what is Khao Soi Chiang Mai famous curry noodle — A delicious and creamy bowl of Khao Soi topped with crispy fried noodles

What Exactly is a Khao Soi?

Khao Soi is a deliciously rich and creamy yellow curry noodle dish unique to the northern regions of Thailand. For those of you who prefer a more soupy and slurp-able variant to your regular rice and curry dish, look no further.

Funnily enough, even though Khao Soi is most often enjoyed in the northern regions of Thailand such as Chiang Mai, I had my first bowl of Khao Soi in Bangkok.

It was at this small Isaan restaurant and let me tell you, when I had my first taste of that rich red-brown curry broth… My world has changed. Literally.

There are 3 things that make up a bowl of Khao soi, the noodles, broth, and protein.

Khao Soi Noodles

The noodles are wide yellow egg noodles which are also coincidentally called: Khao Soi Noodles. The characteristics of these noodles are firm and al dente. They are very good tasting noodles but I’ll be honest they do not hold the broth well as they are too wide.

Therefore I would recommend chasing your bite of noodles with a spoonful of that rich and creamy curry broth.

Khao Soi Broth

Here is the real star of the show, the glorious Khao Soi curry broth.

A flavorful blend of yellow and red curry paste, coconut milk, chicken broth, and various other spices. The ingredients are left to simmer to create a rich and complex flavor that excites your tastebuds every time you take a spoonful.

For those of you who are nervous about the spice, no need to worry, as Khao Soi has a mild spice that adds to the enjoyment rather than adding pain to your mouth.

simmering within the golden pool of deliciousness are various proteins that have been soaking in all the delicious spices and flavors of the curry

The Protein, Chicken? Beef?

Khao, Soi usually comes in one of 2 flavors, Khao Soi Gai (chicken) or Khao Soi Neua (beef). Whichever one you choose the meat will have been simmered in the space blend of spices that made up the broth. This results in a very tender and flavorful piece of meat.

With Khao Soi Gai you will often be given a huge meaty drumstick with your order. but don’t be afraid of a bland chicken oh no. The fat on the skin will have been rendered and you will be presented with the softest and most flavorful chicken still you will ever have.

The meat will also be soft and tender from being simmered in the curry broth. And by tender I mean fall of the bone tender.

For Khao Soi Neua chunks of beef will usually be served. The beef will be a bit more firm than the chicken but it is still tender. Normally you will get pieces that have bits of collagen attached to them which gives a nice contrast to the texture as well as some flavor.

You might even be lucky and just get a piece of collagen by itself!

red yellow curry broth crispy fried noodles Khao Soi — The highlight of any good bowl of Khao Soi is definitely the rich and oily curry broth

How to Eat Khao Soi?

Like you would with any other noodle dish!

I recommend taking a bit of the noodles and then chasing it down with a spoonful of broth. Or better yet, build the ultimate bite by having a bit of noodles and some broth in one spoon.

What’s unique here is you will get an assortment of toppings that you can put onto your Khao Soi.

If' you’ve been in Thailand for a while you might already be familiar with the various sauces and seasonings you can put into your noodles, like sugar, fish sauce, and chillies.

With Khao Soi it’s different.

Gone are the usual condiments instead you’ll get:

Lime Wedges
Sliced Shallots
Pickled Mustard Greens
Roasted Chili Flakes
Fried Crunchy Noodles

You can add these condiments as you wish. I personally add in some more roasted chili flakes for a extra kick and to upgrade the overall deliciousness.

Recommended Places in Thailand

yellow egg noodles coconut curry broth braised beef crunchy fried — Khao Soi is famous in the Northern regions of Thailand so it can be hard to find in Bangkok

Khao Soi can be difficult to find if you are in Bangkok, Phuket, or Pattaya. In fact, it can be hard to find anywhere other than the Northern provinces.

If you want an authentic taste you’ll find plenty of restaurant and stalls all across Chiang Mai, Lampang, Nan, etc…

Street Food Stalls and Shops

You’ll find plenty of street vendors serving up Khao Soi. As with all food in Thailand, some of the most out of place vendors or no-name stores can be the place were you’ll find your perfect bowl of Khao Soi. So don't be afraid to try a random food stall on the side of the street!

Khao Soi Islam (ร้านข้าวซอยอิสลาม) - Chiang Mai

As the name suggest this restaurant serves up a Halal style Khao Soi. Therefore, their specialization is Khao Soi Neua.

Khao Soi Islam isn’t just a good place for Khao Soi, it’s also arguably the best Halal restaurants in Chiang Mai.

This places serves up an all around wonderful version of the dish. The broth can be a bit more mild compared to the other restaurants but the flavors are unique due to the ingredients used. Don’t get me wrong you will still get that wonderful curry aroma and then some.

If Khao Soi isn’t your jam then don’t worry, they also have an amazing beef biriyani.

Location: Charoen Prathet 1 Alley, Tambon Chang Moi, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50100

Khao Soi Loong Prakit Kaat Gom (ลุงประกิจกาดก้อม) - Chiang Mai

There is 2 main reasons why you should come here.

The braised beef that they used in their Khao Soi and the absolutely massive portions.

Khao Soi Loong Prakit serves up a wonderfully huge bowl of Khao Soi with so much perfectly cooked yellow egg noodles piled high with crispy crunchy fried noodles.

All of that bathing in a rich and creamy curry broth. And their beef? Oh so divine…

The toppings are self service too! so you can get as much pickled mustard greens and roasted chillies as you like!

Location: 53 Suriyawong 5 Rd, Tambon Hai Ya, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50100