What to Eat in Chiang Mai: Regional Dishes You Shouldn't Miss

Did you know that each part of Thailand has its own distinct cuisine? While most dishes you may be readily familiar with-such as pad thai-are eaten throughout the country, central Thailand, the South, the Northeast and the North all have their unique repertoires. So you have reached the north. You're sitting in a Thai restaurant in Chiang Mai, Thailand, but not quite sure where to start. Is this dish too spicy? Does it contain anything you're allergic to: nuts, dairy products, egg, soya, or seafood? Print out this little guide to begin your culinary adventure in the north. Typical ingredients used in these dishes will be listed in detail, as well, to guard against specific food allergies and keep your holiday from being spoiled.

Aeb muu

This dish can serve as both appetizer (albeit a heavy one) and part of the main course, usually eaten with sticky rice. The aeb muu is a paste comprised of pork and chili paste mixed together before being wrapped in banana leaves, and it is then cooked by roasting over a low fire or steaming. It tastes predominantly of chili and herbs, and tends toward spicy. Ingredients include the following: minced pork, diced kaffir lime leaves, coriander, spring onion, and chicken egg. The curry paste that serves as the main condiment consists of dried bird chili, salt, turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, garlic, and shallots. As you can see from the list, this makes for a very tasty dish rich with the scents, textures and unique flavors of no fewer than nine distinct kinds of spices and herbs. If you aren't partial to sticky rice, this is also good to eat with plain steamed jasmine rice.

Khao soy

This is a noodle dish marked by its distinct colors: bright yellow egg noodle and rich red-orange curry. It is definitely a main dish and can be very filling, with varying degrees of hotness, and eaten along with a number of side condiments sprinkled onto the noodle to add to the already strong flavors: pickled mustard greens, lime, spring onion, coriander and shallots. The curry itself is a thick soup that's made from curry paste (usually of similar or identical make to curry paste used in aeb muu) and a good helping of vegetable oil and coconut milk. As this originated as a Muslim dish-though it has since been absorbed into northern Thai cuisine thanks to a history of cultural integration and exchange of ideas-most khao soy is made with chicken or beef rather than pork, though the pork variation is also widely available.

Larb pla

The "larb" refers to a particular way of mixing boiled minced meat with chili paste, various spices and herbs. The larb pla is a fish variant, made from boiled fish grounded to a fine paste, shrimp paste, roasted rice grains, turmeric, lemongrass, coriander, spring onion, Vietnamese mint, garlic and vegetable oil. It's best eaten with crisp, fresh vegetables.

Kaep muu

Essentially pork shavings: this is a northern Thai snack with distinct flavoring, made from pork skin marinated in dark soy sauce then deep-fried until it is crispy and brown. No spices or herbs are involved, though it's a little heavy on the fat side: travelers cautious of the effect of hot food on their palates can sample this one without worry.

Yam sanat

A Lanna-Thai salad comprised of coarsely chopped vegetables stirred in curry paste: this is a perfect dish for those watching for calories or even vegetarians (as long as you request the restaurant to leave the minced pork out). The ingredients are long beans, water morning glory, eggplant, shallots, coriander, spring onion, garlic, and a type of acacia leaves.

Nam prik ong

Minced pork, chili paste, and cherry tomatoes are the main ingredients that make up this dish: the name suggests that it's one of the spicier dishes but is in fact the least hot of all "nam prik" dishes. Eaten with fresh eggplants, lettuces, pumpkin, long beans and cucumber.

Chinese Restaurants in Chiang Mai

Chinese-Thai integration has always been fantastic throughout the history of Thailand, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the proliferation of Chinese restaurants in Chiang Mai! Find out where to eat great, authentic Dim Sum, Peking ducks and more here.

Panda Palace
A charmingly appointed Chinese restaurant, the Panda Palace lets you take a peek into the traditional teahouses of ancient China, with plush seats and décor tailored around red silk, mother-of-pearl camphor wood panels and-last but not least-excellent Dim Sum (Cantonese cuisine, usually steamed or fried items, served on small plates or in wooden baskets) from shrimp dumplings, meat balls, spare ribs, goose feet, turnip cakes and fried taro dumplings. Don't miss their steamed custard buns or vegetable spring rolls! With a wide-ranging and comprehensive menu, they are not limited to Dim Sum items but also offer excellent barbecued honeyed pork, Peking duck, stir-fried Chinese noodle, fried rice, crispy lemon chicken, sweet-and-sour spare ribs, shark fin soup and more that will make you feel just like you are dining at the table of an emperor from the distant past. You can pick your desired portion size (small, medium, large) for most menu items. High-quality chrysanthemum tea, both hot and cold, is served with every meal. This restaurant is open from 11.30 AM to 2 PM, and then again from 6 PM to 9 PM for dinner. Price range is medium to high depending on the food you are ordering (i.e. Dim Sum is considerably cheaper than shark fin or Peking duck); on average expect to spend $10-20 per person while dining here, and a little less if you opt for their luncheon buffet, which mostly consists of Dim Sum and fried dishes. It can be found in the city center on Chang Klan Road.

