5 Must-Try Dishes in Chiang Mai - A palatable experience!

This is a wonderful way to start the day as there is a balance of vegetables, starch and meat. Fresh garden tomatoes, slices of cucumber and shallots are essential parts of the meal. A thin but generous slice of meat sits on the side of the plate after being properly marinated. Broken grains of white rice boiled to perfection are the essential starch item. The rice is served into a little bowl and turned upside down on to the plate to form a tiny but neat castle of rice, making it quite a spruce dish. Many locals have this for breakfast as it is wholesome and any hotel in Chiang Mai will certainly serve it as well.

If you are someone who has already eaten Pho elsewhere in the world, the thought of having it near its home ground will certainly make you elated. Pho is so versatile and ubiquitous that it comfortably seats itself at a grand buffet served at one of the Chiang Mai residences, for instance, the likes of Anantara Chiang Mai Serviced Suites as much as it suits the food bazaars downtown. Fresh rice noodles combined with chicken or beef and served with a broth and vegetables is this universally loved main called 'Pho'. The pho served in hotels and those served by street vendors may have their slight variations, but the essential flavour and delightful taste remain the same.

Into a sizzling wok goes some batter to form huge crispy crepes. These crepes are then stuffed to the brim with bean sprouts, pork or a different type of meat. It is then garnished with green leaves and herbs before being presented to eager customers. Chefs usually dish out tiny containers full of flavourful sauces and dips that help to enhance the taste of these pancakes.

Flip through the pages of any Chinese or Thai menu and you would definitely find spring rolls in the appetizers section. While they are essentially the same, the two types do taste different by virtue of the ingredients and method of preparation. Vegetables cut into thin strips or cubes and chunks of pork or tofu are the usual fillings of the light, thin and crispy rolls.

This again is so frequently seen in the menus in this part of the world, that a trip to Thailand would not be complete without tasting sticky rice from at least two or three places. There are many sides or garnishes that are eaten in conjunction with sticky rice with egg and pork being the most common. Unlike in other countries where the sticky rice is served into a separate bowl, here, the sticky rice is served at the base of the plate and then covered with the accompaniments. Strips of chicken, cubes of pork, some long beans, a dash of spring onions and a smattering of other vegetables go on top.