Since moving away from Chiang Mai, I've found myself dreaming of all the mouthwatering dishes I took for granted when I lived there. Khao soi, som tam, curries, ice cream, salads, noodles, and of course, all those fiery chillies! So I've made a list of the most scrumptious, addictive, mouthwatering foods in Chiang Mai (in my opinion) and where you can find them all, of course!

Almost every night of the week I get takeaway dinners from my local no-name restaurant, which is seriously lacking in ambiance as well as pretence, and is bursting with delicious, simple, cheap Thai food. I know there are lots of these around, and other people have also been lucky enough to find their own special no-name place, which are usually conveniently located to them or just housing some friendly cooks and other interesting locals. Mine has become a bit of a special place for me that I have grown to appreciate quite profoundly, and expect to miss more than many other places once I leave Chiang Mai.

I'm writing this post at the risk of exposing one of my favourite little hideaways, where I regularly sip on some cheap beer with close friends, sing along to terrible 90's songs, order the same three dishes over and over again (they are that good), and eventually stumble home after getting one too many "crazy-falang" looks from the waiters. The place is called Rod Sabieng Restaurant, which sits unobtrusively opposite the train station, and offers great, affordable Thai food until late at night - but enough of that. The important thing is, this is my local beer buffet, and nobody seems to know about but me (the fact that almost nothing related comes up in a Google search should tell you enough).

The beer buffet has been around as long as I've lived here (going on 16 months) which says a lot for Rod Sabieng, as most beer buffets in the city seem to quench the bar owners' thirst for money within a few weeks, and leave plenty of people wondering where to drink without breaking their budgets. However, there have been a few changes over the last few months, with the new alcohol tax in Thailand bringing the price up to ฿139 when it used to be cheaper. But who's complaining at that price, right? Also, they don't leave the jug of beer at your table like they used to, but instead bring it round when they feel like filling it up (I suspect we might have had something to do with this new rule - whoops).

The food is consistently good, and after a few meat-mishaps in the early days, the staff now understand that I'm the difficult one who sends back pork-filled Vietnamese spring rolls which I had asked to be vegetarian. Make sure the staff know what you're on about as they are all very willing to put up with any requests, especially strange ones after you've had too much beer. They also have a great stock of mushrooms and tofu, so veg-versions of most dishes will be bulked up and filling, if you know how to ask for it!

Rod Sabieng Breakdown:

Drinks:	Cheap! Chang Draft buffet every single night, from 5 pm til 8pm, for ฿139 per person. Other drinks available, ranging from large Leo beers for ฿70 to a small bottle of Sangsom for ฿179. Not bad at all!
Food:	Pretty much everything myself or my friends have eaten at Rod Sabieng have received positive mmm's and oooh's. The food is solidly and authentically Thai, packed with strange ingredients and way too much chilli (just how I like it). - The majority of the menu's dishes range between ฿69 - ฿99 a plate. - The fried fish dishes are more expensive at around ฿179 or so, each. - Dishes with snapper fish are the most expensive at ฿249. - Surprisingly, the international food section of the menu is not more expensive than the Thai section, with a burger being a reasonable ฿80.- There are some great bargain dishes, including Pad Thai, Khao Soi and Sukiyaki, for ฿45 - ฿55 each, and fried rice dishes for ฿49.
Pros:	- Atmosphere. The simple wooden chairs amidst hanging plants and dim lights are a great way to spend an evening unwinding. - Service is good from most of the staff, although it was better before when you could fill up your own glasses. - The bathrooms have recently been renovated, and look fancier than ever. - Music. Most of the time, sing-along tunes come from the big box speakers dotted around the restaurant - think Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven, The Eagles' Hotel California, and Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On. So bad they are good, with the occasional Avril Lavigne or Robbie Williams thrown in to make it even worse (ie: better). Usually, you can expect great live music from a guitarist or pianist when it gets a bit later. - Food. The food is a great introduction to typical Thai fare done well. My carnivorous friends rant and rave about the Neua Tied Tieaw (sesame sun-dried beef fried with crispy lime leaves), while we all collectively rave about the Pak Boong Tord (deep-fried morning glory salad, with an unbeatable sauce filled with chillies, coriander, peanuts and shredded carrot). Special mention goes to all the Thai spicy salads on the menu - they never disappoint with their spiciness. In fact, they make you cry. - Location. Great for me! It's right near my place, which could be a bad thing, actually...
Cons:	- Location.  There aren't really any nearby bars or places to hang out after the beer buffet, which is why it's just really for some dinner and beers with friends. - Service. The beer jug is no longer left at your table, but now filled up irregularly by whoever decides to saunter over. Personally, I don't enjoy or see the need for you to be interacting with staff more than a few times in an evening, which is a downfall for Rod Sabieng. You have to constantly draw attention to yourself, and even when you ring the bell provided, they are reluctant to rush over. Also, there are two or three waitresses with bad attitudes who seem to seethe at the idea of bringing over a mosquito coil or ashtray, leaving the task for a good fifteen minutes every time. (Unfortunately, you do come across this behaviour in many different places in Thailand - I tend to chalk it down to their own personal problems or depression, and try not blame myself.) - Mosquitoes. As usual (this is Thailand, people).

