What Is The Most Delicious Food I Have To Try In My Vacation In Thailand?

[spud1]

masaman curry is a choice dish or you could try mcdonalds!

[IKONEast]

Sticky rice with mango (Kao Neeo Korpanich)

I'm with you. This is excellent. (Usually got it at MBK food court.)

Speaking of food courts: probably un-cool with the Farangs, but you have to check out the incredible shopping center food courts for variety and presentation. Example: Emporium food court or Siam Paragon lower level food court, which is unbelievable...

[MiG16]

Is there MSG in most Thai foods?

most street vendors and also many restaurants add them to ever dish!

however you can ask them not to put it when you place your order

at the end of whatever it is you are ordering, tell them - 'mai sai pong churod'

means no MSG

they will likely add a bit of sugar to replace the MSG though. but it aint too bad. most thai stir fries already have sugar added to it anyway

[klikster]

Yum Pla-dook-foo

Catfish salad... YUM!

Especially at the riverboat restaurant "Morris" in Mukduhan .. "one more please!"

[Puschl]

I'm missing from the list:

Satay chicken (gai) or pork (moo) on a skewer with peanut seasoning, served with peanut sauce, a sweet&sour cucumber/onion salad and (sticky or plain) rice. Indonesian origin. Hard to find and quite difficult to order, because places that serve Satay (สะเต๊ะ sa`-te') often also serve Steak (สเต็ก sa`-te`k).

nam tok moo น้ำตกหมู ('waterfall' pork salad). Isaan dish, but to be honest, I love that one austrian style: with parsley and chives instead of coriander leafs (mai sai phak chee na krap)

gluai thoot กลัวยทอด fried bananas, one of my favorite thai sweetmeats (sip baht na krap)

Back up all other recommendations, except that I rarely ask for khai dtao.

[Groongthep]

Back up all other recommendations, except that I rarely ask for khai dtao.

Turtle eggs ( khai dtao = ไข่เต่า) don't sound too tasty to me either unless you meant fried egg which is (khai daao = ไข่ดาว ).

[Puschl]

Turtle eggs ( khai dtao = ไข่เต่า) don't sound too tasty to me either unless you meant fried egg which is (khai daao = ไข่ดาว ).

Good point. I meant 'star eggs' ( ไข่ดาว ) of course. Are fried eggs named like this because the yolk looks like a yellow star in a white heaven?

As for turtle eggs, I don't know. They might be tasty. Never tried. But not eager to try, either.

กินอะไรดีกว่า ข้าวต้ม หรือ เต่าขม

[edwardandtubs]

I always fried egg was "tai dao" or something. I've never heard it pronounced with a 'K'.

[hermespan]

Call me a boor, but...

'kluat thot', deep-fried bananas, sold on the street. Also deep-fried yams. And fresh young virgin cocoanuts. Also sold on the street. Cocoanuts that is.

[Cattleya]

Soup - Tom Ka Gai (Very popular coconut cream soup combinated with chicken pieces, flavour with Thai herbs, lemon juce, lemon grass and mushrooms.)

Main - Pla sam rod (Fish, deep fried and garnished with a spicy sweet and sour sauce.)

Dessert - Khao Niaow Ma Muang (Sweetened coconut milk flavors sticky rice served with fresh ripe mango)

Mouth watering!!

[Cuban]

BBQ fish salted, served with large lettuce type leaf, leaf corriander, rice noodle and garlic-peanut dipping sauce.

[chefshane]

If you are serious about experiancing something different then you should travel with an open mind and not have a brick wall attitude to 'trying' something totally new. Don't limit your holiday experiance to being able to say that McDonald's fries aren't as good as back home.

Rural Thai folk will eat fried insects and frogs - these bugs are bred in sterile plastic boxes and not collected from under trash cans - you will not die if you try some. Try the things that look like 3cm smooth catapillers - they are bamboo larva - they taste of chicken egg yolk.

Seasonal Fruits - useful chart. You are out of season for Durian (August) any you see will be imported and expensive. Try Jack fruit - avoid touching the whole fruit you will see being cut in the market - the white juice is like latex and will stick to your skin.

Shampoo: Well pronouced more like Chompoo is a crisp apple type fruit, very nice. They come in green or red - the red ones are not simply ripe green ones.

Grapefruit: Or Pomelo - often sold ready peeled, availible in pink or yellow - I consider the yellow much sweeter.

Most fruits are best eaten on day of purchase, in particular with Jack fruit after a day or so the texture is lost and it is best discarded.

