S.P. Publishing Group Co., Ltd. 11/1 Soi 3 Bamrungburi Rd., T. Prasingh, A. Muang., Chiang Mai 50200 Tel. 053 - 814 455-6 Fax. 053 - 814 457 E-mail: guidelin@loxinfo.co.th

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Gourmet Visits LE NAKARA

Choosing a place to sit and have a coffee or even a full meal around Thapae Gate usually means paying over the odds. If anywhere in Chiang Mai is a bubble of hyper-inflation, it's the Thapae area, catering to the tourist masses. Thankfully a new cafe opened up half way down Thapae Road in April that has kept its prices modest without skimping on quality and service. LE NAKARA is a great cozy little corner on the southern side of the street that has recently introduced an upstairs dining area and plans to further expand its already satisfying menu.

Open from 7:30 am until 10 pm, @Living Room Cafe offers American breakfasts, set Thai meals at lunchtime and great value western snacks and meals throughout the day along with its wide range of coffees, teas and bakery items.

To get a feel of what @Living Room Cafe has to offer, we decided to order a diverse range of western and Thai dishes starting with the tuna spaghetti bolognaise at just 50 baht with garlic and herb toast. Packed with toothsome tuna and a flavorsome tomato sauce with fresh baby tomatoes, this dish tasted fresh and made for the kind of western lunch you would struggle to find at the same price anywhere else in the city.

Even better value was the Thai set lunch at a measly 39 baht a head. The menu allows the customer to select two dishes from five which come with fresh greens and rice. We opted for the bitter gourd stuffed with pork with the stir-fried vegetables as our second dish along with the pork and coconut red curry as another alternative on the menu. The gourd is far from bitter but instead juicy and perfectly complemented by the pork. In fact this turned out to be my favorite dish.

Other dishes on the menu include fish and chips with vegetables for just 79 baht, bacon buns with salad for a staggeringly low 50 baht and ham burgers starting at a ridiculous 40 baht. Sandwiches start at just 45 baht, too. Feeling flush, we decided to order the juicy club sandwich too, along with some iced cappuccino and fruit iced tea. The plan now is to get back to LE NAKARA as soon as possible.

Text: GM Images: Apirak