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Khao Soy and beer - perfect combo!

After being in Chiang Mai for over a year, seeing Thai elephants was definitely a long overdue experience. We had been apprehensive about jumping on the elephant tour bandwagon for a number of reasons - the most important being that we are very sceptical about the role of animals in Thailand’s tourism industry. Also, I'm allergic to tour groups, tourists, and toury-touristy type things in general.

Another reason we were so late to go play with the big gentle giants is that personally, I was not all that desperate to see them. Having grown up in South Africa with a family who all had ants in their pants, I was often taken on camping trips out in the bush or on the beach, or rustic cabins out in the forests and mountains. There were times we’d wake up to a zebra casually nudging through all our supplies, or a warthog grunting at the entrance to our tents. My dad always pushed me and my sisters to be explorative and unafraid of the wild (and I suspect he also secretly hoped we’d roughen out all our soft little girly edges). That encouragement led me to numerous encounters with nature and wildlife that impacted me profoundly from a young age.

I remember a time I sat face to face with a hyena, perched on a step while the stinky dog was a few steps below me, curiously sniffing out our leftovers from our dinner hours before. There was another time my over-enthusiastic gran jumped out our car to snap some close-up pics of a rhino, which began pawing the ground, perhaps preparing to charge, while we yelled at her profusely, “Get back in the car! GRAN!” to which she replied, “Just one more snap! That rhino would never charge an old lady like me!”

I have always been proud of my country’s passionate wildlife conservation efforts, and was horrified the first time I actually met somebody who said they hunted for sport. He was a Midwestern American, unfortunately dumb as a piece of plastic, and I fantasized about stalking and executing him for days after our retch-worthy meeting. Many South Africans share this sweet sentiment about hunters and poachers, and those in the know will annoyingly bombard you with endless conservation facts and figures...

Like the one about African elephant populations hovering around 700,000, while Asia only has about 32,000. Or the one about the biggest threat to Asian elephants being a lack of space, not to mention the abuse and hardships that working elephants still suffer from even today. Without getting too deep in the elephant dung-pile, I always knew that by coming to Thailand I would be exposed to issues surrounding wildlife and nature that I’d struggle to understand. And I do, all the time.

This is why my stomach sank when my boyfriend said to me the other day, “That’s it. I've had enough of all these people on Facebook having a big elephant party! Let’s do it!” I had to give in, because it’s a rather reasonable desire to want to see elephants in Thailand, but I had two conditions: I did not want to ride an elephant, and I did not want to see them chained up.

