Chef Steak - Steak Buffet!

I've done a couple of posts on salad restaurants (Salad Concept & Coco Salad), but sometimes one just feels like having...lots of meat! So, off we went to the newish "Chef Steak", a local style eatery (open air restaurant on the side of the road) serving steak buffets currently at only 139 baht/person. Bargain!

Arriving at 6pm, the place is almost packed. There's a big BBQ on the right, full of pork and chicken "steak" (very tasty, some of it isn't cooked well enough - just have to ask the BBQ guy to re-cook. I actually thought he might forget and give away my half-eaten pork to someone else, but it was still there when I went back! ). Next to it, there's a ham-carving table (actually, very nice ham). There's also a salad bar (not bad, but the vegies look a bit tired) and a long table with various other dishes such as potato salad, pasta and soup (very nice).

All in all, I think Chef Steak is very good value, especially since you get so much meat! The owner-chef used to work at Amari Rincome Hotel in Chiang Mai that recently closed. Worth checking out. : )

See map below for approximate location:

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Fern Forest Cafe

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. Meals weren't available at lunch at the time of our visit as the cafe didn't have enough staff...so too bad for us - we had to eat cakes for lunch, which was just as well! : P

I opt for the Banofee Pie - 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.

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. Incidentally, quite a few people from various internet sites recommend this pie.

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.

I will definitely go back to try the other cakes. : )

Fern Forest Cafe

2/2 Singharaj Soi 4

Muang, Chiang Mai

Tel: 053 416204, 081 4725347

Open daily 8:30am-8:30pm

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Baan Toong Restaurant (Stewed Duck Noodles)

Stewed Duck Noodles (Kuay Tiew Ped Toon) is the order of the day, and we drop by at Baan Toong Restaurant on the way back from a morning at San Kamphaeng Hot Springs. Looking at it now, this noodle shop is almost in the middle of nowhere, next to rice fields, and on New San Kamphaeng (but actually just up the road to Huen Jai Yong!).

The specialty of this restaurant, you've guessed it, is the Stewed Duck Noodles (30 baht - regular; 35 baht for a bigger portion), but they also have other dishes as well - eg. Stewed Chicken Noodles, Pork-Leg with rice, Duck with rice, Stewed Beef Noodles, as well as dishes like papaya salad.

What does the stewed duck taste like, you ask? Well, the duck is stewed in a mixture of spices (five spice powder), and some herbs (like coriander roots and garlic). The soup is very tasty, herby and fragrant, and served with fresh herbs and vegies and crispy pork rinds (yum!). I find the soup a little too oily (from duck fat, I presume) on first tasting, but this is quickly remedied with one or two teaspoonful of the vinegar/red chilli mixture (found on the table). Personally, I think the dish quite interesting, but not really my cup of tea - the herbal taste too strong for my liking.

Here are a couple of other dishes we ordered - stewed duck wings (quite good) and papaya salad - very nice.

I think this restaurant is worth a try if you're in the area. It's very popular with the locals. People who are used to eating Asian food may enjoy it. The restaurant is on New San Kamphaeng Road. Coming from the city, go pass 2nd Ring Road (121) and the road that takes you to Borsang. Keep going until you see Moo Baan Siwilai on your right. Drive for another 300-400 m and the restaurant will be on your left. Please have a look at approximate location on Google Maps:

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Lunch at Doi Saket Hot Springs

Eggs freshly boiled (self service!) in the hot spring water, crunchy fried chicken in herbal batter, sticky rice and papaya salad....this is today's menu at a little eatery next to the rice fields at Doi Saket Hot Springs.

Doi Saket Hot Springs is one of those lovely little places waiting to be developed into a tourist attraction. Most people who come here are locals, there are no entry fees to use the "park", and the scenery is quite picturesque - rice fields and mountains in the background, a small stream meandering through. A perfect place for a picnic and enjoy food at the eateries / food stalls.

There are more or less 3 stalls (and a rather cute looking coffee shop next door - somewhere to try next time!). For now, the fried chicken is what we're here for. We also order some papaya salad (a tasty salad full of Thai flavours - sour, sweet, salty, and spicy) and sticky rice....and fresh eggs to boil in the "egg boiling well".

