While we don’t have a beach or crashing waves, we do have a lovely gentle Ping River which wends its way through the city, its banks offering many wonderful views of the distant mountains and cityscape.
Terrace Seafood sits along a quiet stretch of the river and has lots of river-facing seatings with plenty of table space to cover with plate after plate of delicious seafood.
When once we used to be wary of seafood’s freshness all the way in our landlocked city, today seafood arrives straight from the deep blue every day, guaranteeing freshness. Not only that more and more local suppliers from the many southern provinces which face the sea are also now delivering directly to our city’s chefs, giving us more of a choice of quality sea products than ever before.
So, sit down, order a drink and delve into the menu which covers steamed, stewed, sautéed, deep-fried, grilled and all cooking techniques in a myriad of flavour combinations from throbbing fresh oysters to Songkhla river prawns from squid to huge chunks of sweet crab meat. Live music starts every evening to keep you entertained as you indulge in a delicious meal
Open daily: 5pm – 11pm Live music Monday – Thursday: 6.30pm – 7.30pm., 8pm – 9pm., Friday – Sunday: 6pm – 10pm GPS: https://goo.gl/maps/G2J1FKwhV5a1dPej8
Siam Signature
It didn’t begin as a place to get hot, spicy, freshly fried shrimps and seafood, but their endgame is something to be astounded by. With a series of trials and errors, Siam Signature has found its signature and can now be found at Ploen Ruedee Night Market just off the Night Bazaar. Tuck into a simple choice of three sizes of platters, either a full set of shrimps or the mixed seafood, with clams, squid, mussels and horse crab. Watch as they fry up your platter with sharp Thai fragrances dancing in the air before being engulfed by a burst of flames in the wok. Just three minutes and you get a hot steaming platter of your favourite seafood covered in a spicy, succulent Thai sauce — ready to be devoured, with your hands obviously. For those who can’t handle spice fear not, they have a spiciness gauge which you can choose from, which is in itself tailored to more western palates.
Open 5.30pm – Midnight (Closed Sundays) Ploen Ruedee Night Market, Night Bazaar Facebook: Siam Signature 083 5655297
Koongtung
Koongtung is another shrimp platter restaurant that guarantees freshness, with all the seafood served coming from Thailand’s popular Mahachai Market in Samut Sakhon. Koongtung uses spices and herbs to coat their seafood which includes prawns, clams and crabs, which come with an assortment of appetisers served in little buckets around your chosen ‘platter’. Served up on greaseproof paper on the table, it is perfect for those don’t mind digging in and getting messy (bibs are provided). There are two branches, one near the Chiang Mai Phucome Hotel and another in Meechok Plaza. Expect American styles, with wooden panelling and large portions. The two special sauces on offer come with five levels of heat, so you can take it as hot or as wimpy as you like. From now until March 20, check in (maybe before you get your hands messy) and get a 5% discount.
Open daily 11am – 9.30pm Meechock Plaza Facebook: Koongtung.chiangmai 091 7946888
Catch
Opened in October, Catch was one of Chiang Mai’s first seafood platter restaurants serving up giant platters of high quality seafood coked with a variety of sauces. The owners took inspiration after going on holiday abroad and came back to open their own, but of course adding a little bit of Thai spirit to the mix. Chose from three sauces, Catch signature, black pepper or tom yum flavour, and sit back and prepare yourself for a huge platter of shrimp, clams, cuttlefish, crab, squid, black crab, tiger prawns and mussels. Chunks of potato, sausage and sweetcorn are also added to the mix. Prices start at 390 baht for a mini set right up to 3,850 for a ginormous family set with all the bells and whistles. Feel free to mix and match too with their additional menu of ‘seafood toppings’ that can be added to your set for little extra cost. The seafood is delivered straight from the sea to Chiang Mai every day. Catch is also opening a branch in Bangkok for those in the capital to enjoy — or for us northerners on holiday.
Open 5pm – 11pm (Closed on Wednesdays) Nimmanhaemin Road, Opposite Warm Up Facebook: catchseafoodcnx Instagram: catchseafood_cnx 094 9635419
