CHERNG DOI ROAST CHICKEN

"Winner Winner Chicken Dinner"

Sometimes the Michelin guide get it horribly wrong. No more so than recommending nearby Khao Soi Nimman which is an insult to humanity. Nowhere in Chiang Mai do you suffer through such a mediocre, boring bowl of soup and pay a premium for it. Thank fuck they redeem themselves.

Yes Chiang Mai has SP Chicken, and SP is great. But can't a city the size of Chiang Mai support two great chicken shops? I think they can. Anyway, the styles are different, Cherng Doi doing the flattened style with more burnt bits, and SP sticking to the tried and tested rotisserie. 

If you're planning on eating at Cherng Doi, be prepared to wait. The word is out that they serve a righteous chook, and the tables can only support so many punters.

Grab yourself a pile of chicken, some sticky rice and somtum and stare into the void with bliss in your eyes hopefully concealed behind sunglasses so nobody sees your vulnerable joy.

FIND

These recommendations are just personal opinions based on my palate, things change, chefs get fired or replaced, places open-close, relocate, so take it all with a pinch of MSG  and discover your own gems too. But please do try a few of these, they have been researched exhaustively.