It's a rather busy day, and the fried chicken came out rather slowly - but it's worth the wait. Crunchy and herby (possibly from coriander seeds), may be a bit too oily, but the chicken is delicious anyway, and goes down really well with the papaya salad & sticky rice. Mmm finger lickin' good!

The price is even better! It works out only about 150 baht for 4 people - about 35 baht each! Not bad for such a great meal. : D

Doi Saket Hot Springs (about 40 minutes north of Chiang Mai, on the way to Chiang Rai)

Doi Saket

Chaing Mai

Wasana Gaeng Pak Tai (Wasana's Southern Curry)

As lunchtime approaches, I catch a whiff of Southern Fried Chicken (Thai style!) from the Southern Thai food restaurant behind the office. The smell of deep fried garlic and herbs used to marinate the chicken is too much, and our salivary glands instantly go into overdrive! Next thing we know, we're on our way to this simple (and a little grubby) restaurant.

Several pots are already set up in the front table. This is today's menu - various types of curries, including Escargot Curry, which I wasn't too game to try out!

Ah, and here is what we come for - one of the yummiest fried chicken...ever. The chicken is marinated with a secret recipe of herbs and spices, as well as heaps of garlic. Actually, my favourite is the crunchy and quite salty deep fried garlic pieces. We often do take away, and go over to the market and buy some sticky rice to go with the chicken (and garlic!). Delicious!

This time, we opt to eat in. We also try this excellent and extremely spicy pork ribs curry. Warning! The food here is great, but almost every dish in this restaurant is extremely spicy!

For some great very spicy southern curry (and fried chicken), Wasana Gaeng Pak Tai is a good place to check out!

Please note: This restaurant isn't the cleanest! Eat there at your own risk!

Wasana Gaeng Pak Tai

Ruamchoke Market

Mae Jo Road

Coco Salad

Sometimes it's nice just to have a simple salad for dinner, so off we went to Coco Salad, a relatively new salad joint at Meechok Plaza, Chiang Mai. I've heard lots of good things about this place, and in fact, I've been there before and enjoyed one of their Grilled Pork Salads - very delicious and tasty dressing, from what I remember.

Today, it's going to be a made to order salad. For the base salad, you can choose 8 ingredients from a variety of lettuce, and other components such as carrots, beetroot, pumpkin, almonds, etc. This will set you back 70 baht. Additional ingredients can be added at an extra charge. As you can see, the vegies are very fresh - lovely and crunchy.

There are also a variety of dressings to choose from. Being unable to decide, the friendly staff let us taste some of the dressings. I settled for the rather tasty Creamy balsamic dressing, I couldn't taste much of the balsamic vinegar though. I think they must have put a lot of salt - I'm still thirsty now (several hours later)!

For those who doesn't like vegetables, Coco Salad also has a variety of pasta and Thai dishes, so you can still come! : )

The verdict:

A good place if you love salads or need a vegie fix! Very clean restaurant, nice fresh vegies. May try a different dressing next time. My friend says the Japanese soy dressing is really good. Lovely friendly staff.

The Rating:

The food: 7/10

The ambience: 6/10

Value for money: 7/10

Coco Salad

Meechok Plaza (2nd floor of new building - above Wine Connections / Watson's)

Chiang Mai

Street Food - Pa Tong Go!

"Pa Tong Go" are kind of deep fried doughs that are shaped like an X - please refer to photo! You can find these sold in food carts all around Thailand in the early mornings and evenings (until sold out). Generally, your typical "Pa Tong Go" stalls also sell soy milk, and kaya (pandan leaf flavoured coconut jam - the green stuff! - see 2nd photo).

Best eaten hot! Freshly cooked, the Pa Tong Gos are crunchy on the outside & soft and steamy on the inside. You can dip them in soy milk, or have them with your pandan leaf kaya. Alternatively, have them with a cup of coffee, or dipped in sweeten condensed milk. Sometimes we take them home to put in our congee - like crutons.

I found this particular stall very interesting. They are located in a little lane near Wororot Market. In addition to your regular "X" shaped Pa Tong Go, they also have Dinosaur Pa Ton Go, Elephant Pa Tong Go and various other animal shaped ones as well!

Take them home to have with your breakfast, or enjoy them on the footpath!

2 bahts for the regular "X" Pa Tong Go, 20 baht for the Dinosaur. : D

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