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Rating:
(5 stars out of 5)
Good Stuff: pleasant market trip on chartered tuk-tuk, compli-water, good English with chef-teacher, clean and comfortable environment, to-go recipe book
Location : I AM Champ Cafe, Udon Thani, Thailand
Facebook: ISaan Workshop
I AM Champ Cafe
Stumbling-upon a fashionable cafe in Udon Thani, the I AM Champ Cafe, I met the charming owner, Chr, who invited me to partake in her forthcoming cooking class through ISaan Workshop. My last cooking class was still in Chiang Mai in Apr 2019. Now I get the chance to roll-up my sleeve again and try Udon Thani's culinary specialty!
Meeting the Gang
From my hostel at Oldie and Sleepy, I, Nim (reception OJT) and Yo (another hotel guest) took the walk to I AM Champ Cafe where we were greeted by the lovely Chr and her friendly staff. We were introduced to Nat who would be our cooking teacher. From there, we boarded a tuk-tuk that took us to Phosri Market to buy fresh produce for our cooking class.
Phosri Market
Phosri Market was a clean fresh market that remained open late in the morning. It was spacious with all the vendors displaying their products. Nat was giving us guidelines on what to buy, how to say it in Thai, and just overall useful market tips. We purchased coriander, powdered raw sticky rice, lemongrass, galangal, shallots and most interesting of all, ant eggs. The same tuk-tuk brought us all back to the cafe.
Thai Northeaster Dishes
Larb Moo was the first thing we cooked - a minced pork salad made with ground pork, lime juice, shallots, roasted/ground raw sticky rice, fish sauce and cilantro. Next was Tom Zabb, a spicy-sour soup made with lemongrass similar to Tom Yum soup. This is where we used the ant eggs. Last, we prepared the refreshing orange-colored Thai Tea.
Lunch is Served!
Having done all the preparation and cooking, we sat down, enjoyed our meal and traded stories.
Ending Thoughts
It was a lovely cooking/dining experience where the food was simply gorgeous. But I could not single-handedly give credit to just the food. Everything and everyone surrounding the event contributed in large measure - the ambiance of I AM Champ Cafe, the friendly staff, Nat's clear explanations, and last but not least, there was our gracious host, Chr, who made it all happen.
Thank you Chr and Nat and everyone else for that memorable experience.
--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
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Next stop: Low Season (2020)
Udon Thani Travel Information / Tips
You can either go to the Bus Terminal 1 or 2 in Phitsanulok for a bus bound for Udon Thani. There are more trips from Terminal 2. But I ended up in Terminal 1 (window 34) where you only have 2 daily trips: 9:30 am and 10:30pm. B293, 6 hours. From Terminal 1 Phitsanulok, you will be taken to Bus Station 2 (and it will not go to Bus Station 1 which is further east) in Udon Thani. You may have to take a tuk-tuk if your hotel is near Station 1. Tuk-tuk/motorcycles inside the bus station will over-charge you from B100-B150. Just wait for the city bus that goes inside Station 2 - only B20. Inside the bus, you'll see a map with the bus' red-line route. Use this as your guide where to get off.
Udon Thani Blogs by TheLoneRider
Travel Tips for Thailand
This process is BEFORE Covid 19. Not sure what it is now.
60-Day Thai Tourist Visa
NOTE: There is no need to go back to your country to get the Thai tourist visa. Any major city with a Thai Embassy will do. Apparently there is also no need to have an invitation from a Thai establishment to justify the visa.
30-Day Extension
NOTE: When your 60-day visa is close to expiry and you want to extend your stay. No need to leave Thailand.
Book Train Tickets in Thailand Online by Train36.com
»» next story: Low Season (2020)
»» next Food Odyssey story:
Isaan Food in Udan Thani, Thailand
(Mar 5, 2020) Isaan is the local word for 'Northeast' of Thailand, consisting of its 20 provinces. Apparently, there is no Udon Thani cuisine. Locals refer to their culinary tradition simply as Isaan. Mostly, because of the diaspora of Vietnamese and Chinese into the region, plus shared border with Cambodia and Laos, Isaan could simply mean a fusion of all these flavors and tradition.....more »»
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