After living in Chiang Mai, Thailand for almost a year now, I’ve had the opportunity to try so many different dishes of Thai food.
It’s been a unique experience that I’ve really treasured. You can get Thai food in the US, sure. But the quality, authenticity, and variety can’t be matched compared to what you’ll get here.
No matter where in this world you decide to live, enjoying the local cuisine is pretty much necessary.
I don’t think I’d like my time here in Thailand nearly as much if I didn’t enjoy Thai food. My life here is greatly aided and shaped by the food. The food is in and of itself a major part of the culture. The people here are constantly talking about, taking pictures of, cooking, sharing, and eating food. And when the food is this good, cheap, and accessible, it’s no surprise.
What’s even better is how well my body has responded to eating Thai food about 90% of the time – I’ve lost quite a bit of weight since relocating here, and I’m currently in the best shape of my life. I wasn’t expecting this at all, but it’s been an awesome side effect.
After a lot of eating, I’d like to take some time today to share my five favorite food dishes here in Chiang Mai.
Now, there are so many fabulous things to eat here. This list is far from exhaustive.
This is rather just a short list of some of my personal favorites.
Pretty much everything you see below can be had at a small market/stall, or even a food court at one of the big malls (which are very popular for Thais and foreigners alike). So we’re talking $1 to $2 per dish. Of course, local restaurants will also offer this food, but you’re typically going to be paying a little more for the ambiance and what not.
(Keep in mind that these pictures aren’t polished. They’re taken straight from my old iPhone 4S. And I shot the pictures as the food was served to me. Nothing is gussied up. So these are genuine looks at what the food actually looks like.)
Pad Kra Pao
I eat this almost every day for lunch (except for when the market that serves it closes). It’s far and away my favorite dish thus far.
This is a stir-fried dish that features holy basil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, chilies, and garlic. I get pad kra pao with moo krob (crispy pork). Of course, it always comes with rice.
The sauce is thin, sweet, spicy, smoky, salty. Umami is off the charts. It’s probably loaded with MSG, but I’d rather not know. It’s a unique flavor profile that I absolutely fell in love with the first moment I tasted it. I can’t get enough of it, even though I’ve eaten it hundreds of times since I got here. I’m like a kid every time I get it, as if it’s the first time I’m eating it.
Pad Prik Gaeng
I really love this dish. I eat it for dinner pretty frequently.
This dish uses Thai red curry paste for its base. And then it’s generally served with kaffir lime leaves and Chinese long beans. I get this dish with moo krob, too.
The paste has a heavy, almost meaty quality to it. It’s definitely spicy. But instead of being overtly sweet like a lot of Thai food, I find this one to be a bit more on the salty side. The heavy sauce holds up really well when mixed with rice.
Khao Soi
A classic northern Thai dish. It’s served almost everywhere around Chiang Mai.
I’m actually not a fan of soup at all. So I didn’t think I’d like this very much, as it’s a broth-based dish. But I’ve come to really love it. If I had to eat just one “soup” for the rest of my life, this would be it. I generally get this with moo (pork). The place I eat it most often from, which is a small market called Khao Soi Mae Sai, serves it with two kinds of pork simultaneously: minced pork and sliced pork. Yes!
The broth has an intense spicy flavor that is balanced by a coconut smoothness that I can’t fully describe. There’s nothing else quite like it. And then you get these egg noodles and fried noodles on top that complete the package and allow you to kind of mellow out the spice while also filling you up. It’s great stuff.
Kai Yang
Americans think they know what they’re doing with meat. Well, the Thai people really know how to roast, cook, and barbecue meat. No doubt about it.
Exhibit A: kai yang is probably the best chicken you’ll ever have in your life. It’s roasted chicken that’s served with the skin extra crispy. And then they give you this tamarind sauce on the side. Get it with sticky rice!
There’s a spot here in Chiang Mai called Cherng Doi Roast Chicken that does this dish famously well. The best $2 you’ll ever spend for sure. I try to eat this as much as I can. It’s kind of a mission of mine in life. I’m doing pretty well with it.
Khao Kha Moo
This is an awesome dish. The fact that it’s relegated to fifth on my list simply speaks to how amazing the cuisine is here. Just so much breadth and variety.
This dish literally translates to “pork leg on rice”. They basically keep this meat stewing over this broth that’s probably been sitting in the pot for, like, 50 years. You get this super tender pork chopped up over rice, then they pour that juicy broth on top. It’s almost always served with a soft-boiled egg.