Generally you will encounter two types of rice (kaow), Kaow Sway ('normal' rice you are familiar with in the west - spearate grains - nice and fluffy) and Kaow Naow or 'Sticky Rice'. Generally served in a small lump in a plastic bag for 6-7 Baht. Take a small lump of the sticky rice - roll to a rough ball and dip in the sauce of whatever you are eating. Sometimes a tourist eating sticky rice is a 'suprise' to some market traders that seldom encounter the average tourist, you will encounter smiles and the thumbs up for eating it. It's really no big deal but there is a class understanding that the urban elite (Bangkok residents etc.) will eat Kaow Sway where as the rual folk will eat Kaow Naow. Also an implication that sticky rice makes people slow and a bit stupid. If you are watching your weight or sugar load of food sticky rice has a higher GI factor.

Sticky rice is also used to make a nice toasted (on mobile BBQs) snack - painted with a butter type fat - very nice - not slimmer's food.

Thai Tea - is nice - huge amounts of sugar. In fact most Thai drinks have 20% sugar content. Check the lables - although written in Thai you will be able to work out 'sugar' so as to avoid feeling sick every time you drink.

Thai tea or coffee, BBQ chicken and a lump of sticky rice = typical breakfast.

When people talk about Thai food - they mention Pad Thai, fishcakes etc. If there is a national food apart from rice - I would say it is 'Noodle Soup'. Sold at semi-mobile corner stalls and from shop-houses for 20-35 Baht depending on what you have in the soup. A staple food for the nation, based on a clear stock with a hand ful of rice noodles (I prefer the thin yellow - egg ones), add a few pork flavoured rice balls and a few slices of red pork or chicken or duck. Personally I add way too much powdered peanut but it tastes brilliant. many Thais add a few spoons of dried chilli - but this you control from the set of four glasses on the table at which you eat. 4-Glasses: Peanuts, sugar, dried chilli, vinegar. Normaly you also get a small bottle of Fish Sauce, use this instead of salt - dry salt sticks in the bottle due to the high humidity.

If you consume the 'soup' part to the bottom of the bowl - watch out for small stones and grit - they use crushed roots as part of the flavoring and it's not always washed as well as it could be.

BBQ fish is nice "Pla Bin" - 60 Baht. Again nice with sticky rice.

Some of the spicy salads made to order are good if you like chilli hot spicy food - the bowl is not washed between portions being made so if you ask for no chillis to be used - make sure they wash it out. For a typical "Som Tom" they will use 3-5 whole chillis, add either salted or raw crab and a strong smelling grey-brown liquid with lumps in called "Pla - Rar", I suggest that you avoid this - it is naturally fermented fish sauce. Untill it is aged 18 months or longer it can be a means of getting liver flukes, this issue is covered in more detail in the Thai food and Issan forums.

Thai generally eat out more often than dining at home, the "Lao Buffet" is a popular option. Typically you will pay 150 baht per head plus drinks, avoid farang tourist traps and ask the locals where they go. A small charcoal burning pot is put on you table covered by a convex dish with a channel around the edge for a mild stock. You collect raw meats and vegatables etc. then cook yourself at the table, waiting staff do the drinks. Similar to the likes of MK mentioned above but much better value for money and fun too. If you do go to MK aim to be eating your meal at 7pm - the staff do a little dance - seriously!

The mobile BBQ is central to Thai food - you will see many in use with many types of food being sold, from dried squid to nice looking plump sausages - but generally they are mostly rice and pork fat, ok if you are a bit drunk.

If you find yourself near a large supermarket, Tesco or Big C etc. explore the Food Court area. There will be a counter nearby where you exchange money for coupons or a stored value card. Then use the coupons to buy food from the different food outlets dotted around the court-yard, unused coupons or the stored value card can be converted back into real money when you are finished. It's an anti-theft system. Most dishes are 20-40 Baht useful place to experiment with what you might like without wasting time in a restaurant. I like the "Pork Leg over Rice" (khao ka moo = Rice Leg Pig), have a bit ofthe skin - it's nicely cooked and pay an extra 5 Baht for the boiled egg.

Street food is generally safe - places with high turn over are good choices, IMHO better than hotel buffets.

Thais are not great on the subect of deserts and I would suggest anything that looks like it might be a cake is avoided. There are many forms of sweet jellys with various flavors, some candied dry fruit peels. Market stall are the place to look for small round yellow sweets - I forget the name but made with egg yolk and very nice.

