Market of Eden: salad

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!

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!

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.