Is Chiang Rai in Long Beach Worth Visiting? My Food Adventure

After wrapping up the vendor night at Long Beach, my friends and I were about to head home when we suddenly noticed Chiang Rai, a Thai spot, right next to the venue 🤩! We couldn’t resist the temptation of Thai food, so we grabbed our crew and dashed in to check out their Thai Street Food offerings 🚶‍♀️💨. We ordered the restaurant’s signature Curry Noodle and Midnight Chicken without hesitation—two must-tries recommended by the menu 📜. Let’s talk about the Curry Noodle first: the broth was rich and creamy, with a perfect balance of coconut milk sweetness and Thai curry spiciness 🌶️. Every slurp of the noodle was full of flavor, which was totally satisfying! However, the soft-shell crab on top was a letdown—it had a noticeable fishy taste that slightly ruined the overall experience 😕. All in all, I’d give this dish an 8.5/10. As for the Midnight Chicken, it was decent but not impressive. To be honest, it paled in comparison to the one at Sanamulang—a local Thai favorite we’ve tried before 🐔. Sanamulang’s chicken has a crisper skin and more flavorful marinade, so if you’re craving authentic Thai-style grilled chicken, Sanamulang is still the better pick 👍. The biggest mistake of the night? We got curious about a “special” item on the menu—Mango Sticky Rice Beer 🍻🥭. Let’s just call it a total disaster… It tasted like a weird mix of sweet mango sticky rice and bitter beer, and the flavors clashed horribly in our mouths 🤢. Definitely a major food fail! Note to self: Stop being overly curious about new and questionable food combinations next time 🚫. So, is Chiang Rai in Long Beach worth a visit? If you’re already in the area after events like vendor night and craving quick Thai street food, it’s an okay spot for a casual bite 🍜. But don’t go in with high expectations, especially if you’re a stickler for authentic flavors. And whatever you do, steer clear of the Mango Sticky Rice Beer unless you’re feeling super adventurous (or masochistic) 😂! #LongBeach#ThaiStreetFood #VendorNight