Food Disneyland

(Current exchange rate about 30 Thai baht to 1 US dollar)

A Blog Post for foodies!  (A request from my Auntie Heather, photos and thoughts about the many meals we are having in Northern Thailand)

As with life in the States, our days revolve around our main activity, eating.  Unlike home, we eat out almost entirely.  Normally we skip breakfast and have our first meal of the day around noon.  However now we are in a guesthouse that provides breakfast (sticky coconut rice, mango and hard-boiled egg)  Common Thai fare that you can find everywhere consists of Curry, StirFry, Noodles and Papaya salad which can be purchased with rice for 40-60 baht ( less than $2).  Mango smoothies or ice coffee 30-50 baht.  We try to save money by not buying drinks as they effectively double our meal’s cost.  The kids love Green Curry and get it where ever we go.  “mai pet” not spicy is Addie’s preference.  My favorites are the stir fried Morning Glory and tofu with Som Tom (Papaya salad).  We plan to take a cooking class in the near future and hope to learn how to make the green curry.

There is a small restaurant across from our apartment that we frequented almost daily.  The portions were just right and without drinks we could all eat for under $6.  You walk into Tang Nueng which is largely open aired and constructed with touching metal roofs and various low concrete walls and platforms to give the restaurant a footprint.  The women who run it know us well and smile knowingly when my children order green curry with only broccoli for the fifth time.  We tip well. (tipping in not expected in Thailand, but there is a tip box and we put 20 baht into it)

Jack is into “spicy” and asks for it when we dine out but I do not believe the staff actually make his food as hot as they could.  Addie has been into ordering a random dish off the menu (recognizable of course and in english) and she is so proud of herself for being adventurous and trying new things.  In her words, “It always turns out so good!”

Northern Thai khao soi is originally a Burmese dish that is popular here as a street dish.  It is a smokey coconut curry broth filled with boiled hand cut egg noodles, pickled mustard greens, shallots, limes, ground chillies and meat (or vegetarian)  There are crisp deep-fried egg noodles that decorate the top and add a nice crunch.  It is our new favorite (60 baht or so).

 

We eat Som Tam daily.  It is  a spicy, savory green papaya salad made from shredded unripe papaya.  This dish combines sour lime, hot chili, savory fish sauce and palm sugar.  The ingredients are pounded in a large mortar and pestle.  Despite the use of papaya, which one may think of as sweet, this salad is actually savory. When not yet ripe, papaya has a slightly tangy flavor. The texture is crisp and firm, sometimes to the point of crunchiness. It is this that allows the fruit to withstand being beaten in the mortar.  When you order it the preparer makes it to your taste and spiciness level and offers you a spoonful to adjust as needed before it is finished.  The addition of hot bird’s eye chili can make for an eye watering eating experience.  In addition to the papaya, there might be brined rice field crab, asparagus beans, dried shrimp, garlic, tomato and garlic.  Eaten with sticky rice and grilled chicken (a whole roasted chicken can be bought on the street for 120 baht), it is the perfect meal.

There is fried street food and meat that can be purchased for under a dollar.  The kids love fried bananas, you can buy a bag for 20 baht.

Chiang Mai is full of amazing restaurants and Cork loves to research and find them.  We eat well and try to discover a new place every day.  Living here is easy, everyone is very nice and speaks english very well.  We understand why this is a popular place to retire.  Cork and I are already strategizing how we can do the same after the kids go to college.

Sometimes Chiang Mai can feel like Berkeley California–organic food, homemade bread and local coffee.  We enjoy these little escapes into urban hipsterdom.  Although it tends to be on the pricey side (120 baht per meal), you pay for the atmosphere.