This was all in a previous trip report but since this is a topic that comes up a lot I thought I would make it a separate thread. We ate at several new and old restaurants in January. Here are my thoughts.

Mahanaga -- a new restaurant and sister of the one in Bangkok. It is in a gorgeous setting and you can sit either indoors or outside. It is on the river. We started outside but the mosquitoes drove us inside. Inside is lovely but they seem to want you to sit in the dark so you need a flashlight to read the menu and even to see the food. Hopefully that will change. Menu is fusian and on the high side for Chiang Mai but still reasonable. I thought the food was delicious and the menu wonderful. Service was good.

Modiwa -- another new restaurant that is cheerful, reasonable (especially at lunch) and good. No wine by the glass. Very friendly service although limited English.

Piccolo Roma -- a fun Italiand place with a friendly staff and owner, large menu and solid Italian food. Festive. Right near the night market.

Antique House -- lousy food, terrible service and dirty. Would never return.

Gallery -- worst meal I had in Chiang Mai and horrible service.

House -- excellent fusian food (more western than asian) in a nice setting. Would definitely recommend.

La Casa -- pleasant Italian restaurant where thais go and eat and/or get take out. Very reasonable. Fun

Baan Chom Doi -- very good and very cheap seafood. Not at all touristy. Recommend

Grand Lanna -- in the Mandarin. Very pretty and excellent service. Food was very good although the pomelo salad was not nearly as good as other ones I have had. We went at lunch. Prices high for chiang mai but definitely affordable.

Heard that Giorgio has excellent Italiand food. We couldn't get in when we tried and didn't want to wait but it's on my list for next time.

Oh-- another restaurant. The Boat with good cheap thai food. Went at lunch. Very busy -- about 95% thais.

ttt for ken who was asking about chiang mai restaurants.

G-we ate at Piccollo Roma last year at Loy Krathong. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The food was good and the owner was a hoot. We found it from Nancy Chandler. Another recommendation of hers that panned out.

Gpanda-- I read about Piccolo Roma from Nancy Chandler as well. Feared it would be a huge tourist trap but was pleasantly surprised. We had a very good time and meal.

One beautiful Chiang Mai restaurant I haven't seen mentioned here is Dalaaba. Upscale Thai modern decor, romantic and comfortable. Indoor and outdoor dining.

Food (large Thai menu) and service was excellent, although a tad expensive for CM (dinner for 2 no wine was about $25 US).

I heard very good things about Dalaaba. Just didn't get there but will next time.

thanks Gloria!!! Ken

We just ate at Dalaabaa about 1 1/2 hours ago, before heading to CM airport for flt back to BKK. It was a lovely place. We thought food was excellent and not expensive. Basic entrees ran about 130 baht. Three of us ate dinner, plus bottle of Chilean red (the most expensive on the menu at 1150 bt) and it cost us 2150 bt. Well worth the money. Put Dalaabaa on the list for really nice dining in Chiang Mai. I liked the ambiance of the place. Only complaint (a big one in some sense) there was only ONE restroom, and it was a "his and hers" variety. That was pretty tacky for such a nice place other than that.

Catching a plane in about 15 minutes. Should be back on line once I return to BKK.

Carol

(Chiang Mai was delightful for an overnight visit... FREE upgrade at Sheraton to a big 100 sq. meter suite really put the icing on the cake)

Has anyone heard anything, or have any experience with the Sala Mae Rim restaurant in the 4 Seasons??? Thanks.. Ken

ttt

Great information. Thanks for re-posting.

Just returned from Chaing Mai. Can highly recommend Huen Phen (search it out-it's terrific, lovely, and gets a bit crowded later in the evening but worth the wait for perfect northern Thai). Also Just Kao Soy - what a treat and I wish we had this at home! Loved the noodles and pad thai (maybe the best I've ever had) in the unnamed Chinese restaurant across the street from the Chaing Mai Plaza, but the dim sum were only average. Were surprisingly pleased with our meal at The Whole Earth, and Indians from our trip declared it "outstanding" for the vegetarian indian options (they returned twice in three days!). The Wok was an unexpected find, as we were trying to find Huen Phen at the time, but a delightful surprise.

We also enjoyed Whole Earth and The House. I must say that we had a terrible experience at Mahanaga. Although the setting is beautiful, the lighting is very poor & they have to bring flashlights to read the menu. And the food was truly inedible. The night we were there the restaurant was almost completely empty -- only three other tables inside and out had people, and the food tasted as if it was old and had been re-cooked several times. Really awful!