Sunday, March 14, 2010

Eating in Chiang Mai - Dinner at Cafe De Naga

On my first night in Chiang Mai I was looking for a good place to eat. After going around for quite some time and not being able to decide, I was getting quite hungry. Then I came across this little restaurant called Cafe De Naga. Attracted by the name, I decided to give it a try. It is a part of the De Naga Hotel and Resort. Located near Tha Phae Gate, the cafe is quite prominent and you wouldn't miss it if you are in the area.

Since it was a hotel cafe, I wasn't sure what to expect of the food. It could be really good, or disappointingly mediocre like most hotel food. The menu is quite long, but I concentrated mainly on the Thai dishes. I finally decided on 2 - the Chiang Mai Platter, and a Smoked Duck Curry.


The Chiang Mai Platter looked really good. It came with spicy Chiang Mai sausages, a cured sausage like a mini salami, and a deep fried "Moo Yor" slice. "Moo Yor" is a local sausage made of pork paste - it has a texture that is more like crunchy fish balls. The platter also came with some fresh veggies and pork scratchings to accompany the Nam Prik. This platter was a very good introduction to Chiang Mai food - nice !


The Smoked Duck Curry was another nice surprise. Slices of smoked ducked were served in a yellow curry sauce garnished with pineapples, lychee and cherry tomatoes. The sauce was aromatic and rich, and the pineapples and lychee helped to cut through the richness.


I liked both the dishes very much. After the meal I was a real happy camper and headed back to the hotel for a much needed rest, having caught the flight to Chiang Mai at 6.00 a.m. in the morning.

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