Well, this is it: my last bowl of khao soi in Chiang Mai. Thankfully, I went out on a high note. Khao Soi Mae Sai is often called the best khao soi in Chiang Mai, and yeah, it’s quite good.
My Chiang Mai khao soi experience rankings:
- Khao Soi Islam Restaurant
- Sirichai Khao Man Gai
- Khao Soi Mae Sai
- Khao Soi Khun Yai
The top three are all super delicious, and are all so close that they’re almost interchangeable; Khao Soi Islam restaurant was the only dud in the bunch (and even it was still pretty tasty).
But I have to give the edge to Khun Yai over Mae Sai; the curry flavour in the broth is a bit more complex, and has a more satisfying kick. I will say, however, that Mae Sai is probably the richest bowl of khao soi that I had. It’s super creamy and very satisfying.
It also features some seriously tender chicken, and a great ratio of crispy to regular noodles. It’s a seriously tasty bowl of noodle soup — I can definitely see why a lot of people call it their favourite.
How to find it: The restaurant looks fairly unassuming, but it does have some English on the sign.