Khao Soi, a famous restaurant in Chiang Mai
#dreamdestination
Khao Soi Lamduan Fa Ham is a legendary old shop in Chiang Mai that has been open since 1943, during World War II. Mother Lamduan, the founder of this shop, adapted the clear soup Khao Soi of the Chinese Ho people to suit the tastes of Thai people by inventing the first coconut milk curry recipe. It became so popular that it became the Khao Soi that we are familiar with today. Currently, the shop has expanded to many branches in both Chiang Mai and Bangkok. For this meal, we stopped by the original branch on Charoen Rat Road, which was awarded the Michelin Plate 2020-2021. We ordered the following to try:
➡️ Chicken / Beef / Pork Khao Soi (Cartilage)
The highlight of the Khao Soi here is the very fragrant curry paste. The coconut milk curry is beautifully thick but not too rich. Sprinkle a little coconut cream on top. The taste is as good as its reputation. There are side dishes such as fried chili with oil, lime, pickled vegetables, and onions to add as you like. The shop makes its own Khao Soi noodles, which are very chewy and soft. The crispy fried noodles are really crispy and new. Delicious.
For the meat, you can choose from beef, chicken, pork, and pork meatballs. The beef is stewed until soft. The pork with cartilage is moderately soft, not too tender. The menu that is recommended in the Michelin Guide is Khao Soi Gai, which has a large piece of beautiful chicken leg and also chicken. When you try it, the chicken leg is both soft and firm, easy to remove from the bone, and absorbs the full flavor of the curry. It's really as delicious as its reputation.
➡️ Khao Soi Nam Ngiao
The curry paste is also fragrant. It has about 2-3 pieces of pork with bone. The flavor is quite strong, but in comparison, it's not as outstanding as the restaurant's signature menu, Khao Soi.
➡️ Sai Ua Set - Nam Phrik Num - Pork Crackling
The Sai Ua here is firm, with a lot of bouncy pork fat. But the flavor of the curry paste is both fragrant and spicy, so it's balanced with the richness. Delicious. As for the pork crackling, it's quite ordinary. It's not crispy like the restaurants that fry it fresh from the pan. The Nam Prik Num has a distinct fresh chili pepper aroma and a medium spicy taste. Served with boiled cabbage, it's a real pleasure to eat.
In addition to what I've tried, the restaurant also has a variety of other menus to choose from, such as pork satay, fried shrimp, chicken biryani, pork leg rice, and honeycomb dessert. It's a complete restaurant. If you come to Chiang Mai, you should definitely stop by.