The Dining Out Group
Coordinated by Paul Schoenkopf
Dalaabaa - A Stylish Thai Restaurant: By Brian Baxter
A place to see - and be seen
There’s no point pretending that most tourists, long term visitors or even farang residents in Thailand are used to - or want - the hot, spicy food which Thais traditionally eat. Personally, I do, but the phrases ‘not too spicy’ or ‘mai ped, krab’, are those I hear more than most uttered in the Kingdom. That should not mean a diminution of either flavor or taste, still less of quality. And that’s where successful restaurants such as Dalaabaa come into their own.
This stylish, Lanna orientated eating place offers an exclusively Thai menu, but there’s little exotic or off putting to squeamish westerners. No chicken’s entrails, pork belly or spicy boiled frog, let alone - as I was recently offered - live insects battered into unconsciousness by the energetic shaking of the dish in which they were held. Nor a surfeit of those sneaky little red or green chili which have been know to silence even the Mail’s photographer for a few minutes.
Their menu offers a large range of dishes, including those such as a (spicy) shrimp salad with green mango (130 baht) which are skewed towards flavor rather than pungency. To balance the opinion of the cameraman and reviewer, I took along a Thai friend. He too enjoyed the meal.
We selected three starters and two main dishes, plus stir fried vegetables (80 baht) and steamed rice (15 baht a portion). In Thai fashion we ended up with all the food on the table at the same time. Luckily the tables are large. Two of the starters were recommended by the waitress: the Dalabite shrimps rolled with salmon (120 baht), which came with a welcome chili sauce and the ‘special’ spring rolls (95 baht). Plus the tuna salad, from which I have dropped the word spicy, with its particularly generous serving of fish.
For the mains, Nong selected a deep fried Talapia fish with Thai herbs. These dishes are priced according to weight at between 170 and 250 baht, and I would guess from the large serving plate, piled high with the pre cut fillets that this was an adult. The second selection was stir fried asparagus with shrimps and that was a highlight with a generous portion of that most delicious of all vegetables (130 baht).
We each downed a couple of beer Singh and certainly could not find room for anything from the small but tempting dessert menu, which offered such sweet temptations as deep fried banana with honey, coconut milk ice cream (80 baht) or the various fresh fruits in syrup (60 baht).
There were plenty of choices to be made from the well laid out menu. No less than 22 salads, a whole page of starters, including deep fried mushrooms in soy sauce, various fancier fish dishes including red snapper and salmon (250 baht up) and simpler offerings such as stir fried rice dishes beginning at 70 baht. Our total bill, including drinks and a tip, came to 1400 baht for the three.
The restaurant is quite large, dividing sensibly into two areas. An air-conditioned room, with about 60 covers, which leads to a large, partially covered terrace, offering perhaps a further 70 to 80 seats. Smoking is allowed there so Mr. Cameraman headed us in that direction and we found the pleasant background music aided and abetted by cicadas. None on the menu, though. We were told that there were also two private dining rooms.
As mentioned the tables are large and well spaced and are covered in bright red cloths, with the color echoed throughout including the outdoor parasols. Service is very efficient, if impersonal.
The restaurant has become well established over the past three years and is situated in the same street as the British Consulate and British Council offices and just across a bridge from the American Consulate. It is one of several eateries popular with ‘locals’ from the area and certainly knows how to cater for them and their guests. There were few Thais on the busy night we were there, but my friend was impressed to note that among them was a film actor and singing star, complete with entourage. Obviously then a place to see, as well as been seen.
Dalaabaa Restaurant 113 Burmungras Road, Watgate, Chiang Mai, 50000. Tel: 053 242 491.
This stylish, Lanna orientated eating place offers an exclusively Thai menu, but there’s little exotic or off putting to squeamish westerners. No chicken’s entrails, pork belly or spicy boiled frog, let alone - as I was recently offered - live insects battered into unconsciousness by the energetic shaking of the dish in which they were held. Nor a surfeit of those sneaky little red or green chili which have been know to silence even the Mail’s photographer for a few minutes.
Their menu offers a large range of dishes, including those such as a (spicy) shrimp salad with green mango (130 baht) which are skewed towards flavor rather than pungency. To balance the opinion of the cameraman and reviewer, I took along a Thai friend. He too enjoyed the meal.
We selected three starters and two main dishes, plus stir fried vegetables (80 baht) and steamed rice (15 baht a portion). In Thai fashion we ended up with all the food on the table at the same time. Luckily the tables are large. Two of the starters were recommended by the waitress: the Dalabite shrimps rolled with salmon (120 baht), which came with a welcome chili sauce and the ‘special’ spring rolls (95 baht). Plus the tuna salad, from which I have dropped the word spicy, with its particularly generous serving of fish.
For the mains, Nong selected a deep fried Talapia fish with Thai herbs. These dishes are priced according to weight at between 170 and 250 baht, and I would guess from the large serving plate, piled high with the pre cut fillets that this was an adult. The second selection was stir fried asparagus with shrimps and that was a highlight with a generous portion of that most delicious of all vegetables (130 baht).
We each downed a couple of beer Singh and certainly could not find room for anything from the small but tempting dessert menu, which offered such sweet temptations as deep fried banana with honey, coconut milk ice cream (80 baht) or the various fresh fruits in syrup (60 baht).
There were plenty of choices to be made from the well laid out menu. No less than 22 salads, a whole page of starters, including deep fried mushrooms in soy sauce, various fancier fish dishes including red snapper and salmon (250 baht up) and simpler offerings such as stir fried rice dishes beginning at 70 baht. Our total bill, including drinks and a tip, came to 1400 baht for the three.
The restaurant is quite large, dividing sensibly into two areas. An air-conditioned room, with about 60 covers, which leads to a large, partially covered terrace, offering perhaps a further 70 to 80 seats. Smoking is allowed there so Mr. Cameraman headed us in that direction and we found the pleasant background music aided and abetted by cicadas. None on the menu, though. We were told that there were also two private dining rooms.
As mentioned the tables are large and well spaced and are covered in bright red cloths, with the color echoed throughout including the outdoor parasols. Service is very efficient, if impersonal.
The restaurant has become well established over the past three years and is situated in the same street as the British Consulate and British Council offices and just across a bridge from the American Consulate. It is one of several eateries popular with ‘locals’ from the area and certainly knows how to cater for them and their guests. There were few Thais on the busy night we were there, but my friend was impressed to note that among them was a film actor and singing star, complete with entourage. Obviously then a place to see, as well as been seen.
Dalaabaa Restaurant 113 Burmungras Road, Watgate, Chiang Mai, 50000. Tel: 053 242 491.
Paul’s Ratings
Food Quality 8
Service 7
Ambiance 8
Value 7
Average cost per person excluding alcohol: 350 baht
Directions: From the US Consulate go south towards Wararot Market and flower market along the river to first traffic light. Turn left and go over Nakornping Bridge and go straight to traffic light past Prince Royal College. There is a Bud’s Ice Cream on the corner. Turn right onto Burmungras Road Road to #113. It’s about 100 meters down on your right. If you get to the British Council on your left, you’ve gone too far.
Our next event is on Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 7:00PM at Dalaabaa. We are canceling November 10, 2011 at it’s Loi Kratong. This is an upscale Thai Restaurant. The following review was in the Chiang Mai Mail on November 7, 2007 so please ignore the prices. All reservations must be sent to diningoutcnx@hotmail.com only
Such a nice article, i enjoy to read it.
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