There’s a woman here in Chiang Mai who’s become a bit of a local celebrity after she was featured on Anthony Bourdain’s show a while back. Wearing her trademark cowboy hat, she has a rather large stall at the Chang Phueak Market (north gate). To her credit, it’s the best khao kha moo I’ve yet to eat in Chiang Mai. So her celeb cred is earned.
Conclusion
There’s so much amazing food in Chiang Mai. And Chiang Mai is but one city in Thailand. Each area of the country has regional specialties, and I’m super interested in trying most/all of them over time.
These are my five favorite dishes here in Chiang Mai, but I can honestly say that there’s almost nothing I’ve eaten thus far that has turned me off. You could just about randomly pick food from any street vendor, serve it to me, and I’d probably thoroughly enjoy it.
Americans might not be super familiar with this food, so I hope it opened your eyes to a few new dishes to try wherever you are. Give them a shot!
What do you think? Do you have favorite Thai dishes you really enjoy?
Thanks for reading.
P.S. If you’re interested in becoming financially free, which could allow you to live abroad and try all kinds of unique food for yourself, check out some fantastic resources that helped me become financially free at 33!
Very nice article, I like Thai Food. Same for Food from India, Japan, Chinese…
Ist obvious that we don´t get the original in our home country. I know this for the food from India. One of my oldest friends has parts of his Family in India and this is quite different to the Indish German restaurants.
Thai food is famous and I think, this is quite an advantage to live in Thailand if you enjoy it. I would like all of the Five dishes you have shown in your article. Did you ever have problems with the food there? When I was in India you normally have some problems in the beginning as European.
I plan to travel next winter to Thailand and I want to try a lot of different dishes. I think this will be a very exciting experience.
Yesterday I read about the Hungarian Cuisine and in August I will travel some days to Budapest, my first time in Hungary. Very different to the Thai Food, but also very exciting.
Have fun with it 🙂
Oliver
Oliver,
Yeah, it’s not hard to love Thai food. It’s a world-class cuisine for good reason. 🙂
Hope you get to try out some of these dishes when you travel to the country next winter. Of course, these are just five of many. I could have just as well made a list of my top 20 dishes. There’s a huge variety. And I’ve yet to have food here that just totally turned me off.
Cheers!
Jason, you made me hungry 😀 …
I love Thai Foods. My favorite dish is ‘Red Curry Chicken’ with rice. Kai Yang looks delicious, I will try this when I visit to a Thai restaurant next time.
Have you tried those raw small onions with soup? I love the taste, but it is bit of spicy 🙂
Enjoy!
FJ,
Easy to get hungry around here. 🙂
I don’t put the onions in there. Not because they’re spicy to me, but just because they can kind of overpower those nuanced flavors.
Best regards.
Hi Jason, Khao Soi is one of my favorite too. Simple, not strong or spicy by usual Thai standard and that smooth aromatic broth mixed with pickled sour cabbage makes it work. My wife and I will visit Chiang Rai in oct so I can’t wait to try those northern dishes again. 👍🏽 Photos 😋 rgrds, Shun
Shun,
Khao Soi is the bomb. I haven’t eaten any in, like, a week. I think it’s time to get a bowl this weekend. 🙂
Enjoy the food when you visit in October!
Best wishes.
Jason,
Everything looks delicious !
Your favorite dish is mine also. Pad Kra Pao!!! Love it!! I don’t know if you like fried egg or not, but if
you do try Pad Kra Pao with Kai Dao. That means with a fried egg on top.
My wife, who is Thai, makes it for me all the time.
Miss Thailand. Planning another trip to scope out retirement locations.
Enjoy lunch !
Lou
Lou,
Great minds think alike! 🙂
I don’t usually order it with kai dao. The fried egg just adds cost, calories, and cholesterol; and it takes away from some of the finer flavors of the dish. But to each their own on that.
A lot of great food out here for sure. And then you have the regional specialties, too. Awesome stuff!
Cheers.
I’m going to Chiang Mai this winter, and the main reason is for the Khao Soi! I live in NYC, and our favorite place that made it got a new owner, and it was never the same after that. I’ll definitely check out that place you mentioned. I’m also really interested to try the Kai Yang.
theluxestrategist,
That’s great stuff. Khao Soi Mae Sai is not to be missed while you’re in town. I’m so fortunate that the place is right around the corner. It’s bliss in a bowl. 🙂
Best regards.
