This week’s restaurant is the result of one man’s
foresight, and the oversight of everyone who went before him. The Huay Kaew
waterfall has an important part in the history of Chiang Mai and is even
celebrated and remembered by the naming of one of the main thoroughfares after
it. It then seems incredible that the populace of Chiang Mai could use one side
of the valley of the waterfall as a rubbish dump!
Chaiwat,
the man responsible for running an elephant camp in Mae Tang, could see the
potential and began work. Clearing the rubbish away took two and a half months.
Landscaping the site and building the restaurant took another eight months, and
he opened three months ago.
The restaurant is rustic, made of bamboo with a leaf roof. By
using old wood as a fa็ade, the building looks as if it has been there for
many years. Being built on the side of the hill has resulted in a building
housing several levels or floors, for dining. It has also resulted in some
fairly fit waiters and kitchen hands, seen scurrying from the kitchen at the
top, to the diners down below!
The menu is large and begins with the history of the
waterfall, but unfortunately is only in Thai. The food choices begin with
Express Dishes, with them all between B. 35-45. This includes Pad Thai, steamed
rice and several meats/seafood and rice noodles with pork/chicken/shrimp or
squid.
The
following page has eight Thai chilli dishes, all at B. 60 including the famous
khai khem (salty egg). 12 Thai salads are next (B. 50-80) and include catfish,
pork, seafood and pork sausage.
The next items are just called Lanna style, but unfortunately
are again only in Thai. The one at B. 120 is northern hors d’oeuvre! Deep
fried items follow (B. 70-150), with again catfish and pork plus fish cakes.
12 soups and curries (B. 70-80 for small serves) are
included, with tom kha gai and tom yum talay being Thai cuisine standards, plus
green curry and red curry. Steamed items are next (B. 90-150) for small serves
and offers fish with lime, fish in soy and fish with Chinese herbs. Beers are
also inexpensive, with Singha at B. 70 and Heineken B. 80.
We tried several dishes including a very interesting stir-fry
of vegetables with squid and shrimp, served in a deep fried taro basket with
cashews. This was very flavoursome, and I enjoyed it most of all. Other dishes
we tried were chicken wings with herbs, but for me there is always too much work
for too little return, even though these had obviously been large chickens.
The green curry was a little harsher than I expected, and the
prawns came in traditional Thai style, with both the heads and tails still left
on. For those unused to Thai cooking, the round green vegetables in green
curries are not garden peas! The curry was also well presented in its own
‘mini dow tarn’ claypot.
The plachon deep fried fish was well cooked, but not
overcooked, as the flesh under the breaded skin was still moist. However, you do
have to watch for the fine bones that come with this fish, no matter how closely
you scrutinize it.
This restaurant is really all about the environment. You are
tucked into a small area of rain forest, looking at the Huay Kaew waterfall
coursing down the mountain, with the noise of the tumbling waters as the
‘natural muzak’. It is a very Thai restaurant and has already been used by
many tour operators to give their overseas tourists a sampling of Thai food. In
no way is it haute cuisine, or ‘Royal Thai’ cooking, but is serving up
fairly standard Thai food. The appeal is the environment. A pleasant place to
take overseas guests. An inexpensive foray into the jungle without the trekking
boots. A mosquito repellent for rain forests would be an advantage!
Huan Huay Kaew, left at the Kru Srivithai shrine on the way to Doi Suthep,
telephone 09 701 5957. Signposted parking outside. Open seven days 10 a.m. till
11 p.m.
