Harden's survey result
Summary
“Long standing and always fun and reliable” – this well-known venue (est. 1993) has competition these days from the likes of Oli’s Thai. But between its remarkable setting – a historic, Tudor-style building in a medieval lane off the High; its “absolutely fantastic” Thai food (not least green curry); and its “nice buzz”, it continues to please all who comment on it. Further boons: the “lunchtime menu is fantastic value” and the “team are so welcoming and friendly” too.
Summary
“The building is the star” at this stalwart in a cosy Elizabethan house quaintly tucked down a medieval alley off the High. These days it’s “under strong competition” locally (and perhaps “unlikely to recover its crown as long as Oli’s Thai continues in some form”), but many “still get drawn here for the green chicken curry” – long a standout – and, while, “it’s not fine-dining”, it “remains a dependable option” where “for a fair price you get a huge choice of Thai staples”.
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”.
For 34 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
Chiang Mai Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Very good value and the waiter told us, quite rightly, that we were ordering too much"
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £23.50 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 10.00% |
Kemp Hall Passage, 130a High Street, Oxford, OX1 4DH
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑9:30 pm |
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