ITALIAN DINING IN CHIANG MAI? WHY NOT?

ITALIAN DINING IN CHIANG MAI?

WHY NOT?!

Chiang Mai, Thailand has an interesting variety of restaurants. It’s a big city and at one extreme, if you want, you can really go “up scale” and find some very nice and very expensive restaurants. At the other extreme, you can find loads of street venders and food stalls hawking basic but tasty Thai foods and specialties for extremely low cost.

Chiang Mai also has loads of quality small restaurants which fall in between those two extremes. That’s typically where I choose to dine and if you, like me, enjoy that dining style – well, here’s a suggestion for you – for one for those times when you feel a need to break away from noodle and rice based Southeastern Asian cuisine. How about some Italian?

WHY NOT? ITALIAN RESTAURANT & WINE BAR

“WHY NOT?” is an interesting name for this Italian restaurant, but a bit nondescript, and perhaps a bit too understated. It’s the kind of name that would suggest a “ho – hum” experience. “Shall we try this place? Oh – Why Not.” That comment, and the name of the restaurant as well it seems to me, is lacking in energy. It’s not terribly enthusiastic. This is a really good restaurant, a fact belied by it’s name. But hey, it’s not my restaurant and they can use whatever name they want. Still, if I were to suggest a new name I might go with – “Absolutely!”

Why Not? bills itself as an Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar. Located at NIMMANHEMIN RD. – SOI 11 – T.SUTHEP – A. MUANG – CHIANGMAI – THAILAND, they open 5 PM.

They take reservations which might be a good idea at popular times or with larger groups. I’ve only visited on one occasion, dining with several friends, and I only have a few photos. But I will return. The food is great and there is an extremely wide selection of appetizers, salads, main course items and desserts. There is a good mix of traditional items as well as more exotic specialties. Check out their website and menu at WWW.WHYNOTCHIANGMAI.COM

I very much enjoyed my Chicken Involtino – “Rolled chicken breast stued with mozzarella cheese & bacon in a white wine sauce served with sauteed potatoes.”

Others in my party ordered items including Pizza, Chicken Pizzaiola, Lasagna Classica, and Parmigiana Di Melanzane. Salads are large and easily shared. The Caesar is a winner. Vegetarian dishes are available as well.

Indoor and outdoor seating are available. The atmosphere is friendly, casual and very pleasant.