After experiencing a string of mediocre and over-priced eateries it was a delight and relief to come across Dada. Strangely, I have walked past often and not tried it, possibly because it calls itself a cafe and I was looking for a meal. But don't...be confused by that, Dada definitely has a full and interesting menu. And it is clearly and well set out, unlike many which can be a confusing mish-mash, perhaps playing to a certain expectation from tourists of a laid-back Chiang Mai attitude but in reality often covering run-of-the-mill quality and overpricing. We've had two meals: the full mushroom dish which was very tasty with layers of interesting flavours coming through and included a generous salad with an excellent dijon-based dressing almost a meal in itself; a straightforward fried fish and chips of excellent quality; the potato salad, lots of bite-size spuds heaped on a large mound of fresh coral lettuce with a collar of tasty small tomatoes topping sliced cucumber, perhaps could have had a little more mayonnaise dressing; a pad krapraow chicken dish, the weakest of the lot but still enjoyable; the coconut smoothie thick and . . um . . smooth . . .and just to top it off the white wine at a price which isn't a squeeze, unlike many other establishments. There is more on the menu we will be trying: some interesting fusion dishes including bruschetta for example. For the rest there is a touch of class about everything from the tongs in my glass of ice, the sturdy tables and chairs, just the right height (not always the case, and sitting low at a table can be quite uncomfortable), the gentle jazz music as background (I recognised Sinatra and a Fitzgerald/Armstrong duet among others for those who still like the classics), an effective array of fans around the walls, and some superior artwork fora fitting decor. The staff, and owners, it almost goes without saying for Chiang Mai, are friendly and attentive, and there's good English for clarity. Importantly also, as well as the wine, the pricing is not gouging, especially for the quality, with our meal (no dessert) coming out at around 200 baht each. The meals may come a little slowly, especially at busy times, but heck, you can sip that large smoothie while you wait checking out the menagerie of clients, and even afford a second glass of wine. It was hard to fault anything at Dada so highly recommended; we will be back for more soon.More
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