Deck 1

Rarinjinda Wellness Spa, one of the premium hotels and spas in the city, has a stunning new restaurant on the banks of the Ping River. Deck 1, opposite the hotel on Charoenraj Road, is a 70-seat open air modern contemporary restaurant, stylishly finished in similar tones to the luxury hotel.

Cuisine here is predominantly modern Asian, featuring Chinese, Thai, Japanese and Indonesian dishes, with the occasional other world creation such as the Moroccan inspired chicken with cous cous. What is immediately apparent after perusing the menu is that everything is healthy, a reflection of the hotel's concern for their guests well-being.

Recommended for a starter is the Chinese-style roasted duck salad, which comes creatively prepared with peanuts, courgettes, crispy noodles, mint, and tomato in a delicate sauce. Alternatively the Hiyashi Somen, a cold Japanese noodle salad, is a fresh and wholesome way to begin your meal. This colorful dish comes with a bundle of cold somen noodles topped with ginger, encircled by julienne-cut egg whites, egg yolk, cucumber, seaweed, chicken breast, crab stick, served with sesame and soy sauces.

A stand-out main course is the crispy skin salmon steak served on a bed of wasabi mashed potatoes with wakame sauce. Very much in the category of fusion foods, the combination of flavors in this Japanese-inspired creation will leave a lasting impression. Drinks range from a variety of wines, cocktails, and original mocktails such as the Roselle Margarita and Virgin Mojito. Deck 1 will undoubtedly become a popular venue, synonymous with healthy fine exotic cuisine served on the beautiful riverside Tel. 053-302 788, 053-303 030.

Cue Bar

With its array of boutique fashion houses, first class restaurants, cozy coffee shops and several newly-built top-end apartment blocks, Nimmanhaeminda Road can now also boast Chiang Mai's first pool club, located just 50 metres down from Soi 9.

The trendy-looking building with stylish touches amongst the understated decor fits in nicely with its fashionable environment. Cue Bar has eight brand new American-style pool tables, a drinks bar and a restaurant serving familiar Thai fare. Food here is very good quality and even better value. The Tom Yum Goong (hot & sour soup with shrimp) is a snip at 80 baht and for a mere 50 baht you can get a plate of chicken and cashew nuts over rice, squid-fried rice, or fried asparagus with shrimp over rice, amongst a range of other like dishes. A bowl of noodles is also 50 baht, with choice items being the fried noodles with beef, and Suki Yaki, a Japanese style noodle soup.

Every week two handicap pool tournaments are held; 8-ball being held on a Monday and 9-ball on a Thursday. Entry is 200 baht but be sure to register before 8 pm. This is an exceptional venue to shoot some pool of an evening, with tables for hire at 180 baht an hour, and professional pool players who are on hand to provide tuition for anyone interested in the game, or simply wanting to hone their skills. Friendly staff and a relaxed atmosphere make up the final components of Cue Bar, which is set to become the talk of the town.