Hiking Monk’s Trail? Take These 3 Things With You
December 20, 2025
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Copyright © 2023 Haze Buds | Powered by C&R Group
In the world of cannabis, trust is everything. You trust your budtender to guide you toward the right strain, to explain the terpenes, and to curate your experience. But at Haze Buds, we believe that this trust shouldn’t end at the exit door of our dispensary.
We aren’t just a shop selling flowers; we are a collective of locals, enthusiasts, and connoisseurs who live and breathe Chiang Mai. We know the city’s rhythms. We know the secret nature spots (as we discussed with Monthathan Waterfall), and most importantly, we know where to eat.
To understand the soul of Haze Buds, you have to meet the people behind the counter. Today, we are turning the spotlight on one of our most beloved team members: Gato.
If you have visited our shops, you likely know Gato. He’s the one with the infectious laugh, the encyclopedic knowledge of sativa strains, and a vibe that instantly puts you at ease. But outside of the shop, Gato has another title: The Mookata Connoisseur.
When Gato isn’t recommending a jar of “Jelly Donut” or tending to the shop, he can usually be found hovering over a charcoal grill, tongs in hand. Today, he is taking us on a culinary journey to his absolute favorite spot in Chiang Mai: Jae So Mookata the best mookata in Chiang Mai.
Before we get to the pork, let’s talk about the man. Gato represents the heart of the Chiang Mai cannabis lifestyle. He isn’t about excess; he is about appreciation. He appreciates high-quality nature, high-quality cannabis, and high-quality food.
Gato is a man of balance. Ask him about his diet, and he keeps it simple: “Meat and Veggies.” It sounds basic, but in Gato’s philosophy, it’s about the primal connection to food. He loves the texture of perfectly grilled meat, but he respects the freshness of the vegetables that balance it out.
“A good meal is like a good hybrid strain,” Gato says. “You need the heavy body high (the meat) and the cerebral uplift (the fresh veggies). If you only have one, it’s incomplete.”
For Gato, dinner isn’t just fuel. It’s a ritual. And in Thailand, there is no food ritual more sacred, more communal, and more satisfying than Mookata.
For our international visitors who might not know, Mookata (literally “Pork Skillet”) is the ultimate Thai dining experience. It is a hybrid of a Korean BBQ grill and a Chinese hot pot.
Imagine a domed metal skillet sitting over a roaring bucket of charcoal. The center of the dome is for grilling meat (pork, chicken, beef, seafood). The rim of the skillet is a moat filled with soup stock, where you boil vegetables, glass noodles, and eggs.
It is brilliant engineering. The fat from the grilling meat at the top renders down, dripping into the soup moat below, seasoning the broth and the vegetables with pure, savory goodness. The more you eat, the better the soup gets.
But Mookata is more than just cooking; it’s a social event. It’s messy. It’s smoky. It takes time. You don’t rush a Mookata. You sit for two hours, grilling, dipping, talking, and laughing. It is the perfect post-session meal for the Haze Buds community because it engages every single sense.
Sight: The glow of the charcoal and the steam rising.
Sound: The hiss of the pork touching the hot metal (the “Chaa” sound).
Smell: The aroma of garlic, chilies, and grilled fat.
Taste: The explosion of the dipping sauce (Nam Jim).
Touch: The heat of the grill.
Chiang Mai has thousands of Mookata shops. You can find them on every corner, ranging from 159 Baht buffets to premium A5 Wagyu spots. So, when we asked Gato for his number one pick, the choice was serious business.
He didn’t hesitate. “Jae So.”
Jae So Mookata is not a tourist trap. It is a local legend. It represents the “Old School” style of Chiang Mai Mookata. It doesn’t rely on gimmicks like river prawns or cheese dips. It relies on the fundamentals.
Here is Gato’s breakdown of why Jae So stands above the rest.
“Many places try to hide bad meat with strong sauce,” Gato explains. “But at Jae So, the meat is the star.”
The pork at Jae So is marinated in a secret family recipe. It’s tenderized naturally, likely with egg whites and sesame oil, giving it a soft, velvety texture that melts in your mouth. When it hits the grill, it caramelizes instantly. Gato specifically recommends the “Moo Mak” (Marinated Pork). It’s slightly sweet, incredibly savory, and has hints of pepper and garlic that infuse the meat deep down.
Remember Gato’s philosophy? Meat and Veggies. At a buffet, the vegetable station is often an afterthought—wilted cabbage and sad morning glory. At Jae So, the vegetables are crisp, bright, and plentiful. Gato’s technique is to load the soup moat with Morning Glory (Pak Boong) and Chinese Cabbage (Pak Kad) immediately. “The veggies absorb the guilt,” Gato jokes. “But really, they provide the crunch. You take a piece of hot, fatty pork, and you wrap it in a slightly blanched cabbage leaf with some sauce. That is the perfect bite.”
This is the dealbreaker. A Mookata shop lives and dies by its Nam Jim (dipping sauce). Jae So is famous for its Nam Jim Suky. It is a red, chili-bean curd based sauce. It is thick, rich, spicy, sour, and garlicky. It coats the meat perfectly. “The sauce at Jae So wakes you up,” Gato says. “If you are feeling a bit sleepy after a heavy Indica, one dip of this sauce and your eyes pop open. It hits every part of your tongue.” Gato’s Pro Tip: Add extra crushed garlic, lime juice, and fresh chilies (which are provided on the table) to customize your heat level. Gato likes it spicy.
