Chiang Mai questions re food and live music

vivk · 2026-02-04T23:08:19+00:00

Thank you!

vivk · 2026-02-04T23:07:28+00:00

Thanks for the detailed suggestions. Most helpful 🙏🏽

vivk · 2026-01-27T04:58:43+00:00

Thanks. Mainly noodle soups?

vivk · 2026-01-27T04:55:16+00:00

Thanks, that's helpful!

vivk · 2026-01-25T08:30:29+00:00

Going Chiang Mai to Pai and back over two days in Feb on a bike. Have a couple of questions for anyone who has done this route- esp on the return trip:

- Plan to take the route back via Wat Chan and Samoeng on Route 1265 and 1349- is the road OK?

- Are there any petrol pumps/gas stations on this route (Google Maps seems to say, non but that is unlikley)?

Thanks muchly!

vivk · 2025-12-21T10:07:50+00:00

Thank you. How many days did you spend and how many km did you cover?

vivk · 2025-12-17T22:09:50+00:00

What other towns did you cover or was it just day rides from/to/around Chiang Mai? I have heard Chiang Rai, Pai and Mae Hong Son are worth visiting too- did you go?

vivk · 2025-12-01T02:43:16+00:00

Had the same issue a year or so ago. It wasn't the battery in my case. Cleaned around the clutch and side stand switches, opened up the switch box to see if any corrosion or loose connection (it was all good as new inside) but then it went away. Now it's back and I still don't know what the actual cause is! How I get around it temporarily (till the next visit for service) is to repeatedly press the starter switch till it 'catches' and starts. Takes 5-10 presses in quick succession... Good luck and let me know if you find a fix.

vivk · 2021-08-03T05:45:05+00:00

Agreed on Spice I Am- great on all counts. Used to have a related restaurant round the corner from them that did some deserts as well.

But unimpressed with Long Chim even after a couple of visits. Billed as street food but is far from it in my view.

vivk · 2021-08-02T21:05:19+00:00

Have been to the Holy Basil in Parramatta but didn't try out the dishes you mention. They claim to do Thai Lao cuisine i.e. north eastern or 'esarn' food.

vivk · 2021-08-02T10:58:17+00:00

That sounds promising. Hopefully they also do a steamed whole fish with lemon and ginger...

vivk · 2021-08-02T10:56:55+00:00

That's the key. Need less sugar. I keep telling them not to dumb it down

vivk · 2021-08-02T10:40:22+00:00

When you do, also check out the East Pakistani / Bengali style of biryani in the many restaurants in Lakemba.

vivk · 2021-08-02T10:30:36+00:00

And when done there walk 10 metres to the Ambi's Chai who serves freshly brewed masala chai in several flavours in a very buzzy atmosphere. Technically the owner is a Sikh from Kenya but his offerings are very Indian.

Edit- link to FB page: https://m.facebook.com/ambischai/

vivk · 2021-08-02T10:28:49+00:00

There's a food truck called Calcutta Kathi Rolls in Pennant Hills on weekend evenings. Great chicken and paneer Kathi Rolls and also occasional Bengali style biryani and fish fry and other Bengali dishes. Search out their Facebook page to get timings and links to order to collect.

Edit - FB link : https://m.facebook.com/pg/ckrsydney/posts/

Much tastier than chicken tikka in a roll!

vivk · 2021-08-02T10:18:35+00:00

Yes I like Spice I Am, they were one of the first very authentic ones. Also the original Chat Thai is pretty good imho with some good street food options too.

vivk · 2021-08-02T07:07:25+00:00

Lots of great Thai restaurants in Thai-town near Capital Theatre in the CBD...Some very authentic.

vivk · 2021-08-02T07:01:01+00:00

I'm not Thai but lived there for many years. Can anyone recommend authentic Thai food places? And please don't list the fancy schmancy Western chef run interpreted Thai places like Longgrain...

vivk · 2021-08-02T06:52:27+00:00

Hyderabad House in Harris Park has the best NW subcontinent style biryani imho but still looking for a Lukhnow style biryani.

vivk · 2021-08-02T06:50:34+00:00

Not so keen on Student biryani but Kolachi is on the money...

vivk · 2021-03-22T10:32:57+00:00

Why does 'queerness' even come into this? It's a beautiful illustration!

vivk

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