 I was starting to like sitting in the back of Grab taxis. The drivers barely talk to you, the cars are generally clean and the AC has been blasting all day. You can just gaze out the tinted windows and suffocate on life's emptiness for a brief spell. Rating: 6 / 10
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 Rating: 8 / 10 I have a childish fascination with "jok", or "congee" hailing from my times in the far east 20 years ago ploughing down various versions of this simple food in all sorts of situations. Frosty mornings in Taipei, lunches in Hong Kong, cooking my own version in the kitchen in Oslo to ward off the impending doom of winter.
 I hailed a Grab taxi, got stuck in a huge traffic jam and managed to find this tiny shack miles out of town down some small streets that the taxi driver actually felt unsure driving down "I don't think Khao Soi here"... "Yes, yes.. straight and right side". Rating: 4 / 10
 Rating: 6 / 10 With a name to topple a spelling-bee champion, Umakutegoukyura-men clings to the upper eschelons of results when you search for "Best Ramen Chiang Mai". Being a born-again disciple of the noodle bible, I make it a point to try almost any ramen place in any city in the faint hope that it is a life-changing moment.
Today was not one of those sunlit epiphanies.  Rating: 7 / 10 Gyudon bowls are not something I typically veer towards. I've nothing against them, it's just I generally like my spice or soup so this kinda falls inbetween. However, in Chiang Mai, one night a group of friends from "We Didn't Land On The Moon" bar decided to head over there, so we crammed into the backseat of a taxi, passing the nightmarket with tourists vying deals (rip offs).
 Rating: 8 / 10 I'll go toe to toe with anyone when it comes to Khao Soi. Not only is it one of my all-time favourite dishes, I've also spent an obscene amount of time in Chiang Mai over the past 20 years and eaten countless bowls of the stuff. In the end everything comes down to personal taste, and that's the beauty of writing a blog. I'm writing about my opinion and if you disagree, then just look the other way. It's as simple as that.
 Rating: 7 / 10 Even in the land of smiles and scorching tongues the need for a good burger awakens. Overfed on bowls of rice, strangled by noodles, coughing up chunks of lemongrass, infected with deep shrimp paste achings, the time for a patty in two bun halves has come.
 Rating: 9 / 10 I would crawl over broken glass to eat here again, but with Covid still ravaging the earth in unspeakable waves, the future seems very dubious.
Propping up the bar at Shades of Retro, the chef and I were engrossed in a conversation about street food spots and suddenly arrived at the point in the conversation where the topic of Green Curry arose. I asked him where he ate the best version in Bangkok and without hesitation he said: Baan Ice.  Rating: 9 / 10 Hangovers are part and parcel of any visit to Bangkok. When you are lucky enough to stay at the Atlanta Hotel, they can usually be assuaged by the huge swimming pool, and a quick visit to Ah! Restaurant for a loving bowl of Jok. However, some days facing the impervious vexation of outdoor climates is a must, and brave soldiers must put aside their feeble panic and summon a taxi.
 Rating: 9 / 10 I was crestfallen upon returning to Chiang Mai, to find my favourite Khao Soi place shut down. However, with two weeks budgeted and no plans, I had ample time to discover the best offering in town. Hours/Days were spent riddled with multiple tabs open reading everything from Culture Trip, Vice articles, local food blogs, "best of" lists and watching hours of video's of random strangers eating bowls, trying to guage if the broth looked to my liking, or their reactions gave off clues.
 Rating: 6 / 10 Nimman has it's good sides. Despite being hipster heavy, there are some curious little restaurants and bars hidden in the alleys. Tong Tem Toh draws crowds all day long, lying heavy up top on tripadvisor lists and any foodie blog to the city. After managing to avoid it for 20 years I decided to cave in and see what all the fuss was about after visiting the hospital nearby.
 Rating: 8 / 10 Andy Ricker (of late Pok Pok fame, RIP) has championed the cuisine of Chiang Mai for decades. A bonafide falang who fell in love with the people, culture and food of this magnificent country and decided lately to move there permanently. Along with Hanuman Aspler who teaches the history and foundations of Thai cooking, Andy explores the street food, roadside stalls and old haunts recording videos or writing about them in his articles.
 Rating: 8 / 10 Recommended highly by some students of Hanuman Aspler at Thai Food Master, I needed some relief from my month long hunt for the perfect Khao Soi. I had been forewarned that the restaurant might look completely deserted but; A: they are open, and B: the food is amazing.
 Rating: 9 / 10 Many people would crucify me if they heard I ate ramen in Chiang Mai, but listen people, I'm not a vacationer, i've spent A LOT of time in Chiang Mai over the past 20 years, and I sometimes need a break from the amazing local dishes. Ramen is a good alternative, and is generally quite hard to find a great version of.
 Rating: 9 / 10 The holy grail for Shoyu Ramen in Bangkok has surely been found? Upon publishing my review of Uma Uma, one of the managers kindly wrote to thank me for my review, but also suggested if I wanted a great Shoyu Ramen, to head to his personal favourite. Since it was just around the corner from Studio Lam, and a 15 minute walk from my hotel, I simply had to try it today for lunch.
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"Sadness is tempered by umami, grief by the motion of slurping, hope restored in the ladling of glistening, fatty broth"
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