Out of town: Kiti Panit

Tha Pae, Chiang Mai’s main street, is home to a mustard-colored colonial building that has stood the test of time. Built in the late 1880s, the mansion was put down in history books as Kiti Panit, Chiang Mai’s very first general store where imported goods like fine china and French perfumes were retailed. It later became a medical clinic, but shut down during the Second World War and never reopened. The old mansion has remained uninhabited since.

Last year, a duo of star restaurateurs—Le Du co-owner Rungroj Engkuthanon (whose family owns the mansion) and Naamsah’s Fred Meyer—decided to restore the old mansion and designate it as Chiang Mai’s newest culinary destination. In a show of sentiment, they named this new venture Kiti Panit General Store.

Dust has been brushed off from intricate original woodwork. The wood floors have been polished. Antiques put in place. Old photographs hung on the walls. A sense of the store in the olden days has been preserved as much as possible; even the vibrant art deco wallpaper Meyer installed feels like it’s been there for a long time. Tasked to lead the restaurant's kitchen is Chef Sujira "Aom" Pongmorn, who has created a menu that pays tribute to Chiang Mai’s and the Lanna Kingdom’s extensive culinary history.

Northern Thai go-tos are prevalent, like nam prik noom (spicy eggplant relish, B150), sai oua (northern-style sausage, B160), gai tod makwan (fried chicken wings with pricklyash, B160) and khao soi (Northern Thai curry noodles, B290), here served with a broth for diluting the rich curry as you wish.

You also have lesser-known Tai Yai-influenced dishes such as wild boar curry (B390) and an aromatic fermented tea leaf salad (B190). Chef Arisara “Paper” Chongphanitkul of Bangkok's renowned pastry shop Ice puts together the dessert menu, and it’s all about your favorite Thai sweets, like grilled mango served with sticky rice (B220), but presented in an unconventional manner. Wash down all these goodies with house-made soda infused with local fruits or wind down in the evening with fine wines from an extensive list.

If you’re fond of spicy, hard-core, blood-soaked northern dishes, Kiti Panit may not be for you. The flavors here, though true to its Northern Thai roots, are on the mild side. But people have different preferences, and we’re not here to say it’s inauthentic nor boring. In the end, it’s always good to have a place where you don’t need to guess what you're eating.