Hi Jason,
The portion looks small. Are they enough for you,?
Ben,
It depends on what I’m eating and when I’m eating it. Lunch is that top picture. Just the one plate. But I’ll often eat two plates for dinner. Since I won’t eat again for about 16 hours (after dinner), it’s important that I’m pretty full.
Cheers!
Hi Jason,
Nice pics. The funny thing is that I was a vegetarian or only eating fish or a vegan the 12+ years that I’ve been out in Thailand. So I’ve only been able to eat vegetarian (Je) versions of those dishes. I still like a good vegetarian pad thai that is made over a charcoal fired wok- the smoky notes are awesome. A place in Bangkok makes a very great and cheap version- a must to eat while still hot.
Besides that I really like the Thai fruits- the Nam Dok Mai mangoes and even the durian is pretty tasty. Mangosteens and passion fruit too although the latter has probably done some acid damage to my teeth over the years. I like the different types of Thai bananas too, along with the fact that you can buy a really big bunch for just a few baht, especially up in the North.
Stay well.
-Mike
Mike,
I guess I’m the opposite of a vegetarian. I pretty much go out of my way to avoid vegetables. As one of those “supertasters”, most vegetables taste incredibly bitter and disgusting to me. But I’m a great friend to vegetarians. Reduces demand/pricing for your stuff. Likewise, I love vegetarians. More meat for me! 🙂
Ahh, durian. Durian has to be the most vile, wretched “fruit” I’ve ever tasted in my life. Tasted like someone chopped up onions, put them in a sweaty sock, and then dipped it in some kind of expired garlic solution. In other words, it tastes great. Hahaha!
Cheers.
That’s the great thing about foods. People can eat what they want and all can be happy with it.
A lot of the vegetables that are on the side of Thai dishes like Kanoom Jeen are very bitter. But if you go to the store and get organic cherry tomatoes, baby cucumbers and rocket (arugula) that tastes great. The Japanese sweet potato and pumpkin are also favorites. Some corn grown there is pretty good too.
Durian is definitely an acquired taste. I first had it in Malaysia where it was incredibly overripe compared to the ones in Thailand. I mean it was just oozing. After eating that in Malaysia, I remember the next morning the fumes were still coming out of my mouth and pores even though I had brushed my teeth several times. I’m not a fan of that level of ripeness and by comparison the Thai level of ripeness is pretty fine by me.
My wife and daughter also like it so it’s good enough. But I don’t like when it comes in the house. Stinks up the place and the fridge. It’s like “let’s eat this and get it out of here.”
The freeze dried one are a lot more convenient this way.
Cheers!
-Mike
The Khao Soi looks delish. Well it all looks delicious. But that is one I might try making at home.
Can’t be the prices you are paying to eat heartily.
Jane,
I really can’t beat it. If I thought I could do better elsewhere, I’d be there. 🙂
Good luck with the Khao Soi. Hope you end up making an awesome bowl!
Cheers.
Great post! I hope to see more like it.
Food looks mouth watering!
sfnuts,
The food isn’t too shabby! 🙂
Cheers.
Looks delicious! I hope you do more food posts. Maybe do some coffee/desert pictures next. You put up some pictures of your coffee one time and it looked incredible.
jh,
It’s funny. A few people a while back were complaining on social media that I was showing too much food, so I scaled back on it. Can’t please everyone.
That said, it’s hard for me to do many full-blown posts on food because I eat the same stuff most of the time. I go to the same market for lunch, the same coffee shop to work, etc. So posts would get boring for you guys (and me) pretty quickly. But I did want to show a few dishes that I find to be particularly awesome over here, because I haven’t really shared something like that before. The only other thing that might be interesting is to show what a few different coffees/shops look like. I’d go so far as to say the coffee scene here matches the food scene. It’s pretty incredible.
Best regards!
I’ve always loved going to Asian countries and eating their food. It is so different to what we eat here in Australia. I absolutely love anything with chicken and rice… I think I’ll have a kai yang please 🙂
BHL,
Very different food for sure. Taste is obviously subjective, but there’s no doubt this stuff is cheaper and healthier than your average fare in the west. I’m spending a lot less to eat and look great. And I honestly enjoy it just as much, if not more, than Western food. Couldn’t be happier about the food situation. The food we eat is such a huge part of our perceived quality of life, so it’s pretty easy to see why I love living over here. 🙂
Best wishes!
