I was in Bangkok when my old friend Nit, a native of these Thai lands, whom I hadn’t heard from in about 7 years, contacted me out of the blue proposing we meet up for coffee. Intrigued and happy to see him again, I accepted without hesitation.
We met at the Coffee Shop “Cheva & Chavee”, a pleasant locale owned by Nit’s niece. While we were sipping coffee and chatting to bridge the gap of all these years, he made me taste some soft donuts to dip in a special Hokkaido-style cream, all crafted in this place. The soft and delicious donuts melt in your mouth!
He shared the story of the coffee shop, born during the difficult years from 2020 to 2022, which hit almost everyone, mostly all over the world. Their main restaurant business, primarily catering to foreign tourists, had to face significant difficulties, with consequent substantial loss of income. Instead of succumbing to adversity or passively facing the problem, they embraced a new venture: the bar/donut adventure.
This brilliant entrepreneurial idea is currently thriving. As he told me, it’s not the family’s main business, in fact, the niece also owns a renowned restaurant in Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand, together with her husband, specializing in khao soi.
News that arouses my curiosity a lot. Khao soi is one of my favourite Thai food!
I don’t remember exactly when and where I first tasted this delicious noodle soup, probably the first trip to Chiang Mai, which goes back more than 13 years ago. Since then, I have not stopped looking for it in various restaurants.
Khao soi is a very tasty soup of egg noodles immersed in a delicate coconut base, enriched with a super spicy and flavorful curry, garnished with crispy fried noodles and usually accompanied by a chicken leg, or other types of meat. An explosion of intoxicating flavours, colours and textures for the palate.
When Nit explained to me that the niece’s husband, Jack, had undertaken a sort of pilgrimage through Thailand during which he had personally selected every single ingredient to create the perfect khao soi, I was tempted to definitely have to try his creation. My curiosity was piqued, and once I finished enjoying coffee and donuts at Bangkok’s “Cheva & Chavee”, I made sure I got called by my friend the next time he visits his niece’s restaurant.
Which happens after a few days: Nit contacts me and tells me he is going to Chiang Mai to visit the family, asking if I want to accompany him and taste the khao soi soup. I definitely won’t miss the chance!
So, one December morning, as hot as ever, I started the adventure to discover the best khao soi in Thailand.
After a subway, Bangkok’s airport link and a flight, we arrive in the quiet and relaxed Chiang Mai, where Jack, the restaurant owner and husband of the niece, is waiting for us.
I have never been a super food enthusiast, but lately I have changed my approach to it, realizing that what you eat in a country is a fundamental element to understand a culture. Despite this, undertaking a gastronomic expedition just to eat a noodle soup still seems strange to me. But the taste for adventure knows no bounds!
We barely have time to check in at the hotel and we already have our legs under the table, waiting to taste Jack’s khao soi. The restaurant is crowded with hungry customers happily enjoying the various dishes, many people are queuing outside the entrance, waiting for their turn.
Jack immediately placed us at a secluded table, showing us the menu with khao soi and all the other delicacies of northern Thailand’s culinary tradition. Thai food at its best!!
He explains that he has dedicated a lot of time wandering through remote villages and local producers until he finds every perfect ingredient he wants. He illustrates all the fantastic products he has managed to select to create his iconic dish: spicy but delicate chillies, grown by the Karen tribe in the northern hills on the border with Myanmar, the perfect lime and fish sauce, galangal and other spices for the curry paste, freshly prepared every day, all organic and carefully chosen. But one thing he is particularly proud of is the salt, a special non-sea product, which comes directly from a well in a village near the city of Nan, in northern Thailand.
While Jack lists these details with pride, my curiosity reaches its peak.
Finally, the waitress approaches our table, carefully holding a large tray in her hands. In the centre, a bowl that emits a delicious aroma of exotic spices. “Here is our best khao soi!” My stomach rumbles impatiently.
The bowl is filled with a tasty soup where soft yellow noodles are immersed. On the surface, the traditional crispy fried noodles form a layer that lies on the rest of the ingredients and the succulent chicken leg. But Jack has other variants, like beef, pork, squid … all to be tried! Before I even finish processing the sight of that culinary masterpiece, Jack stops me: “Wait! First taste the broth alone. It is essential to grasp the complexity of my khao soi”.
I dip the spoon into the rich sauce and savour an explosion of flavours that invades the taste buds. The coconut milk and curry broth is creamy and enveloping, with spicy notes ranging from peppery to pungent. A pinch of brown sugar softens the too-spicy tones, leaving a delicate aftertaste.
“So what do you think?” Jack asks when I emerge from the bowl. I have no words … I just nod in agreement before diving back into the soup. This time I squeeze some lime, and add toasted ground chili pepper, crispy onions and pickled mustard… The various textures and contrasting flavors combine together creating an enchanting dish that provides a unique sensory experience that delights the palate.
The smooth noodles swim in the spicy broth, in contrast to the crispy ones on the surface.
The sour notes of the pickles perfectly balance the curry paste, creating harmony between spicy, acidic, salty and sweet. The meat is soft and flavorful, it melts in your mouth.
With every spoonful the sense of bliss that has invaded me since the first bite increases. This khao soi is something that goes beyond mere food…it is a demonstration of passion, love, and dedication. You can perceive all the commitment and care that Jack has dedicated in devising this Thai food.
“So, do you like it?” he asks me again. “It’s…perfect!” I reply. I don’t know how to describe it differently.
This khao soi is like the summary of Thailand in a bowl. A concentrate of excellence that evoked crowded markets, fields scented with spices, and foggy dawns among the mountains wrapped in forest.
It also encapsulates all the flavours, cultures and landscapes that Jack encountered on his journey in search of the best ingredients for this traditional Thai food. Definitely one of the best khao soi I have tasted, especially having understood Jack’s dedication, commitment and desire to make everyone taste the best khao soi ever.
Jack’s passion and love are the main ingredients that make this dish truly unique and special.
I thank the restaurant owner for letting me taste his culinary masterpiece. He smiles satisfied: the hard work and dedication in finding every ingredient of excellence had been worth it to give his customers a unique flavour explosion.
One day I will return to those parts, to be able to taste again the special Jack’s khao soi, meet again the new friends I made here in Chiang Mai and recall in my memories this gastronomic adventure.
Having found my old friend Nit after so many years and thanks to him having discovered this experience related to Thai cuisine was a very good thing. One of those casual adventures that make life so rich and unpredictable. A taste of authentic Thai food.
The restaurant “Khao Soi Nimman” is located in Chiang Mai, in the Nimman area, it is open every day and I advise you not to go during peak hours as it is always crowded with people eager to connect with this food from Northern Thailand!
Google Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/h1pgd6JxbpGFaeKm6
