Salsa Kitchen — Restaurant in Chiang Mai Province

I come from a place where there is no shortage of delicious , authentic Mexican food. I grew up an it and consider it a staple in the food I eat when I am home. After traveling in Southeast Asia with my significant other (who also is a member of the I love delicious Mexican food club) , we needed a fix ! The Salsa kitchen was actually mentioned in a travel book that we had picked up so we figured the recommendation carried a little weight so we went for it . We had tried a few " Mexican" restaurants in our travels with leaving a little empty inside . I am not bashing these places just a little different than what we were looking for , again preferences are different and not all Mexican cuisine is the same . OK , about the experience , lets start with the margaritas ; Very good ! Made with fresh lime and triple sec , balanced perfectly . We had ordered margaritas at quite a few places and all the others were like a margarita Martini . Again , just not what we were looking for . The alcohol to lime/triple sec ratio was perfect and did not get effected by the melting ice. Not that I give the ice much time to melt anyhow :) On to my main dish , I opted for the Carnita Fajitas. It is not listed on the menu but will happily make for you if you ask. The platter came out sizzling and was cooked to perfection. Carnita meat was on point ; nice and tender with plenty moisture and crispy edges. Vegetables had a nice crunch but had a perfect exterior cook. The tortillas !!! Home made and moist , some of the best I have had to be honest . Inspired me to make some when I get home . I guess only trying the one dish I am limited in my overall knowledge of the menu but so far , SO GOOD ! The customer service was exceptional . They had a big group of people come in that were very loud and outright rude to the staff and they handled it very professionally . I was inspired by the way they handled it . If you are looking for a real deal Mexican food experience don't hesitate to come by The Salsa Kitchen...

Food is good. The most genuine Mexican food I had in Chiang Mai. Safety is low. They have a thermometer behind the entrance door so it is difficult to see and absolutely nobody uses it. Before they had thermometer in other place, more visible, but still didn't care to ask anyone to use it so nobody was checking his temperature. It is little sad because they had recently Covid in the restaurant and needed to close the restaurant for 2 weeks. They didn't learn anything from that experience.

Restaurant looks very basic. It is not place you would take anyone for a romantic dinner. Looks more like place where food for 50-60baht is sold.

Waiting time for food is bad, one of the longest I experienced in any restaurant. My opinion is based on many visits.

Service is okay but the owner always looks unhappy, maybe has a reason...

One thing which really surprises me is that they are not on Panda, Grab. This would allow them to eleminate the restaurant's weak points. Instead they use Tuk app which most people do not know or hate to use because of high delivery cost and no promo codes. (If they have any restaurant with discount you are sure to find the same discount on other app with cheaper delivery cost and other available promo codes). Maybe Tuk offers the owner a "better" price but the owner simply does not understand that she losses a lot of potential customers. I hope the owner wakes up one day and put this restaurant on Panda or Grab. I am sure she will be suprise how many new clients she will have after doing that. Please stop using this stupid Tuk app, you are just hurting...

Salsa Kitchen Restaurant Review Overall Rating: 5/5 What I Loved: I loved that they offered vegan options which were designed as main dishes, not merely side selections repurposed vegans. I loved that they even vegan specials featured on the menu. The Vibe: I arrived for an early lunch, around 11:30 in the morning, and had the entire restaurant to myself. The décor was distinctly Mexican—charmingly vibrant and inviting. Since I was the sole patron at the time, it was difficult to fully gauge the usual atmosphere, but the setting was undeniably delightful. What I Ate: I ordered both the vegan cheese burrito and the vegan Baja-style cauliflower soft tacos, initially anticipating modest portions. To my pleasant surprise, the servings were generous. I ended up saving the burrito for dinner, and it reheated beautifully. The vegan Baja-style cauliflower tacos were exceptional; the cauliflower was tempura-battered, rendering it perfectly crisp and never soggy. Each bite was a pleasure, and I was genuinely reluctant to finish the last morsel. The Service: Service was prompt and courteous. My server was gracious and spoke excellent English, making the experience all the more comfortable for me. Good to Know: Be aware—there is a sign at the entrance indicating that credit cards are not accepted. However, cash and scan payments are welcomed. The Bottom Line: Salsa Kitchen is conveniently located next door to Angel oNail Studio, where I often get my manicure and pedicure. The next time I find myself in the area, I fully intend to return for another lunch at this charming...