After a search on elephants in tourism, and the state of elephant camps in Thailand (and much outrage and ranting from me) I found the Elephant Nature Park. I was immediately drawn to their statement “our aim has always been to provide a sanctuary and rescue centre for elephants” because when you search for elephants in Chiang Mai, you will land upon more than a few elephant camps, whose messages don’t seem to be about rescuing or rehabilitating elephants, but more about how you as a tourist can have a good time. Another selling factor was that Elephant Nature Park’s lunch was already vegetarian, which might seem silly to some, but says a lot about their attitude towards all animals. Our day at their park was promptly booked, for 2500 a person (again, a lot cheaper than others).

A picture that sums up the entire park: elephants, dogs, nature, and caring people.

If you've been in Chiang Mai for a while, there's a good chance you still haven't discovered the delectable hole in the wall known as the Burmese Restaurant and Library. And for those who have - you're a fan, aren't you? I've barely tried enough Burmese food in my lifetime, and this is where I should probably mention I've never even been to Myanmar. But Thailand is their neighbour (although not the friendliest of neighbours, if you do a smidgeon of research) and therefore, influences have crossed paths, cultures have entwined, and my favourite thing of all: a food fight of sorts has taken place over the long course of history, resulting in an abundance of unusual dishes that get me very excited.

Burmese cuisine is very much about influences, and share many elements of flavour from India, China and Thailand. Also, because of their diversities in religion and spiritual practices, much of Burmese food is missing beef and pork. Vegetarian dishes are common, although if you dig a little deeper, you will find they are most likely pescatarian, as Burmese cooking requires a heavy use of seafood products, such as fish sauce or shrimp paste. Another important note is that the bulk of Burmese soups are made of meat broth bases, yet the cuisine as a whole still contains very little meat - perhaps this is to do with the state of their meat industry? A little research led to me articles on frequent diseases among their pigs and chickens. Just a tad unappealing.

Anyway, let's get back to the good stuff. I've had Burmese dishes in Chiang Mai a number of times, and a few more times in Mae Sot, which is a town that sits on the Thailand/Myanmar border to the west. It's a place that is usually spoken of in the same sentence as Burmese refugees, as it has either 100k, 200k, or 300k, depending on which numbers you believe. Either way, there are a ton of them, and therefore this is a good place to experience the overpowering influence of Burmese culture, including their food. So, for someone who's had maybe twenty Burmese dishes in total, all of them in Thailand, it says a lot that I now call Burmese cuisine one of my favourites. I can't wait to get over there and explore more of their fresh, unique, creative dishes, but for now I'll just share the ones from the Burmese Restaurant and Library below:

Burmese Restaurant Breakdown:

Prices:	Food: Absolute bargain at ฿30 for a dish, and ฿5 for a serving of rice. Drinks: This is not that sort of place! You get free water, and there is a 7/11 next door where you could buy an iced tea or soda, which is what I usually do.
Location:	Opposite the entrance to Nimmanheiman Road, Soi 13, or otherwise opposite The Salad Concept. A great location, right in the middle of Nimmanheiman, but very easy to miss.
Times:	Open at random times, unfortunately. We've seen this place open until late at night sometimes, and then close at 4pm other days. It has also been closed without notice once or twice, but it is a popular lunchtime place with locals.
What makes the Burmese Restaurant special?	It's got authentic, delicious Burmese food, of course! The actual place (or plastic chairs outside a food stall) is not very impressive, but the food more than makes up for it. This is also a great takeaway place on the way home, when you're in the mood for something that isn't Thai, but still as cheap!

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Tea Leaf Salad - we think it's the best dish at this place.

Panang curry, Khao Soy, Tofu on Herbs, and Green curry in a coconut.

For my 23rd birthday, my boyfriend spoiled me to a cooking course at one of my favourite restaurants in Chiang Mai. Taste from Heaven is another vegetarian place that does all the classic Thai dishes without meat, and bulks up their dishes with delicious soy protein, soft and hard tofu, and unusual mushrooms.

There is a little restaurant that might be easy to overlook if you are in the madness that is the old city. Right next to the overpowering Black Canyon Coffee, and opposite the Thapae Gate which leads into the square, is a hole in the wall which resembles a tiny log cabin from the outside. Yes, a log cabin. Parking outside the restaurant is not allowed, and you can easily walk by it countless times without taking a second glance, so the little place known as Aum Vegetarian Restaraunt often gets neglected in the majestic food landscape that is Chiang Mai.