Nice post Jason!
I really miss the Khao Soi, Papaya salad and Morning glory. Hopefully we’ll be back in CM this winter.
Enjoy the good life
/Rikard
Rikard,
Well, you’ll have to gorge yourself when you guys get back! 🙂
Best regards.
Hi Jason,
When we were in CM I did one of those Thai cooking courses where they take you
to the market and show you where to buy all the ingredients for cheap, the soup
even comes in an easy kit form. It’s all simple and cost efficient enough to make
the meals but I think unless you have an outdoor kitchen like they had it probably
isn’t worth the bother. Especially when you add up the spending on utilities cooking
the food and then trying to cool the apartment back down after every meal in 90
degree ambient, it would be like living in a sauna.
Eating out the way you’re doing it definitely looks like the better option, especially
at those prices.
Damn..hungry now.
Regards,
DN
DN,
Eating out is really the only way to go here. It’s a total no-brainer when it’s this cheap, accessible, and delicious.
Very different dynamic from the States. Had to get used to it a little bit. It was a challenge I was more than up for! 🙂
Cheers!
Now this is a blog post I can get behind. All images look aaaaammmmaaaazing!!!! As you said, there is Thai food in the U.S. but I’m sure it cannot compare to a true authentic meal sourced and prepared there. Time for me to visit southeast Asia sometime soon 🙂
DH,
And these pictures weren’t even doctored up, nor were they taken with a good camera (or by a good photographer). 🙂
I’ve had some pretty good Thai food in the US. But it’s just a thing where it’s far more expensive, and you’re also really limited in terms of just the dishes that are popular in the West (like pad thai). There’s a lot of stuff to try, which is made a lot easier when it’s so cheap and all over the place.
Best regards.
Ooh, it all looks delicious. I really should book a flight to thailand again…hehe.. Oh, if you ever find a shop serving yam tua pu, That’s a spicy, but also sweet winged bean salad with a really genuine taste… im sure, you’ll love it 🙂
Flip,
Thailand is calling your name! 🙂
Cheers.
The food culture in Thailand is so much more affordable than in the US. There is good food available anytime of the day at many different price points. I notice that delicious food is getting quite expensive in the US. Eating out cost at least $30 for 2 and usually more.
Anyway, I love all the dishes you listed above. Khao Ka Moo is great, but you can’t eat it everyday. 🙂
Do you like Sai Oui, the Chiang Mai sausage. That’s really good too.
Joe,
Agreed. The food situation is kind of a shame there in the US. Even eating fast food can add up in a hurry.
I do like the sausage quite a bit. We love going to this joint in town called Tong Tem Toh. They do great sausage (and all kinds of northern food) there.
Thanks for dropping by!
Best regards.
Hey quick question. We’ve been trying to spend our winters in Thailand but always get frustrated by the visa situation. Only 30 days when you walk off the plane or you can buy a 60 day multiple entry visa (expensive tho) What are you doing for a visa that has allowed you to stay for a year? Or do you do regular visa runs?
DK,
I’m on an ED visa, but that wouldn’t be practical for your situation. Keep in mind, though, that you can always extend that visa you get when you step off the plane for another 30 days at one of the immigration offices. Costs 1,900 baht. So that gives you 60 days total for a very reasonable cost.
Cheers!
Oh man does that look delicious! I’ve eaten Thai food in many places around the world, but never Thailand. Might need to try it sometime!
Mr. Tako,
Can’t beat the source! 🙂
Best wishes.
Man, haven’t had Thai food in a while when I was having it multiple times a week due to it being right next to my old office. Must go in this week…sadly a Khao Soi will cost me about $14 here in California, but totally worth it!!
NMD,
Enjoy that Khao Soi. I’m actually having it for lunch today. 🙂
Cheers!
Dammit bro! I have a love/hate relationship with FI blogs that post pics of delicious food (I’m looking at YOU Mr. Tako). I’m excited to see it but it’s hell on my diet. Fifty five pounds lost and twenty more to go!
FV,
Well, at least this food is pretty healthy – and that’s without even trying or tasting gross. I was in good shape before I left, but I’m now in the best shape of my life over here. This food is great! 🙂
Cheers.