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Phayao: When Mookata Becomes an International Buffet
http://www.hotsia.com > When Mookata Becomes an International Buffet Mr.Hotsia travels in Phayao and beyond. Boat trip to see the lotus at Kwan Phayao, ancient Kalamae in Chiang Kham, Kwan Phayao viewpoint, Kwan Phayao walking street, Luang Pho Kamthep at Wat Nantararam, solo adventure at homestays, Meo (Yao) homestay, wild bee catching and tasting at Ban Pha Daeng, Ozone Valley Ban Huak #1, Ozone Valley Ban Huak Homestay 2. Starting with the word 'katha' (pan). 'Katha' = 5,700,000, 'kratha' = 1,710,000. However, Wikipedia says to use the word 'kratha'. Today, I, Mr.Hotsia, will introduce the legendary Mookata. Mookata is said to have originated from soldiers during a ceasefire in battle, who used their helmets as grills to cook meat. The pan design resembles a soldier's helmet. The rounded center part—I’m not sure if that’s true, but from images found, no helmet is suitable for grilling Mookata.
Therefore, the story about it coming from a soldier’s helmet is probably not true. Regarding the origin of Mookata in Thailand, I remember when I was an air force soldier at Wing 21 in Ubon province, I had a favorite Korean BBQ restaurant, probably Muen Thip Korean BBQ. Twenty years ago, people in the Northeast already ate it, but it wasn’t a buffet like today. They served sets priced at 80 baht each. So, in the Northeast, when eating Mookata, they didn’t call it Mookata but Korean BBQ, which could be pork as well, like the Korean BBQ I had in Bueng Kan (video clip below).
Fahsai Mookata in Phayao, eating Mookata in Chiang Rai. In recent years, Mookata officially emerged in Chiang Mai as a buffet style, with prices ending in 9 baht, like 79, 89, 99, or 129 baht depending on pricing and quality. Since then, Mookata has rapidly expanded nationwide.
Because everyone can eat to their fill at an affordable price, and importantly, Mookata creates a shared activity where people sit, chat, and warm by the fire. In Chiang Mai and northern regions, Mookata is very popular due to colder winters than other areas. Nowadays, Mookata may have lost some of its charm as it has become an international buffet with food from Thailand, China, Japan, grilled dishes, made-to-order meals, and all kinds of options imaginable.
But what’s lost is the atmosphere of sitting together, the aroma of grilled pork, and helping each other grill. Instead, everyone is busy choosing food or eating non-Mookata dishes separately, each focused on their own plate in the international buffet style. Some restaurants have adapted, some have not. Fahsai Mookata in Phayao is one example. But this is not wrong because everything evolves. Where else can you find an international buffet at Mookata prices? So if you want to eat a lot,
look for places with a wide variety of food and unlimited servings of international dishes, but still where you can chat, eat, and grill together. Please understand the Mookata concept—it’s all about fun with friends. Oh, a quick tip: before ordering food and ice at any Mookata restaurant, always check the prices first. Usually, the cheaper the per-person price, the more expensive the ice; if the per-person price is higher, the ice is cheaper.
On my travel trips, when I arrive in a province, I usually look for Mookata restaurants because it’s filling and budget-friendly, and I get to see the local lifestyle. The restaurants that caught my eye in many northern provinces are Fahsai Mookata. I ate at Fahsai in several provinces: Chiang Rai, Phayao, Chiang Mai; in Fang, I ate at PP Mookata; in Bueng Kan, I ate at Jane Korean BBQ. For your next Mookata experience, find a place with the old-style atmosphere, a real Mookata restaurant without too many extra items, focusing on grilling together to bring back the original Mookata or Korean BBQ vibe.
I still remember when I ate Korean BBQ in Ubon with friends from school, how fun it was to grill, compete for pieces, and enjoy the restaurant’s atmosphere.... Mr.Hotsia 2010 Korean BBQ at Jane in Bueng Kan, Mookata at Doi Inthanon, ordered right at the tent camping spot.
Phayao: When Mookata Becomes an International Buffet - Image 2
