Harden's survey result
Summary
Now of three decades’ standing, this much commented-on “family favourite” is still the spot for “reliably good authentic Thai food in a lovely environment” (“an Elizabethan house tucked down an alley off the High”). Even if it is “not the force it once was”, the food is “never below very good” (“the green chicken curry remains the benchmark”), and even for those who have patronised the place for nearly as long as it exists, “over-familiarity still does not dull the pleasure” of a visit.
Summary
Bang in the middle of Oxford – occupying an early seventeenth-century building where Raymond Blanc cut his teeth as a chef in the 70s – this solidly rated Thai outfit celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. “Very much eclipsed in the last decade by Oli’s Thai, but the latter’s closure leaves a gap which this old favourite partially fills”.
Summary
“Hard to believe you can step off Oxford High Street” and into this “wonderful medieval building”, home to “such good quality Thai food in a calm atmosphere with efficient thoughtful service”. Despite a minor fall from grace since its days as our top-rated Oxford venue, reports are all enthusiastic – “just like the real thing is the verdict of seasoned Thailand visitors – and still a safe-as-houses bet in Oxford”.
Summary
“Eating green curry in a Tudor house is still a novelty” and fans of this slightly incongruous stalwart, tucked away off the High Street, say it’s “still very good in a city blessed with good Orientals”. That said, its cooking “has declined” from when it was Oxford’s top-rated venue in our survey (“how the mighty have fallen”) and, given its “really crammed” and sometimes “noisy” interior, its overall performance only seems fair-to-middling nowadays.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Chiang Mai?
Kemp Hall Passage, 130a High Street, Oxford, OX1 4DH
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £30.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 10.00% |
Kemp Hall Passage, 130a High Street, Oxford, OX1 4DH
Opening hours
| Monday | 12:30 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Tuesday | 12:30 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Wednesday | 12:30 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Thursday | 12:30 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Friday | 12:30 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Saturday | 12:30 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑9:30 pm |
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