Huen Phen — Restaurant in Chiang Mai Province

We were rained in and had to settle with having dinner at Huen Phen, located across from where we stayed in Chiang Mai Old Town.

Although HP was inundated with impressive Indochine artefacts, looking more like a museum than a restaurant---which by the way was truly a sight to behold, unfortunately, the food and service was disappointingly below par.

With no photos of the food offered and a service attendant who hardly spoke English nor cared less, we settled for a Khantoke, a platter of different northern Thailand dishes, because we didn't know what we should have. Instead of being served freshly cooked food, apart from the lettuce leaves and Thai herbs, we were served with what was probably food that was cooked the day or days before.

Whilst one could argue certain dishes need to be aged at least a day, however, what came on the Khantoke platter was cold, and looked uninspiring and unappetising. At 450 Baht, I was expecting the Khantoke platter to look and taste better, and the food to be served hot.

(I had walked past HP in the morning, peered in. and saw the same food in huge containers, dished into plastic bags to be taken away by customers. I'm sure the dishes served to us tonight were those from this morning.)

If these northern dishes were reminiscent of Burma and Laos, that once occupied what is now Thailand, and left some of their culinary footprint, then I would gladly conclude that I prefer southern Thai food, which tastes more refreshing (from the use of lime, vinegar and lemon grass), spicy (from the fresh and dried chillies, finger ginger and galangal), more balanced (from the clever use of MSG and palm sugar), and more pungent from baby garlic and fish sauce...

And, like other reviewers, the hygiene at this restaurant is indeed questionable. Placemats were dirty, and I had to ask the attendant for new cutlery twice.

Although displeased, we remained courteous throughout. We only took a few bites, and within 15mins, we left. Given how the Khantoke turned out, we didn't want to risk ordering anything else.

Not even a word of thank you as we left---but it didn't matter.

So, so, so sorely...

This one is a little bit tricky to write because I think this is the same restaurant but it’s two locations right next to each other, one for lunch and one for dinner and I’m doing a single review for both. If I’m wrong, please tell me and I will edit this review immediately ! For lunch the food is delicious. It’s really just take away and a very casual old fashion old school sit down.. the chicken at lunchtime is off the hook very inexpensive.

Dinner is good, but the place over the years has turned into a museum to the point of it being offensive, but that’s my opinion only. There are just too many artifacts inside. It’s over the top. Unless everything is a replica and for sale it just feels like a lot of loaded very religious material in the dinner location. I’m not saying that there isn’t a place for it. I’m just saying that over the years. It seems to have grown in quantity and maybe that’s part of the attraction for foreigners. The dinner menu offers a pretty good mix of Thai food with some Burmese food as well which is nice and service is excellent. Price is high relative to lunchtime..

To be super bold, and again, this is just my opinion I would rather see the lunch restaurant renamed to a separate restaurant so that they could get reviewed separately as it doesn’t have all of the artifacts that are sacred to people that seem to have flooded the dinner space. Again, just my opinion and from the heart, please take no offense and do what you have to do to be successful with your business delicious food and excellent service...

Worst meal I've had in Thailand ... in all six months of traveling of SE Asia for that matter. I would give it zero stars if possible. STAY AWAY.

After seeing this place listed on several recommendation websites, I decided to give it a try. What an enormous mistake -- I should have paid attention to the recent Google reviews.

The food was mediocre, at best. And prices were ridiculous, given the portion size and quality. I ordered the larb khua moo (pork) expecting to find some nice organ meat inside, as shown on Eating Thai Food's site. Apparently, they have changed the recipe because "tourists don't like that part of the dish." The jackfruit salad was dry, bland, and tasteless. And my small Chang beer (85b!) was was so warm I almost choked on it -- it got sent back. (They said they would bring me another, but never got around to it. They tried to charge for it, but to their credit did promptly remove it from the bill when I pointed it out.)

All and all, I got the distinct impression that this place was coasting on past reputation alone. Nothing "authentic" about it at all - I didn't see a single local eating there.

Service was barely passable, although the food did come out quickly. Best thing I can say in their favor is that the decor is lovely. But that's not what I go to a restaurant for.

If you're a tourist looking for bland tasteless food but still want to brag back home that you ate some "authentic" Northern Thai food, this is your place. If you're looking for actual authentic Northen Thai food that tastes good,...