The Duke's Branch 1: 49/4-5 Chiang Mai-Lamphun Rd. (50 m. North from TAT office). Tel. 053-249231 Branch 2: Ground and 2nd floor, Chiang Mai Pavilion, Night Bazaar (opposite dusitD2 Hotel). Tel. 053-249231 Open daily: 11 am - 10.30 pm

Chiang Mai has much to offer when it comes to dining out. There are even a few gourmet restaurants around town that some locals wish they could reserve for themselves.

One of these is The Duke's. "Created by the man that loves to eat… and eat... and eat," it is an unpretentious, classic "Chicago Style Steakhouse", and doesn't compromise on portion size or quality.

Located on the Chiang Mai-Lamphun Road, just 50 metres north of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) office, it is easy to find and easy to get to, but it's the "No Claims, No Games, Just Great Food" philosophy, combined with reasonable prices, that keeps customers coming back.

Included in The Thailand Tatler's list of 150 Best Restaurants of 2007, The Duke's offers authentic American food that includes 120-day grain-fed imported prime beef, "Fallin' Off The Bone" baby back ribs, imported seafood, and Chicago-style thin crust pizza.

This is serious food for serious eaters, with jumbo prawn shrimp cocktail, real Danish blue cheese dressing, fresh ground chuck hamburgers, hand-cut fries, crisp salads, meaty lasagna, grilled Panini sandwiches, and homemade soups.

The home-made desserts, apple pie, carrot cake, double chocolate fudge cake, white chocolate ganache cake, and cheese cake are so delicious that some customers eat their dessert first. A second branch opened last year in April in The Pavilion Shopping Center in The Night Bazaar.

Enjoy!

Casablanca 17, Soi 7, Nimmanhaemin Rd., A. Muang, Chiang Mai Open daily: 11 am - 2 pm, 6 pm - midnight Tel. 053-226344, 053-222244, 085-7858975

Directly translated from the Spanish for "White House," Casablanca, in the urban locale of Nimmanahaemin Road, through its all-white decor and great service combines tranquility with elegance in offering all Chiang Mai dwellers the perfect venue to dine out at, either for the family or a romantic duo.

In terms of its culinary dimension, Casablanca highlights multi-cuisine quality with daily-fresh ingredients cooked in European and Thai styles. The dishes vary from Caesar Salad and Fillet Mignon to German Wienner Schitzel (fried pork fillet with chips) to ice cream in batter - wow, the kids will go wild about that! - and even rare seafood items such as roasted New Zealand mussels with cheese, roasted giant scallop with mango sauce, and Thai Talay Ruam Grata Ronn (seafood with tri-flavour spicy sauce served on hot platter). All are well prepared by the humorous chef who spent his early working life in England.

Beyond the food, a fine collection of wines, cocktails, champagnes and brandies from all over the world are also available at Casablanca, together with a catering service offering an international buffet including Western, seafood, and traditional Thai delicacies.

Well… if you ask me what makes Chiang Mai's Casablanca classic, it's certainly the amazing dishes; exactly the same way Bogart and Bergman did to the other Casablanca, so long ago.

And this is fact, not film fiction!

T&D Restaurant 326 Thapae Rd., T. Chang Moi, A. Muang, Chiang Mai 50300 Open daily: 10 am - 10 pm Tel. 053-234876,081-5421994 E-mail: nattaya_eamim@hotmail.com

Feeling Thai and Western at the same time? T&D Restaurant is a relatively perfect answer where one can explore the genuine taste of traditional Thai and quality European cuisines with truly feels-like-home service.

Though set in the urban locale opposite Wat Mahawan on Tha Pae Road, everyone is provided with atmospheric tranquility at T&D. And whether it's a family or romantic occasion, the city chaos outside is immediately cut off by the neat and homey interior design of the ivory walls and warm-wooden decoration.

Now what to order?

As briefly mentioned about its cuisine above, the restaurant serves a fine collection of iconic Thai traditional dishes and some Western delicacies. All are prepared by the over-13-years-experience chef with a great concern for health: the vegetables used are entirely hydroponic. T&D highlights feature a bowl of grilled duck breast in red coconut curry, a rare item originating in the Central Region of Thailand, whose complicated preparing methods harmoniously combine the sweetness of tropical fruits and local herbs; pineapple, tomato, longan, basil, coconut milk and palm sugar among them. Again, grilled duck steak served with salad and lamb ribs steak imported from New Zealand and Australia are also a shouldn't-be-missed dish.

Of course, not all people are looking for a full meal but a nosh or sometimes, a couple of drinks. A variety of drink items are on offer to cool you down this sweating April. Try a frozen glass of smoothies from banana to papaya and mangoes blended with yoghurt and milk. Or the shake selection with fresh fruits and ice cream.

A complete dining experience where East meets West…