Jae So is open-air. It’s loud. It’s energetic. It’s full of locals. There is no air conditioning, just fans and the natural breeze. This is the atmosphere Gato loves. It’s unpretentious. You can show up in shorts and a t-shirt. You can be yourself. It aligns perfectly with the Haze Buds ethos of authenticity.
Now that you know where to go, you need to know how to do it. Eating Mookata requires strategy, especially if you are combining it with a cannabis experience.
We asked Gato to outline his step-by-step ritual for the ultimate night out.
Before heading to Jae So, Gato recommends a visit to Haze Buds. “You need to prepare your stomach,” he advises. “You want to be hungry. Really hungry.”
The Recommended Strain: Gato suggests a strain high in Caryophyllene or Limonene. Something like Gelato or Girl Scout Cookies.
Why: These hybrid strains are known for stimulating appetite (the munchies) without making you too sleepy to cook. You want to be engaged. Cooking Mookata is an activity; you can’t be too “couch-locked” to flip the pork, or it will burn.
The Effect: Food tastes better. The complexity of the marinade, the sweetness of the corn in the soup, the heat of the chili—everything is amplified.
You arrive at Jae So. You get a table. The charcoal bucket arrives, radiating heat. Gato’s Move: Order the “Set” rather than just a buffet free-for-all. A set ensures high-quality cuts. Order the large set with mixed pork, liver, and plenty of vegetables. Order a separate basket of Morning Glory.
This is the most crucial step. A chunk of pure pork fat (lard) is placed at the very top of the dome. “Do not eat this piece,” Gato warns. “This is the holy grail. It lubricates the grill.” As the grill heats up, the lard melts, coating the metal dome so the meat doesn’t stick. It also drips down into the soup. Gato watches this process with the patience of a monk.
The Moat: Throw the hard vegetables (corn, carrots) in first. They take longer to cook and sweeten the soup. Then add the leafy greens. The Dome: Place the marinated pork on the dome. Don’t overcrowd it. Gato’s Rule: “One person is the Grill Master. Usually me. You have to keep flipping. If you burn the pork, you disrespect the pig.”
When the pork is golden brown and slightly charred on the edges:
Pick it up with chopsticks.
Blow on it (it’s molten hot).
Dip it fully into the Nam Jim sauce.
Place it on top of a spoon with a little bit of rice or glass noodles.
Eat it in one go.
“That moment,” Gato says, “is pure happiness. It’s savory, spicy, sweet, and hot. It’s the best feeling in the world.”
You might wonder why a cannabis dispensary is writing a 2,000-word love letter to a BBQ shop. It’s because Haze Buds is about the lifestyle.
We don’t want you to just buy weed and sit in your room. We want you to go out and experience Chiang Mai. We want you to engage with the culture. Gato’s love for Jae So Mookata highlights a key part of our philosophy: Local Connection.
When you eat at Jae So, you are sitting next to Thai families, university students, and workers. You are part of the fabric of the city. When Gato says he loves “Meat and Veggies,” he’s talking about simplicity and quality. Whether it’s the organic soil we use to grow our partners’ cannabis or the fresh morning glory at the Mookata shop, quality ingredients lead to a quality life.
Often, cannabis brands can feel impersonal or too “cool.” We want to break that down. Gato is real. He has worked with us for years. He has bad days and good days, but he always knows how to fix a bad day: Good Weed and Good Mookata.
He represents the balance we all strive for. He works hard at the shop, educating customers and keeping the inventory pristine. And when the shutters come down, he knows how to relax. He invites you to join that relaxation.
If you see Gato in the shop (look for the guy with the big smile, likely wearing a streetwear t-shirt), ask him about Jae So. Ask him about the sauce. Watch his eyes light up. That passion is what we hire for. That passion is Haze Buds.
We wouldn’t leave you hanging without the location.
Location: Jae So is often located in the generic “local zones,” but the most popular branch is accessible from the city. (Note: Check Google Maps for the specific “Jae So” branch nearest to you, as there are a few, but Gato prefers the original vibe). Timing: Go after 7:00 PM. The charcoal is hotter, the vibe is livelier. Price: Very affordable. Expect to pay around 200-300 THB per person for a feast that will leave you unable to walk.
We are issuing a challenge to our Haze Buds family.
Come to the shop.
Ask Gato (or any staff member) for the “Mookata Pairing” strain.
Go to Jae So (or your local Mookata spot).
Take a photo of your grill.
Tag us @HazeBudsChiangMai and use the hashtag #GatoApproved.
Let’s see if you can handle the heat.
At the end of the day, Haze Buds is a facilitator. We facilitate joy. We facilitate relief. We facilitate better dining experiences.
Gato’s guide to Mookata isn’t just about food recommendations; it’s an invitation to live like a local. To slow down. To cook your own food over charcoal while debating which Sativa strain is the best for a Sunday morning.
So, thank you to Gato for sharing his secret spot. And thank you to our community for trusting us with your highs. Next time you are hungry, skip the pizza. Skip the burgers. Go find a dome skillet, a piece of lard, and a bowl of spicy red sauce. And remember: Meat and Veggies. It’s the Gato way.
“Read Gato’s full bio and his top 3 weed picks in the magazine.”
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