There is a very strong ‘push’ in the North towards
maintaining the cultural heritage of the Lanna kingdom. This is an important
factor in maintaining the differences between Chiang Mai in particular, and the
central Bangkok and southern regions. Chiang Mai is not another Bangkok in a
rural region. Chiang Mai has its own distinct character, and this should be
promoted and maintained. This is the rationale behind the Saenkham Lanna Terrace
Restaurant.
We
last reviewed this restaurant almost two years ago, and we were very, very
impressed. I was looking forward to the evening, to see if the initial high
standards had been maintained, and would the venue still have the impact it had
the first time.
The location is a short drive only from town (around 6 to 8
km) along the Klong Chonprathan Road from Chiang Mai University, depending upon
your navigation skills. Look for and cross the over bridge into Ban Naifan 2 on
your right, and then the imposing club house building also on the right. As you
walk into the main ground level area you are greeted with a sweeping staircase
leading up to the dining floor. This is the Lanna Terrace, with a central
air-conditioned dining area, that looks just like a Lanna art gallery. Believe
me, exactly like an art gallery! The attendants in the ‘gallery’ are quiet
and efficient and exceptionally pleasant too in their long aprons. The table
settings are in keeping with the ‘arty’ Lanna theme too, with Celadon plates
and polished stainless steel cutlery.
The menu, in its own wooden container, has a ‘star’
rating beside many items. This does not indicate degree of spiciness, but the
popularity of the dish. The more stars - the more popular! It begins with 18
appetizers covering grilled, deep-fried and a salad item. There are vegetarian
items as well as prawns, pork and northern sausage. The prices range between
70-90 baht.
Spicy salads are next, generally around B. 80 and nothing
over B. 100. These are followed by a huge range of curries, again with most at
B. 80, though the prawn with young coconut in spicy hot and sour soup tops the
bill at B. 140.
Fried items are next up (generally around B. 80) and have
chicken, beef, pork, fish and pasta choices, and this section precedes many fish
and prawn dishes, with most in the B. 90-200 range.
Northern dishes have their own section at around B. 60-90
includes spicy stuffed Northern sausage. Finally there are Special Dishes, with
most B. 60 and are noodle or rice-based items.
Finally there is a good choice of desserts. The last page has
beverages and a large Heineken is B. 100, with Singha B. 10 cheaper. There is
also a wine list with wines reasonably priced.
We tried many of the items, with the deep-fried mushrooms
with its own special sauce being superb, and one that I kept on coming back to.
It is beautifully presented in its own ‘ceramic boat’ with sauce at one end
and a flower at the other.
I also tried the hang lay curry. Checking back I found that I
had chosen this dish last time as my dish of the evening. It was again a
wonderfully flavoursome item with the meat simply falling apart, well deserving
of the praise it received last time.
Other dishes were similar in that they were meticulously
prepared and cooked and correctly presented.
Even the rice, that staple of Thai cuisine, is light and
fluffy, presented in its own pottery bowl, complete with lid to keep it hot
during the dinner.
In no way were we disappointed by Saenkham Terrace. The food
was at the same high standard, the venue was just as sensational as before, and
the prices little altered over the two years. This restaurant remains one of the
best Lanna experiences available in Chiang Mai, at prices that are still
exceptionally low. Very highly recommended (again)!
Saenkham Terrace Restaurant, Clubhouse Ban Naifan 2, 199/163 Tambon Maehea,
A. Muang Chiang Mai, 50100, telephone 053 838 990, email
somjate@saenkhamterrace.com, www. saenkhamterrace.com. Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Parking outside clubhouse.
