

...And now the dessert... There is a selection of about 6 different types of cakes in their fridge and they all look great. The owner recommends:

Green Tea Crepe Cake...crepe cakes seems to be the rage in Chiang Mai at the moment. I have been meaning to try one for a while so here is my chance. The layers of the green crepes and cream looks great. The flavour was quite subtle. The cake is served with a strawberry sauce (very yummy!), but it overwhelms the green tea flavour. Still, the crepe cake is very nice.

Coconut Cake - lovely subtle flavour, only slightly sweet. The fresh cream is mixed with coconut juice, and there's a generous layer of thin coconut slices as well. I really enjoyed the coconut cream (and I'm not normally a cream person).

The ambience at Kafe Vino is very nice and cosy. The cafe is set in a Thai wooden house, and the tables are set in various rooms of the house. There is a very quiet, comfortable and relaxing feel when sitting down for a meal or chat.

Kafe Vino
38 Moo 2
T. Nongjhom, A. Sansai
Chiang Mai
(near Meechok Plaza/Ruamchoke Market)
GPS Location: 18.831780, 99.020130
Website: http://kafevinocm.com/
Tel: 084 595 5777
Opens from 10am-11pm
Closed on Mondays


View Kafe Vino in a larger map

Nakara Jardin Patisserie & Bistro

Nakara Jardin is such a lovely place I almost wanted to keep it as my secret garden and not blog about it. But, for the greater good, I guess I should let my wonderful readers know. : D

Nestled in a beautiful garden next to the Ping River, Nakara Jardin is a tranquil place to spend a few hours either by yourself or with friends. It's a little oasis in the middle of sometimes crazy Chiang Mai!  I really enjoyed the quietness eventhough it was a Sunday afternoon and the shop was quite busy.

Now, let's meet the young chef, Pomme. Chef Pomme opened Nakara Jardin only 2 months ago. Previously, he studied French Cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in Bangkok, and worked for 5 years in the city. Later on, Chef Pomme went back to Le Cordon Bleu to do the patisserie course and returned to Chiang Mai to open Nakara Jardin. The reason I know all this? I actually got to meet Chef Pomme as he brought us our order.

...And he's serving us this beautiful Blueberry Mousse Cheesecake (90 baht), which is not only pretty looking, but is also very good. I loved the plump, juicy blueberries sandwiched between the blueberry mousse and the cheese cake. The creamy tanginess taste is lovely, but I wouldn't mind a bit more of the actual cheese cake.

 

Opera (85 baht) - lovely too. The different textures are very interesting. For some reason, the cake kind of "melted" as we were enjoying it. Still tasted great though.

The Verdict
I love Nakara Jardin. The location is beautiful, the ambience is great, the cakes are good. Prices comparable to similar quality bakeries / cake shops / patisseries. What else can you ask for? I'll definitely go back and try other cakes. They also serve simple lunches like soup and pasta as well.

Nakara Jardin Patisserie & Bistro
11 Soi 9 Charoenprathet Rd
Chiang Mai 50100.
(Behind Ping Nakara Hotel)
Tel: 053 818977
Opens: 10am-6pm
nakarajardin.com

View Nakara Jardin Patisserie & Bistro in a larger map

Mood Mellow - French cake shop (Now closed)

 

Introducing...my current favourite cake shop in Chiang Mai, Mood Mellow. Recently moved from their previous location on Sirimankarajan Road to the hip Nimmanhaemin area,  Mood Mellow's French style cakes are not just simply beautiful ( both in look and taste! ), the shop itself is pretty funky too!

 

This time I had bambini (the white one in the photo below), and the lime tart.

Bambini is a cheesecake - and is so light and fluffy, only slightly sweet, and covered in white chocolate shavings and topped with a single gooseberry -  simply divine.

The lime tart is delicious too. Lovely and tangy, with nice and buttery base. Very nice indeed. 

 

Other cakes to try: Taro Cake - melt in your mouth softness with gorgeous purple colour! The chocolate cake is also great - full of chocolaty goodness! Mmm. I think I'll have to take another trip back to Mood Mellow soon! 

...Oh, don't forget to check out the toilet!

Mood Mellow
Soi 3, Nimmanhaemin Road.