We find out right away that it’s just us on the tour, it being a quiet week just after Chinese New Year. We climb into the back of the songthaew, the ubiquitous red open air taxis pickups that operate like New Jersey’s jitney busses. Moui has hired this one for the day, and we’re off. I could blather on for paragraph after paragraph about each stop, but that’d be a yawn and I’d run out of my own superlatives. Instead, I’ll hit on some of the highlights, USA Today style:
- Khow Soi Lamduan Faharm (Traditional Northern Thai): Our first stop named after Khao Soi (cow-SOY), the region’s signature Northern Thai curry noodle soup. We’re also served a big bowl of nam ngeow (nam-NEOW, where the NEOW is kinda like meow). We’re assured by Moui that these are the best examples of the dishes in the city, and, judging by the fact that we’re the only tourists in the place, we’re inclined to agree.
- Lap Pa Tan Di Khom (Traditional Northern Thai): Water buffalo laab, fermented pork jin som steamed in a banana leaf, Northern Thai braised pork curry. Surprising flavors an textures, unbelievable spice combinations. Again, we’re the only westerners here. Lean in Dorthy, we’re not in Kansas any more. And learn the right way to eat sticky rice (hint: it’s like how Italians use bread).
- Neng’s Clay Oven Roasted Pork (Local Fave Today): Great big Chinese clay pots, traditionally used to hold water, we long ago repurposed as high temp charcoal fired roasting ovens. They make chicken and pork belly… best crispy skin in the game. I’d fly here from Philly just for lunch.
· - Plawann (New Local Success Story): Coconut and purple sweet potato flours used to make this sweet pancake treat about the size of a small muffin-top. Woman started making them at home during Covid. Crowd goes wild. Now 33 franchises in Chiang Mai metro. Yum sells!
- Pa Yod Shan (Vegan/Vegeterian): Pizza it ain’t. But that’s what they call it even though it looks more like a quesadilla. Make up a new name, it’s worth it. Fermented tea salad was an unexpected highlight, especially this far down the food bunny hole.
It’s after this stop that Moui explains how shifting food culture has indelibly changed architecture. The side effect of the evolution in work from agriculture, where you socialized while you toiled, to industry, where socialization during the day is discouraged, caused the population to gather for meals instead of making them at home. Combined with the wide availability of high quality, inexpensive food choices, essentially, “nobody cooks at home any more.” As the main gathering places went from homes to restaurants, the kitchens themselves went from the largest, busiest room in the house to the smallest and cleanest. It’s common that a modern kitchen in Chiang Mai only has a tiny refrigerator and microwave, and no stove or oven at all.
- Siriwattana Market (Where We Shop Every Day): As we hop out at this last destination, Moui announces that, after five full meals, “we’re going on a picnic!” We can barely keep up with her as she hits her favorite stalls and grabs Chiang Mai sausage, green chili dip, peanut dumplings steamed on a cloth over a metal pot, sticky rice steamed in a foot ling hunk of bamboo, pork rinds, deep red roselle juice and bright pink ruby water chestnuts. And bugs… a big ol’ scoop of black crickets, brown crickets and silkworms. We wander over to an empty stall where our intrepid leader turns her sack of groceries into an impromptu multi course meal, appetizers through dessert. If this stop had been the entire tour it would have been worth it.
That Mandy hung through every course at every stop (and yes
dear readers, that includes the insects) absolutely amazed me. The tour was highly recommended to us and surpassed
the hype, letting us connect to the regional culture via cuisine.
Deep in the throes of some bizarre food-drunk, we’re dropped
off at the starting point and say our goodbyes.
Right across the street is Wat Rajamontean, another of this city’s
1500 temples. This one features a
massive seated-Buddha statue overlooking the Old City. Its charm is unmistakable and makes this
temple outstanding indeed. We walk along
the canal – which formerly served as the gator-rich castle mote, catching the
sites along the way.
Inevitably, the 90F heat gets the better of us. It’s not an exaggeration to say that every
third door on any given street in Chiang Mai is a massage parlor, ranging from
very basic to full-blown Beverly Hills spa.
We pick something modest and walk in.
60 minutes, two insanely great massages, $19.28USD total at today’s
exchange rate. We should do this every
day!
Hotel, dip in the rooftop infinity pool, nap. Ahhhhhh, vacation.
The nightly night market in Chiang Mai literally starts
outside our hotel door. Rested, we
venture into the melee. We only saw a
small portion of the market last night so we make a few different turns to
check out some more. For some reason
that only Buddha understands, we’re a little hungry. For 200 baht, just under $6.50 USD, you can
pick your own whole red tilapia and watch it be salt crusted grilled right in
front of you. Add a whole squid and some
chiang da, local, seasonal greens, and coconut ice cream, and a world class dinner for 2 costs less than
I typically pay for a martini.
No comments:
Post a Comment