Him Pochana
Distinguished by its garden setting and moderate, diner-friendly meal rates, this open-air building is surrounded by a stream and offers both Thai and Chinese cuisines in its repertoire. The tables are set with Chinese-style round carousels and the menu is nothing short of huge; the décor is simplistic but endearing, complete with a Chinese ancestral shrine in one corner. Him Pochana is located in Doi Saket on the Chiang Mai-Lamphun road, and is best known for its fish and pork dishes, the former of which is remarkably fresh and well-seasoned.

Jia Tong Heng
A two-floor building restaurant located near Anusarn Market (part of the Night Bazaar area), this restaurant is best known for its ginger fish dish. Private rooms are available but don't expect too much from its ambience, as in true old-school Chinese style you will be sitting through a lot of loud chatter and kitchen noises. The premise itself is somewhat long overdue for a renovation, with both floor and walls well-worn by time and feet. If you go there for the food, however, you should meet with no disappointment (albeit the desserts are not particularly recommendable).

Shanghai Restaurant
Rather unusual in that it offers Shanghai cuisine, whereas most Chinese restaurants in Chiang Mai go for Cantonese (hence the proliferation of Dim Sum of all sorts). Run by a Chinese businessman, this eatery is situated inside the China Town area, which is where the famous Warorot Market lies.

Yod Aroy
A simple, down-to-earth eatery that combines Thai and Chinese cuisine in the business district; the prices can't be beat, but you will be getting what you pay for (though that is not necessarily bad) and the food is definitely authentic.

Thailand Cuisine: 7 Dishes to Try When Visiting Thailand

You will have heard of a few Thai dishes before, maybe eaten a rather bastardized version in so-called “authentic” restaurants at home: pad thai, tom yam kung, Thai green curry, or som tum. You know, the usual mainstream ones you can find anywhere, but usually in a watered-down shadow of itself, tasting nothing like the real thing. When you come to Thailand, you should definitely try them properly cooked, but if you’re visiting anyway why not go off the beaten track a little? After all, there's more to Thai food than those familiar dishes! Try out some of these dishes, which you may have never heard of before, so when you return home you can sniff and turn up your nose at your friends when you’re going to an “authentic” Thai eatery.

Pad kra prao muu/pad kra prao kai: pork and chicken respectively stir-fried with sweet basil, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, and Thai chili peppers. This dish is slightly spicy and emphasizes salty taste, and is best eaten with rice; some restaurants serve it with rice and fried egg.

Thot man pla/thot man kung: fish and shrimp cakes respectively. This is made of a paste that consists of minced fish (or minced shrimp), chili paste, cumin, coriander. The paste is then cut into thin slices, usually circular, and deep-fried as opposed to western fish cakes which are battered. It is strongly flavored and can serve as part of the meal or as snack. It may also be served with sweet plum sauce for dipping. Best eaten fresh off the pan and can also be bought from street vendors.

Tom ka gai: a variant on the tom yum (spicy Thai soup), the tom ka gai is a soup with a large helping of coconut milk, mixed with coriander, lime, chili peppers and lemongrass; tender chicken is added to steep in the soup. Suitable either to being eaten on its own or with rice.

Pad khi mao: a noodle dish whose name translates, literally, to “stir-fried drunk.” You can be assured, however, that there’s no human meat in the dish: it is traditionally cooked with seafood, though variants with pork, chicken or beef are just as common. The main ingredient is a wide noodle, which is stir-fried in a mix of seafood (or any meat; vegetarian options also exist, depending on the restaurant), peppers, baby corns, mushrooms, and holy basil. Seasoning includes soy sauce, sugar, and chili powder. The spiciness varies according to recipe, but you can always ask the restaurant to make it to your taste.

Kai yat sai: Thai omelet! But unlike the more familiar western variant, the stuffed Thai omelet is made by frying a beaten egg in a thin spread, putting in the stuffing (usually tomato, bell peppers and minced pork), and folding it into a square.

Pla sam rot: literally “three-flavored fish,” which is to say sweet, sour, and salty. The fish is deep-fried and served with a tamarind sauce whose main ingredients include tamarind paste, garlic, and chilies. The type of fish varies, though usually it is a freshwater fish.

Khai pat met mamaung himmapan: deep-fried chicken cooked with cashew nuts, dried chilies, and soy sauce. Like most Thai dishes (though this one has Chinese origins), best eaten with rice.

All of these dishes and more, cooked to perfection by authentic Thai chefs, can be had at the Thai restaurant at the Empress Chiang Mai hotel!