Aum offers something which many Chiang Mai restaurant owners have yet to catch on to: a vegetarian visitor to Chiang Mai still wants to experience typical Thai food. The sad truth is a lot of them simply don't, usually because they have a bad experience, are misunderstood, are judged or humiliated, or just flat-out rejected. I cannot count the number of times I have had meat arrive in my food, and always marvel at the disregard for my requests. I wonder, if I were deathly allergic to meat, would I be taken more seriously? I'm guessing not.

So many restaurants and road-side eateries have the means to make their meals vegetarian-friendly, but for some reason this concept seems to be an embarrassingly incomprehensible one in Thailand. Aum has managed to transcend all this anti-veggo-nonsense, and simply serves Thai food, sans meat. At Aum, you can order any Thai dish you would find on the street or in a restaurant, and they will happily bring it to you, full of fresh vegetables and bulked up with delicious local mushrooms and potatoes. Their drinks are particularly tasty, which include shakes with delightful combinations of ginger and fruit, and interesting Lassi creations like Mint and Mango. The place is not overly fancy, and neither is the menu, but to me that just says it's not pretentious either. If you're looking for unusual food, then Aum isn't where it's at, but if you just want delicious Thai food done right, and meat-free, then it definitely is.

Aum Breakdown:

Prices:	Food: Average prices are between ฿60 - ฿90 for a dish. The vegetarian sushi is pricier, ranging from ฿120 - ฿165. The most expensive dish on the menu is the California Maki for ฿195. Drinks: Starting at ฿20 for fresh juices, and up to ฿70 for shakes with Spirulina. The most expensive drink is the Avocado shake with Spirulina at ฿75.
Location:	65 Moon Muang Road, on the east side of the old city. A central location, opposite Thapae Gate, and next door to Black Canyon Coffee.
Times:	Open from 11:00 am to 9:30 pm every day. (Watch out - this place is a very popular lunchtime hangout, and as it's quite small, you might have to wait.)
What makes Aum special?	It's a laidback place, conducive to lazing around and paging through old books, or strumming the guitar. The Lassi's are addictive, the food simple yet delicious, and it's always a good place to turn to when you want any Thai dish done vegetarian.

Khao Soy, which some claim is the best vegetarian one in Chiang Mai.

One of my favourite cheap eateries in Chiang Mai is the humble Pun Pun Organic Restaurant, nestled behind Suan Dok Temple. The place is much more affordable than the nearby Nimmanheiman restaurants, and offers fresh, mostly organic dishes which manage to be light and fresh as well as rich and comforting. The food seems to take a lot of inspiration from Thailand's neighbouring countries, while even the usual Thai favourites have unique flavours to them, which is a more than a welcome change. The menu is the length of a short story which makes it a very good place to bring friends or visitors to Chiang Mai, to share some new tastes and perhaps some old ones that might be more rare in local restaurants (like Chai tea or avocado). Scroll down to see photos of the food we could barely finish, the endless menu, and a map of the location.

Pun Pun Breakdown:

Prices:	Food: Ranging from ฿45 - ฿70 per dish. The most expensive dish is the Avocado salad at ฿90. Drinks: Starting at ฿20 for teas. Shakes vary from ฿30 - ฿45. Again, the most expensive drink is the Avocado shake at ฿60.
Location:	Drive into Suan Dok Temple, in the Suthep area. Pun Pun isthe first right after the "Monk Chat" sign. Very easy to find, and in a lovely setting.
Times:	Open from 9 am - 4 pm every day.
What makes Pun Pun special?	The menu offers almost too much variety, the food is original and bursting with new flavours, and the natural, quaint surroundings are refreshing. It's also nice to observe the monks and the daily happenings around the temple.

One of my favourite dishes in Chiang Mai: Yam Hua Blee, which is a banana flower salad of Vietnamese origin. ฿50.