Just south of Wat Chedi Luang, Huen Phen is not only a convenient spot for lunch when temple touring, but also probably the best place in town to sample authentic Northern Thai food. Lunch is served from a simple, open kitchen by the street, though there is an air-conditioned room too. There's fabulous khao soi here, Chiang Mai's famed Burmese curry with noodle, and another tasty (but fiery) dish is khanom jeen nam ngua, a beef stew in a hearty broth over rice noodles. In the evening, the quaint, antique-strewn house out back provides a classier setting for a feast of Northern Thai cuisine, including kaeng haeng lay, a thick pork and ginger curry, and nam phrik ong, a delicious ground pork and chili dip served with raw vegetables and pork crackling.