Khun Churn Vegetarian Restaurant (& Buffet)

NOTE: Khun Churn has another new location as of December 2015 (see the map below).

WARNING: This is the longest and most exhausting post I've ever made, and it's all about FOOD! So don't look if you're hungry, as I can't be held responsible for drool clogging up your keyboard. Seriously.

Now, when you have the combination of being a bit of a cheapo and a vegetarian, you might end up a Khun Churn local, as myself and my other half have become. Believe me, it's no achievement - in fact, it's rather easy to become addicted to the goodness you'll find there, from the lovely atmosphere in a dark wood building, to the impeccable service, to the fresh, interesting, delicious food and drinks, to the shockingly low bill at the end of your meal. Yes, it never ends!

And just so you know, my partner in crime is a recovering meat addict, and regularly raves about Khun Churn's mouthwatering Khao Soy (which is one of the few we know that uses meaty-like soy protein chunks) and their addictive tempura-battered crispy vegetables. Every single day, their buffet choices change, although you can always count on the regulars to be there, such as Khao Soy, Som Tam (papaya salad), and a huge table dedicated to making your own salads.

I can't recommend this place enough! You can probably tell that by this massive post, full of photos of the restaurant, the lunch buffet, and plates of food, as well as the entire menu and a map to their location. So let's get started...

Perfect Khao Soy at Khun Churn.

Evil battered sesame pumpkin strips!

Khun Churn Breakdown:

Prices:	The buffet is fantastic value at ฿179 per person, which includes salad dishes, savoury dishes, soups, desserts, and an assortment of ice teas or juices. The rest of their dishes are reasonably priced (from ฿50 - ฿100 or so). I managed to photograph the entire menu, so you can see for yourself exactly what everything costs.
Location:	Khun Churn has yet another new location! Nimmanheiman Road Soi 17 The Old Chiang Mai Cultural Centre, on Wualai Road Kad Farang Shopping Plaza, Hang Dong Road. (Check out the map below for more details. The pin is quite far away from the others, on the south side of the Old City.)
Times:	Open from 8 am – 10 pm. The daily buffet is from 11 am – 2:30 pm.
What makes Khun Churn special?	(I had to make a list): - The variety. There are few buffets that offer so many delicious and creative dishes that appeal to all sorts of palates. - The food is absolutely delicious – vibrant, fresh, comforting. I regularly crave a number of things from Khun Churn that I haven't found anywhere else. - The service is always welcoming and attentive. It's a place we always leave big tips, even though tipping is not a common part of the culture in Thailand. - The prices. This is probably why we feel inclined to leave big tips – the food is just too cheap for what you get! - Finally... Khun Churn is special to me, just for being such an excellent vegetarian place. It's where I'll bring any visitor from back home, whether they are vegetarian or not, and it's a place plenty of omnivorous friends of mine have enjoyed and recommend to others. That to me is always uplifting, and it does a great job of promoting a meatless way of life. The owner is doing something fantastic, and I applaud him for it!

Shots of the (old) restaurant:

Sorry, best I could do given I don't live in Chiang Mai anymore!

The Regular Buffet Foodies:

The salad bar with the usual culprits: carrot, onion, assorted lettuce leaves, peppers, cucumber, boiled eggs and more.

Some assorted cooked and raw plain vegetables for anyone who needs more veggie goodness!

The star of the show: Khao Soy.

The Khao Soy table on another day.

Thai desserts - delicious.

The assorted iced teas and drinks which are included in the buffet

The Varying Buffet Foodies:

One of my favourites in Thailand! Ugh!

Similar to Pad See Ewe (stir-fried fat noodles with egg) but with lots of mushrooms.

"Northern Style" usually just means it's going to be interesting.

There is always a yummy variant of rice to go with the rest of your foodies.

Bamboo shoot dishes - I can go either way on those...

Vegetable Panang curry - yes!

A different Panang curry on another day. They were both delicious!

Crispy wonton stuffed with sweet potato.

Deep-fried eggplant. Things are getting dangerous now.

Deep-fried sesame carrot sticks.

On a different day: deep-fried sesame pumpkin, flanked by sweet plum sauce and tangy sour sauce.

Sukiyaki -  a vegetarian take on the famous Japanese hot-pot dish.

Crispy fried tofu corners with a herb sauce.

Deep-fried wild beetle leaf - whatever that is, it's amazing.

Yakisoba - another vegetarian version of the dish known as "Japanese Chow Mein".

Some of our Plates on Different Days:

Glorious salad! And strawberry juice (which was part of the buffet that day).

A plate full of nom.

A Khao Soy close-up.

My meal: some battered sesame carrot strips, my favourite ginger green beans, and Khao Soy to die for!

Another plate: wild beetle leaf and sesame pumpkin strips, those green beans again, and red curry with rice.

My meal on another day: Panang curry, fried rice, stir-fried oyster mushrooms, crispy wontons, and papaya salad.

A typical Thai dessert: a bowl of sweet milk kept cold with ice cubes, and bits of pumpkin and blocks of jelly.

A big, fresh mango shake. This is not part of the buffet - we just love it!

Finally! Menu Pics:

(Click to zoom)

Breakfasts.

Breakfasts and soups.

Appetizers.

More appetizers.

Salad - some of the tastiest in the city!

Oriental soups.

Thai spicy salads - always interesting!

More Thai spicy salads.

Main dishes.

More main dishes.

Agh! Too much choice!

Curries and clear soups.

More curries and clear soups.

Snacky things.

More snacky things. A few of these quickly becomes a feast though!

Never-ending post. I told you!

A bunch of traditional Thai chilli pastes and sauces done vegetarian.

Local Chiang Mai dishes.

Delicious Thai desserts, ice cream, and ice teas.

And finally, drinks. That wasn't the whole menu by the way...