There are literally hundreds of restaurants to choose from in Chiang Mai other than Thai Food. Chinese, Irish, English, French, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Korean and even Mexican. With recommendations from Rob (Vieng Travel) and proximity, we chose Aroon Rai Restaurant for an early dinner. Nothing gladdens our hearts more when traveling is to discover restaurants serve non-stop. No worries about waiting until 7:30 p.m. for dinner or falling into the “doughnut hole” when restaurants close after lunch and don’t reopen until later in the evening.
Aroon Rai is a long-standing Northern Thai restaurant, established in 1957 and known for its curries. Don’t expect any ambiance. Just walk in, look over the food on display to take-away or eat in, choose a table in the wide open dining area, pull up a metal chair and prepare to hunker down for a good meal.
We ordered spring rolls (6 pieces to an order), green chicken curry and pork with chili and garlic (asked them to make it not too incendiary) and one large beer. The spring rolls and green chicken curry were definite keepers and, as a matter of fact, the green chicken curry became our “go-to” food for the rest of our Thailand vacation. Aroon Rai also makes homemade brownies, cookies and ice cream. Read the list of ice creams…View image…and decided on Mango ice cream for me, chocolate chip for ex-Marine. Rave notices for the dinner, a minus rave for the ice cream.
Very good food, very inexpensive and Travels With Sheila definitely recommends a stop at Aroon Rai if you want Thai food. When two weeks (or more) of Thai food becomes a little too much, stop in a one of the big “5” – Burger King, McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks. I must admit that our eyes lit up when we spotted Burger King and McDonald’s opposite each other in the Chiang Mai Night Market and caved in the next day. Slurped down a chocolate shake, inhaled a “Whopper” and we were very happy and full campers.
We only ate at one other Chiang Mai Thai restaurant, Mario’s Restaurant across the street from the Chiang Mai Gate Hotel. Good, not great. Even though Mario served every cuisine but the kitchen sink, we usually stick to Thai. Experience has taught us to eat the local food when in doubt. And after our intense Thai cooking class, we really became finicky! More about that later…
