I'm originally from the western US so i'm used to having big block chains with pretty much everything you could ever need for cooking be it a local dish or something you saw in a YT video. As I'm am accumulating to Thailand's grocery options i'm coming to the unfortunate conclusion that alot of the things i considered automatics or common place is woefully off. I still shudder every time i see the price for a small block of cheddar cheese.

 

I have used/checked Big C, Foodland and a few small stores I have run across as i adventure around. Some of the small stores don't show up in standard google searches and in some cases not even on google maps. 

 

I was hoping to pick some locals brains on some good small stores to be aware of. A butcher shop that provides good cuts of beef etc, a store that offers ingredients from EU, USA, Etc.

Google expatfoods  Pattaya , they have a good selection of cheeses

at reasonable prices , You cannot expect to find everything here that

is available back home , you have to use the best next thing , but

the availability of Western foods has improved greatly in last few years.

 

regards Worgeordie 

 

I mostly shop in Makro  & Big C Extra, but occasionally I'll pop in these places to see what they offer, both located on the Darkside:

 

https://www.primefoodservice.net/our-shop/

https://www.facebook.com/primefoodservicepattaya/

 

https://www.facebook.com/siamburis/

Siamburies is the go to, found it holds a bigger range than the other stores.

 

 

You picked the wrong country for the kind of food you are looking for.

Yes, you can find it. But it is expensive in Thailand. 

30 minutes ago, earthscar said:

I still shudder every time i see the price for a small block of cheddar cheese.

Mainland Vintage cheddar 500gm, 265bht in Makro.

Not that expensive IMHO.

 

And if you're in Pattaya .....

https://www.facebook.com/jomtienexpatfoods/

appreciate the info, Makro was one of the ones on my list I hadn't checked out as my initial housing situation didn't lead to large purchases. I was lead to believe that Makro is similar to costco in that if you buy it you buy it big.

 

I will definitely check out these places, cooking has become a thing for me recently so finding cost effective ingredients as i murder these recipes is a must. 

 

Still bemused that I can't find a temperature probe..I checked Big C and similar big box stores thinking that its a must have..and yet no luck. I'm coming to the conclusion that there is a decent amount of items that are just better to use shoppe or lazada to acquire.

There are 5 expat foreign  food shops in Pattaya  now..maybe more. One is called The Grocers!

2 minutes ago, earthscar said:

appreciate the info, Makro was one of the ones on my list I hadn't checked out as my initial housing situation didn't lead to large purchases. I was lead to believe that Makro is similar to costco in that if you buy it you buy it big.

 

I will definitely check out these places, cooking has become a thing for me recently so finding cost effective ingredients as i murder these recipes is a must. 

 

Still bemused that I can't find a temperature probe..I checked Big C and similar big box stores thinking that its a must have..and yet no luck. I'm coming to the conclusion that there is a decent amount of items that are just better to use shoppe or lazada to acquire.

Meat Thermometer?

I'm a Makro fan, and fairly exclusive with most shopping there for food.  Local fresh markets occasionally.  Forget get any reasonably priced, good beef.  Slim pickins, if looking for a steak.  Rest of the meats & seafood is fine, with selection & pricing, and that's relative.

1 minute ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Meat Thermometer?

yes, the closest i have found is a oven thermometer. As i'm new to cooking i still like to use a meat prob to verify if i have cooked the chicken/steak/etc to the correct internal temperature. 

3 minutes ago, earthscar said:

yes, the closest i have found is a oven thermometer. As i'm new to cooking i still like to use a meat prob to verify if i have cooked the chicken/steak/etc to the correct internal temperature. 

I've ended up cooking nearly all my meat in a cheap air fryer.

About 600bht, and single portions of sausages/chicken/pork steak are cooked in 20 minutes.

The only effort is remembering to turn after 10 minutes.

Just now, BritManToo said:

I've ended up cooking nearly all my meat in a cheap air fryer.

About 600bht, and single portions of sausages/chicken/pork steak are cooked in 20 minutes.

If you haven't picked up a Sous vide machine yet you haven't lived. it changes everything when it come to cooking. I still like to use the meat probe for some of my other dishes but a sous vide machine ups the game from everything from burgers, steaks and everything in between. 

 

as a novice cook it was one of the first kitchen gadgets that made me really consider making home cooking a consistent thing.

4 minutes ago, earthscar said:

yes, the closest i have found is a oven thermometer. As i'm new to cooking i still like to use a meat prob to verify if i have cooked the chicken/steak/etc to the correct internal temperature. 