There are a few variations on sweet rice in a banana leaf found of sale on the mobile BBQ (again) - the Thai word for sweet is "Wan or Nam Tan" - inside you will find a bed of sweetened sticky rice (sometimes black or dark red rice) with a honey soaked banana or sweet fried chicken's egg (they use condensed milk so it's like a sweet omlette - not as bad as it sounds) 20 baht for 3 or 4 - disgard the banana leaf wrapper and enjoy, very nice.

Well writting this has been a nice way to finish my day - I should have grapefruit and something to do with a pig waiting for me at home tonight.

In the mean time as you prepare for your trip - I suggest printing this link out - very useful while in Thailand.

HTH.

Wow - this is a positive, constructive, well written, well informed and thoughtful post.

It makes me glad I am a TV member, and thrilled that I clicked this thread.

Thanks for something refreshing and out of the ordinary.

Great post Cuban!

My favourite Thai foods:

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Pork with Hot basil, serve with jasmine rice and a fried egg (mentioned many times already "pad krapow"

here are some goodies that may not be as 'common' or widely known as the usual expat favourites like spring rolls, tom yum, fishcakes and green curry:

• tom sap - awesome clear soup makde from slow braising pork spare ribs in a clear broth with galangal, kaffir lime leaf and rich red toasted dry chilli. delicious. from Isaan in the Northeast
  
• kao soy - amazing multi-layered soup from Chiang mai. It is a creamy chicken curry soup with thin egg noodles and braised chicken inside, and crunchy fried egg noodles on top as garnish. Delicious lunch dish.
  
  • larb moo - pork larb - popular Isaan salad of chopped meat cooked and seasoned with lime juice, fish sauce, mint leaves red shallots and normally some pork skin for texture. The 2 important ingredients that give this its taste are dried roasted red chilli and ground roasted rice. yum! And very healthy too.
    
  • yum pladook foo - as mentioned and pictured by another member - crispy catfish salad. Catfish is baked, then flossed with a fork and deepfried into crisp net like lattices - then topped with pomelo or green mango salad. delicious and unusual
    
  • khanom jeen nam ya - thin wheat noodles with a coconut and krachai 'gravy' or 'sauce' which is blended with fresh fish and ladled over the noodles. garnished with cucumber, green beans and pickled veg it is light, inexpensive and very tasty. A great lunch dish - usually from street vendors or local restaurants around 20 baht.
    
  • nam salad (as mentioned) - fermented pork sausage chopped and tossed with peanuts, ginger, coriander, roasted rice and toasted dry red chilli.
    
  • Thai tea - this is an orange colour and is quite sweet. called Thai black tea dust - the tea has a specific flavour and normally comes with condensed milk. Sold everywhere. tastes amazing!
    
  • nam maprao pun - icy fresh coconut shake. Just do it.
    
  • Gaeng som - a sour fish soup (well, normally fish but it has many incarnations and faces). In the south it is dark and aromatic. In the North can be lighter. Sour with tamarind or lime, depending on location, and often has cabbage or nice veg to match or complement the fish or seafood. Can be lovely or lacklustre depending on the chef
    
  • gaeng pla - a local home classic. Fish (often whole or cutlets) simmered with water, chilli, galangal, lemongrass, lime leaf and served with steamed jasmine rice. the "Japanese" of Thai cuisine. Simple, neat clean flavours - but somehow less is more with this dish.
    

[Lost in LOS]

panang gai [red curry chicken]

som tam thai [spicy papaya salad without the crab]

pad thail gai [thai noodles with chicken]

are my three favorites

[Amer]

I recommend your Pad Thai at Khao San Road

i think it's not too bad

[spysee]

masaman curry, the best dish ever created

[babuhavas]

scam tam

[Insight]

There are so, so many but for a newbie I would say do not miss Thai Chinese Crab Curry (Boo Paht Pong Karee).

This place is famous for it: http://absolutelybangkok.com/a-kingdom-for-this-curry/

"Boo Paht Pong Karee" is closest to heaven one may get, thai or not, never had this dish anywhere else!

I totally agree with Jingthing and Samuian that Bpoo phad pong karee is truly a gem of Thai cookery and shouldn't be missed. To go one better, for those of us who dislike picking the crab meat out of the chopped whole crab, one can order nuea bpoo phad pong karee เนื้อปูผัดผงกะหรี่ which is the same dish served with crab meat without the shell. It's much easier to eat and just as tasty. The small outdoor restaurant สวนอาหารป่ารสเลิด ( no sign in English but pronounced Suan Aharn Bpa Rot Lert ) on Sukhumvit Soi 33/1 between The Robin Hood Pub and The Bull's Head do a great version of this dish.

