Ruen Tamarind

For a more upscale dining experience, make your way to Tamarind Village, a boutique resort in the centre of Chiang Mai’s Old City known for its dedication to showcasing Lanna culture, design, heritage and food. Surrounded by walls and greenery, the inconspicuous resort offers a discreet northern Thai oasis that many passersby may not even notice. Step inside its walls and you’ve walked into a whole other world. At Ruen Tamarind, the resort’s ambient, open-air Thai restaurant, visitors can indulge in a range of both Thai and international dishes with an emphasis on authentic, home-style northern Thai cuisine as part of their ‘Khong Gin Baan Hao’ menu. Try ordering naam prik noom, a spicy local green chili relish served with a plate of vegetables for dipping or yam sanut, a fresh vegetable salad tossed in a tangy, chili dressing. Other special dishes include ab plaa, curry marinated fish that has been grilled in a banana leaf, and saa hua plee, banana flower salad made from shredded banana blossoms tossed in a chili paste. After your meal, make sure to take a short stroll through the hotel’s gallery hallways that feature rotating themed exhibitions.