Khao-So-i in Chiang Mai
[Non-halal] Khao-So-i in Chiang Mai offers a Japanese take on the popular local noodle dish.
This restaurant is popular with locals, and has recently opened a branch in Bangkok.
Khao-So-i in Chiang Mai
Khao-So-i is the third place we visited during our recent Chiang Mai trip for Khao Soi noodles.
See our previous posts on Khao Soy Nimman and Khao Soi Mae Manee.
For those who are not familiar, Khao Soi is a curry noodle dish with spices and flavours influenced by the Laotian/Burmese cuisine.
The curry is usually served with egg noodles, crispy fried noodles, pickled mustard greens, shallots and lime.
Khao-So-i offers a Japanese take
Khao-So-i’s offerings differ from the traditional ones, as it takes inspiration from Japanese ramen bars to offer a fusion dish.
For one, the decor has an obvious Japanese flair, and the noodles are also prepared in a similar fashion to ramen.
Aside from the usual soup dish, Khao-So-i also offers a stir-fry version which is reminiscent of Japanese stir-fried yakisoba.
The toppings are also a bit more luxurious and features imported Wagyu beef, Hokkaido scallops, lobsters and prawns.
Traditional khao soi with a Japanese flair
As a benchmark, we ordered the traditional Khao Soi topped with torched Wagyu beef slices and shank.
Off the bat, we found the broth to be deliciously thick and creamy. The noodles have a nice chewy al-dente bite as well. The main differentiating factor has to be the torched beef slices – so incredibly tender and fresh.
Fried Khao Soi
We also tried the Fried Khao Soi with torched chicken. In terms of flavours, it reminded us a bit of a drier Mamak-style mee goreng thanks to the spices used.
Interestingly, the fried noodles are served with a cup of the broth as a dipping sauce – which takes inspiration from the Tsukemen. Or you could just pour the sauce over the chicken and noodles.
The Dumplings here are also fresh, plump and juicy.
Summary
So how do we rank all three Khao Soy spots? If you want a taste of traditional Khao Soy, the place to go is Khao Soi Mae Manee. For something that’s consistently good – Khao Soy Nimman doesn’t miss.
However, Khao-So-i offers a new take on the dish, and it’s a place we don’t mind revisiting.
Thus, in order of preference:
Khao-So-i > Nimman > Mae Manee
As Khao-So-i is very popular, be prepared to wait for a table at peak hours.
Khao-So-i
Address: ถนน เจริญราษฎร์ Wat Ket, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50000, Thailand
Hours: 9am-8pm Daily
Phone: +66 61 515 4529
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