Dhara Dhevi, the vast luxury resort on Chiang Mai's outskirts, has opened what it’s calling the Northern capital’s finest Japanese restaurant.

Named Ren and operated by former Iron Chef contestant Kongwuth Chaiwongkachon, who's now based permanently at the restaurant as head chef, it introduces to Chiang Mai the kind of premium ingredients commonly associated with the upper echelons of Bangkok's Japanese dining scene.

The most elaborate sashimi platter costs B3,500 and is composed of otoro (fatty tuna belly), chutoro (medium fatty tuna belly), hotate (scallop), shinkai madai (red sea bream), uni (sea urchin), akagai (surf clam), kohada (small white fish), taraba (king crab) and salmon. Beef starts at B400 for 100g of Australian wagyu with a marble score of six, while A5 Saga wagyu and Kobe wagyu cost B1,500 and B2,000 for 110g, respectively.

For now, the restaurant runs almost like a pop-up, taking over the huge dining area behind Dhara Dhevi’s lobby each evening, though a custom property is currently under construction at the front of the resort.

The intention, says Phaphit Gungtang, Dhara Dhevi’s food and beverage consultant, is for Ren to draw in the local crowd.

www.dharadhevi.com, www.fb.com/renbydharadhevi

See also: 25 new reasons you should visit Chiang Mai this winter