LOL..If you need a meat thermometer then don't bother cooking. 99% of cooks and chefs including  professional  chefs don't use or need them. But you might check where you can get one by asking chefs at hotels and restaurants

https://www.bbqgrillsthai.com/ has digital thermometers but Lazada is cheaper. Try Makro food Service on Pattaya Nua. A bit easier to find things than the full service Makro. Siamburi's for cheese. I buy cheap cheese and cold smoke it to add flavor. Villa has a lot of imported stuff. Only place I know for things like Fritos. A cheap local salsa called El Sapo is tasty. Not Pace but ok at 1/3 of the price.

16 minutes ago, earthscar said:

Still bemused that I can't find a temperature probe..I checked Big C and similar big box stores thinking that its a must have..and yet no luck. I'm coming to the conclusion that there is a decent amount of items that are just better to use shoppe or lazada to acquire.

I saw one for 65 Baht in a Mr DIY yesterday.

3 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

LOL..If you need a meat thermometer then don't bother cooking. 99% of cooks and chefs including  professional  chefs don't use or need them. But you might check where you can get one by asking chefs at hotels and restaurants

Personally, I find a thermometer a necessity for smoking meat.

9 minutes ago, earthscar said:

If you haven't picked up a Sous vide machine yet you haven't lived. it changes everything when it come to cooking.

The are fool proof, but I get same excellent results with my cast iron, whether fully cooked in, or in conjunction with oven.  All cooking techniques take a bit of a learning curve.  No patience waiting for sous vide cooking.

 

If want to try without a machine, simple enough with a small cooler thermometer.

10 minutes ago, bang saen guy said:

Personally, I find a thermometer a necessity for smoking meat.

Yes I can imagine but smoking meat is quite specialised. So if you have a meat thermometer why not tell the OP where you got  it from. BTW I thought meat smokers had a thermometer  built in.

Just now, The Hammer2021 said:

Yes I can imagine but smoking meat is quite specialised. So if you have a meat thermometer why not tell the OP where you got  it from. BTW I thought meat smokers had a thermometer  built in.

I told him. Some have one built in but  not good enough. Mine has a probe for the box and separate probes for meat.

5 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Yes I can imagine but smoking meat is quite specialised. So if you have a meat thermometer why not tell the OP where you got  it from. BTW I thought meat smokers had a thermometer  built in.

My propane smoker has a cabinet thermometer which is great to know the temp inside the smoker, rather useless for the temp inside the meat though.

 

I have a separate thermometer for that.

 

https://www.bbqgrillsthai.com/product-category/inkbird-thermometers-and-accessories/

1 minute ago, bang saen guy said:

I told him. Some have one built in but  not good enough. Mine has a probe for the box and separate probes for meat.

So without labouring the point and in the spirit of sharing information: where did you buy your meat thermometer in Thailand?

Just now, The Hammer2021 said:

So without labouring the point and in the spirit of sharing information: where did you buy your meat thermometer in Thailand?

BBQ Grills Thailand has been linked twice in this thread, they sell them.

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

My propane smoker has a cabinet thermometer which is great to know the temp inside the smoker, rather useless for the temp inside the meat though.

 

I have a thermometer for that.

 

https://www.bbqgrillsthai.com/product-category/inkbird-thermometers-and-accessories/

Isn't there a correlation  between  the oven temperature  and the temperature  of the meat?

3 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Isn't there a correlation  between  the oven temperature  and the temperature  of the meat?

Temperature of the smoker needs to remain somewhat constant. Separately the interior temp of the meat needs to be monitored as it rises to the desired temp. Kinda my hobby.

5 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

BBQ Grills Thailand has been linked twice in this thread, they sell them.

I have one of the Inkbird thermometers as well.

5 minutes ago, bang saen guy said:

Temperature of the smoker needs to remain somewhat constant. Separately the interior temp of the meat needs to be monitored as it rises to the desired temp. Kinda my hobby.

Thank you for your information.

14 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

So without labouring the point and in the spirit of sharing information: where did you buy your meat thermometer in Thailand?

Got mine on Lazada, 80bht delivered.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/lcd-noks042-i2300679626-s7753392642.html

39 minutes ago, earthscar said:

If you haven't picked up a Sous vide machine yet you haven't lived. it changes everything when it come to cooking. I still like to use the meat probe for some of my other dishes but a sous vide machine ups the game from everything from burgers, steaks and everything in between. 

 

as a novice cook it was one of the first kitchen gadgets that made me really consider making home cooking a consistent thing.

I had a sous vide with (important) vacuumizer back in Europe and I loved it. However, I consider low temperature cooking in the oven (with built in temperature probe) to be as tasty. Or simmering meat in a heavy pot for 2 hours.

Lazada has a lot of food items not easily found in stores.