Ksushi for Dinner > Sushi in Tokyo

If you read the title of this post, you think I’m exaggerating or crazy. Sushi in Tokyo was special, the fish were carved up that morning, but this overall experience in Chiang Mai was better. There have been a few nights where I just stumbled out of the Airbnb and Google a restaurant nearby because I’m tired. That was tonight. That morning I had hopped on my scoot it and boot it (iykyk) and headed to the Sticky Waterfall. Short story: you feel like Spider-Man walking up the waterfall because the calcium rich water from the mountain spring keeps algae away. All you have to do is put your crocs in 4 wheel drive/sport mode.

I was actually stopped by the police on the way out there and my two wheel gas guzzler doesn’t “speed” so I thought to myself, here we go. “International driver’s license?” He said. I told him I left my fake magic carpet license at home. He took me to the captain dude, who said “500 baht.” I was in a funny mood so I said, “Oh thank you! I thought it was going to be 600.” They all looked at each other and did not appreciate my joke. The old me would have tipped him 100 for his service, but I’m a Buddhist now. Sorry to the next white person they stop and make it 700.

Ksushi: a small, intimate, and very nice restaurant located in a very dark and sketchy alley. I was dressed in a hat, tank, shorts, and floppies, my Thai special. I actually look like a very tan, beach Jew by now, it’s weird. Needless to say, the restaurant staff is not impressed to the point where they won’t let me sit inside (there are nicely dressed Thai businessmen inside). I giggle and tell them outside is fine. He hands me a menu and I want everything, like always, but I really want the Omakase. They say they don’t have any more seats at the chef’s counter (they have 1 left). Again, because I look like a bum. How do I get inside I wonder… ah, let’s use the chef card. “I’m a chef from California,” I say, and 10 minutes later after a discussion among their team, I’m inside. An hour later, I’m being served the chef’s secret moonshine and being asked to stay after closing to drink the night away. Funny how everything works out.

Kong is the chef and trained at Blue Ribbon in New York. He has some serious sushi skills. The precision on his cuts, all of the details of the sauces, the weirdest fish I’ve ever had somehow tasted familiar, and all 16 courses were fucking perfect. The only course I’m meh about is Uni because I have a mainly meh/hate relationship with Uni. You serve me Uni and avocado together and you’ll see some scary. I wanted to try the spicy blue crab and he made me a custom hand roll free of charge. I wanted to try some rare whisky, he forced me to try all 3 of them then made the server run to his car to get his “award winning” Thai Brandy I had to try. I told him it wasn’t that kind of trip and I had to call it early because I had to be up at 4am to which he responded, “Good it’s only 9pm.” Turns out I was the first tourist he’s spoken to in over 2 years. I was serious when I mentioned I’m the only white guy in Thailand right now. I stayed until 10 to be polite, watched the server’s face turned pale when I tipped 1000 baht, and was on my way back to the airbnb with a smile on my face.

The video in this post: the fish is Toro (fatty blue fin tuna) which is like $40 for a few small pieces in San Diego. It’s the wagyu of the sushi world. You don’t touch it, just eat it. I don’t even put soy sauce or wasabi on it. Kong lit skewers with a blowtorch and I said, “You better not dude,” leave it alone. He proceeded and I have to say my dumbass that knows nothing about sushi was wrong, it was fatty and smokey delicious. If you are ever in Chiang Mai go to Ksushi (make a reservation, Chiang Mai is open to tourism now) and say hi to Kong for me, awesome guy.Read more