Arirang Restraunt Chiang Mai
Good Korean that has withstood the ages and offers a large menu
Cuisine: Korean
Rating:★★★★☆
Recommended dishes: bulgogi, tofu soup
Price indication: reasonable; average meal about THB 200-300
Arirang is probably one of the most used names for Korean restaurants all over the world, it’s the name for a traditional Korean song. In the past, I counted at least 2 Arirang Korean restaurants in Chiang Mai and also their broadcasting station is called Arirang.
Now I’m talking about Arirang Korean restaurant in Chiang Mai Land.
Arirang is clearly a long-established place, probably serving a loyal clientele for some 20+ years, judging from the interior design. A few doors nextdoor, you’ll find Japanese restaurant Kitamond, which interestingly has been around for about the same period of time.
There is a reason why it could survive such a long time: the food is generally quite good. Not only I notice but also groups of Korean tourists and quite a lot of local Thai.
Upon trying the food a few years after the first times, I wonder why I didn’t go back more often. I guess it’s because I’m blessed with 2 good Koreans in my neighborhood, being Arirang and Jinmi, which actually became my favourite and so I didn’t bother going somewhere else.
Korean isn’t exactly the kind of food you want to have every day, because of all the grilled meat, so normally I have it once a month or so and either Jinmi or Daejangjoom has been my default choice.
Arirang however, is quite good. The menu offers a few items out of the ordinary, such as seafood soup with crab, besides the usual bulgogi, bibimbab and so on.
The rice served here is a mix of sticky white rice and Jasmin rice, which is nice too.
All dishes I tried were good, bulgogi and a soft tofu soup. The meat was well marinated and the sauces are somewhat different from other Koreans but I like the oil with garlic as a meat dipper. The grill built inside the table is a gas grill, not a coal grill like in Jinmi, so that could make some difference in terms of flavour when the coals are nice and white.
While coals can add to the flavour, it can be more handy for women to grill on gas, because there is less smell and they don’t have to wash their hair after this dinner.
The service was a little unattentive this time but I think in general it should be okay.
The place clearly has been around for a long time, I estimate some 20 years but that doesn’t harm the taste.
It’s best to go here with a friend, at least not alone, this way the price of the dishes is very reasonable.
Built-in gas grill. Marinated pork meat and side dishes
It looks like egg, but it’s soft tofu soup
Rice rolls
Location: Chiang Mai Land. From Changklan road, turn into Chiang Mai Land. It’s on the left in the first row of shophouses.
Open: every day
Phone: 053275759
