Huen Phen in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Authentic Northern Thai Cuisine
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Huen Phen is a restaurant in Chiang Mai's Old City. We dined there the day after Christmas, to sample some authentic Northern Thai cuisine.

Our "we" for this little dining adventure was a party of 9. This was just one of many adventures our 2-family group enjoyed... beginning in the wee morning hours of Christmas Eve. 

Families United 

Here we are with our two families on Christmas Eve, at the beautiful Thai Buddhist wedding ceremony of our son and new daughter-in-law. No one is yawning in this photo, but a few of us had flown in from the States, just hours before the morning ceremony. 

Huen Phen on December 26th

The day after Christmas, we rose early and flew to Chiang Mai. We were a hungry bunch by the time we arrived at Huen Phen. The house-like restaurant was packed at lunchtime so we waited outside.
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Tired, Hungry and Smiling
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Luckily our group was in pretty good spirits. I believe "the Bride" took this photo.

Peek Inside

While waiting to be seated, I peeked around a little. I could tell the space was broken up with a few separate dining areas. I was amused with the odd rocking horse and thought about giving it a try.

Cooking
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There was a good view of the foods and the cooking action, from the sidewalk. But honestly, I could barely recognize any of the foods. 

2 Rockin' Mamas
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Our table still wasn't quite ready, so it seemed time to make use of that rocking horse. My son's new mother-in-law, Linda, had great horse sharing skills... and humor!

Serious About Menus
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We were finally seated, in a small  room, with just a few other tables. There was lots of light and quiet, which helped give us a chance to concentrate on the menu. 

​Photos

There were photos, which helped a tiny bit. There were words in English and that also helped a bit. Mostly, I was happy to let Linda and her family do the ordering.

​Meeting Time
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Yes, we were a little tired, but I had no idea how serious we looked until I saw these photos. We look like we're gathered around a table, having a very important meeting. And I guess we were. Linda did an excellent job of telling us about our options. She busily worked with the pencil and order sheet.

A Full Table!
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The food began to arrive and it was time for some serious dining. 

I was pretty excited about the little things, like the woven boxes, with lids, that held rice... and the foods, displayed on large green leaves.


Khoa Soy!

Then the bowls of Khao Soy arrived, with chicken and egg noodles and curry paste! This is the dish we'd been told about. It is the food, most connected with Chiang Mai's Northern Thai cuisine!

Fixing it Up!
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Linda and her family helped guide the rest of us. We garnished our soup with sprigs of  cilantro, shallots and squeezes of lime. The soup-like dish really was something to savor... tangy, with just enough spice!

Other Foods?

There were many other dishes on our table, but I can no longer recall. ​​I am glad I got one photo of an enthused diner. All of us were more than delighted with the food, but I was able to catch Heidi, grinning with her bowl!

Exploring 
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For a while, my daughter-in-law, Chali disappeared and came back smiling.  She chuckled about an odd restroom experience and I had to go see for myself. I headed through the other eating area, where I actually spotted some tourists. I wonder how they found the place?
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Mystery Area

I must have taken a different route, because I found a mysteriously festive area, that Chali hadn't mentioned. After exploring I returned to the table with my report. I had found a restroom, but it had a regular toilet, not a hole in the floor. Chali grinned with embarrassment, realizing she must have discovered the staff bathroom. However, I was pleased to announce that I had been quite impressed with the door peg that kept the bathroom door closed.
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​Restaurant adventures are so fun! 

Off We Go!

After our feast we were energized for some touring. Our visit to Chiang Mai was pretty amazing, thanks to the best tour & food guides, ever!

​Can't wait to go back!