Northern Thai Food That Isn't Spicy: What to Order in Chiang Mai

The common problem when taking international visitors for Northern Thai food is not that they dislike it. It is ordering the wrong dish, then putting them off for the rest of the trip. Northern Thai cuisine includes both very gentle dishes and dishes so spicy that even Thai people need to prepare themselves. Knowing which is which makes the meal much easier.

Dishes you can order with very little worry

Khao soi is the best introduction. Egg noodles come in a coconut curry broth that is richer and sweeter than it is spicy. The real heat is in the fried chilli paste served separately on the side; leave it out and the dish is barely spicy. Shallots, pickled mustard greens and lime are served alongside, and make the flavour more rounded.

Sai ua is a pork sausage mixed with herbs, with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf as its most distinctive flavours. It is mild to medium in heat depending on the restaurant. People trying Thai food for the first time often enjoy it because it looks familiar, like a sausage.

Gaeng hung lay is a Burmese-influenced pork curry with a sweet and sour flavour from tamarind and ginger. It is not spicy, the pork is tender, and it goes well with either steamed rice or sticky rice.

Khaep mu is crispy pork crackling with no heat at all. It makes a good snack while you wait for the rest of the food.

Sticky rice is eaten by hand: roll a small ball and dip it in your food. International visitors often enjoy this part most because it gives them a new way to eat.

Dishes to warn people about before ordering

Nam prik noom looks harmless: pale green, served with boiled vegetables and pork crackling. But its heat depends entirely on that batch of green chillies. Some restaurants make it very mild; others make it hot enough to bring tears to your eyes. Always taste a small amount first.

Northern-style larb is different from the Isaan larb most people know. It uses prik larb, a roasted ground-spice blend, for a complex heat that builds over time. The first bite may seem fine, but by the fifth you will notice it. It is not a dish for people who cannot eat spicy food.

Yam and sa salads are spicy by default. If you want to try them, tell the restaurant when you order.

How to make the restaurant understand

Useful phrases are “mai phet, khráp” (“not spicy, please”) or “phet noi noi” (“only a little spicy”). Keep in mind that “a little spicy” means something different at every restaurant. If you want to be certain, say “mai sai prik loei” (“no chilli at all”), which is clearer and easier for the kitchen to follow.

Some dishes cannot be adjusted because the curry paste has already been prepared, such as a curry that has been simmering in advance. In that case, the restaurant will normally tell you. Choose another dish rather than forcing it.

Things people often do not ask, but should

Vegetarian visitors should know that many Northern Thai dishes use shrimp paste or fish sauce as a flavour base. They are not vegetarian even if there is no visible meat. Ask directly whether the dish contains shrimp paste or fish sauce, rather than only saying that you do not eat meat.

For Muslim visitors, pork is a main ingredient in many Northern Thai dishes, so finding a halal restaurant needs to be planned in advance rather than decided on the spot. You can always let us know beforehand.

An order that usually works well

Start with one bowl of khao soi, one plate of sai ua and one bag of khaep mu, then see how everyone in the group feels. If that goes well, add nam prik noom or larb at the next meal. Ordering spicy food as the first dish is the quickest way to make one person in the group afraid to eat anything else for the rest of the trip.