Places to Eat in Nakhon Ratchasima
It was a tough task to write about Nakhon Ratchasima’s restaurants, as we hardly ventured anywhere father than the city markets. With mouth-watering Isaan specialties galore, it is quite understandable, though.
Street food and markets
Mae Kim Heng Market is where you can start your culinary journey around Nakhon Ratchasima. It’s located a few hundred meters away from Ya Mo on Pho Klang Rd and it’s always open; some of the stalls can be closed at certain hours, but if you feel like having a bite at the end of your night you’ll still find a lot of options here.
Since it’s a covered market, it’s also a good place to visit on a rainy day while waiting for the storm to stop. At this market you’ll find everything; fried chicken with sticky rice is the most popular choice among locals, but all the other Thai classics are here, too, and the Isaan specialties abound.
If you want to experiment with Thai breakfast grab a glass of warm soy milk, few chicken legs and one of the Thai sweets that are perfect to dip in the milk. Prices are as low as they can be with all the main dishes coming for THB30/THB50.
Another good one is Wat Boon Night Bazaar. This is just a night market (opens at 5pm), and it is particularly convenient if you’re staying on the east side of the old town. It is quite a huge place with a lot of options and it’s usually not too overcrowded. A must try here is pad mii khorat, a local variant of pad thai. To get to the market, walk left on Chompon road from Ya Mo for 1,5 km or take a songthaew number 1.
Local Food
If you want to try Isaan food comfortably sitting at the table don’t go any farther than Laeb Som Pith (379/1 Thanon Mittraphap – open every day from 7am to 8pm). This place is an institution in Khorat and one of the favourites for many locals and Thai visitors.
The signature dish of this place is sok lek, which might seem quite disgusting for a western taste but in Thailand it’s considered a delicacy; it is basically slices of raw beef in blood sauce (THB70). We’re not going to blame you if you decide to pass this one over, but Laeb Som Pith is still a great choice to try some of the other Isaan specialties. Their koh moo yang (grilled pork neck, THB70) is one of the best we have ever tried with the tender slices of meat that literally melt in your mouth. It’s usually served with a spicy dip and sticky rice on a side. Don’t miss one of the many kinds of papaya salad (THB40) as a complement.
Laeb Som Pith is located 2 km west of Ya Mo on Mittraphap (the main road crossing the town). Every tuk-tuk driver should know the place and a ride there should cost you no more than THB40.
Western and International Food
We’re not particularly keen on visiting western restaurants while travelling in Thailand but for Chez Andy Swiss Restaurant and Steakhouse (Manat Road, 5 Ban Kob Kaew, open daily from 11am to 11pm) we would make an exception. Placed in a beautiful setting right in the city centre, Chez Andy is a Swiss restaurant offering a big variety of delicious Australian steaks, Swiss and German specialties (the cordon blue schnitzel is phenomenal), pizza cooked in an Italian style, homemade pasta and much more.
The most unusual plate on the menu is arguably the Swiss fondue; if you’re a cheese lover, you’re not going to have many chances to eat it while in Thailand and this should calm your craving until you get back home. A large selection of wine and beers is also available. Chez Andy is quite expensive for Thai standards with the main course ranging from THB150 to THB500.
From Ya Mo walk east on Chompon road for few hundred meters and turn right when you cross Manat road.