Always find removing the shell a messy headache, so thanks for the heads-up on where to find this place Groongthep! Shall try it over the weekend with the missus over the weekend.

Salute to Cuban for the excellent write-up also.

[bojo]

Chicken tendons dipped in sesame seeds and soy sauce, deep fried. to perfection. Slightly crunchy and always chewy. Don't tell guests what they're eating otherwise you'll have the plate to yourself!

regards Bojo

[Harcourt]

In Cuban's excellent post he mentions Lao Buffet....sounds like moo gatah....and yes, I can recommend that; sort of like the chines steamboat but with the ability to bbq simultaneously.

[Harcourt]

FYI...Turtles eggs: I've had them many times. (Sea turtles). Boil them for 10 minutes and the yolk and white does not set....you just pierce the leathery "shell" (looks like a ping pong ball but softer) and suck the inside out.

I can take them or leave them...nothing special.

[TrevorPersico]

FYI...Turtles eggs: I've had them many times. (Sea turtles). Boil them for 10 minutes and the yolk and white does not set....you just pierce the leathery "shell" (looks like a ping pong ball but softer) and suck the inside out.

I can take them or leave them...nothing special.

Where can i have this BBQ in bangkok? Thanks

[kitiya1980]

haha if u got thai gf then the answer is "ur gf"

[kitiya1980]

scam tam

somtam u meant? haha issan style special anchovy woah paradise its my fave i can make it. me n' my friends joined food festival songkran thai new year.

[spysee]

A fresh pineapple cut from a tree in Thailand are beaut. I thought Aussie pineapples were the best until I came to Thailand.

Also Massaman curry is a dish for gods, I think anyone who doesn't like it should be jailed.

[sunholidaysun1]

If you ever get to the mountains, try DOG. Not normally found but it is eaten in the villages and you can buy from some secretive restaurants in Chiang Rai so I hear. The Dog stew/soup I had was very nice and I was suprised how good it was after the initial shock of being told what I was eating .

The Chinese love to eat dog , so do the Vietnamese , I have had it there as well now.

[Lovia]

Thais are not really good with western desserts, but Thai desserts to me are heavenly. There's not many races in this world that you could associate with that makes good desserts. Thai is one of them, I love Luk Choop, Taeng Mo Kaew (Watermelon with sweet jasmine water, syrup and ice.) Ka Nom Nam Dok Mai(dessert flavoured with rose syrup) Sarim and a lot more.

[neverdie]

MK Restaurants...........and the BAH MEE

Avoid MK, its not thai food and its too food chainish, certainly nothing special.

If you have a sweet tongue, some of the traditional thai sweets are exceptional.

[Samuian]

Thais are not really good with western desserts, but Thai desserts to me are heavenly. There's not many races in this world that you could associate with that makes good desserts. Thai is one of them, I love Luk Choop, Taeng Mo Kaew (Watermelon with sweet jasmine water, syrup and ice.) Ka Nom Nam Dok Mai(dessert flavoured with rose syrup) Sarim and a lot more.

I don't know about black, red beans and corn presented as dessert...

"Lo:k Cho:p" and the "Lo:k Singapore" or what ever the mixture of these green sort of tiny "noodles",

red beans and "tubtim" , corn and in coconut milk on shaved ice.. are my favorites other wise I prefer

belgian or swiss chocolates, "truffles" - Laderach or Miette White Truffle..

and some french or italian confiserie & patisserie (tarte aux pêches, baba) is simply insane!

...almost as good as a good Massman or a genuine serve of Kanom Chine sai nam ya: ..

[Lovia]

Thais are not really good with western desserts, but Thai desserts to me are heavenly. There's not many races in this world that you could associate with that makes good desserts. Thai is one of them, I love Luk Choop, Taeng Mo Kaew (Watermelon with sweet jasmine water, syrup and ice.) Ka Nom Nam Dok Mai(dessert flavoured with rose syrup) Sarim and a lot more.

I don't know about black, red beans and corn presented as dessert...

"Lo:k Cho:p" and the "Lo:k Singapore" or what ever the mixture of these green sort of tiny "noodles",

red beans and "tubtim" , corn and in coconut milk on shaved ice.. are my favorites other wise I prefer

belgian or swiss chocolates, "truffles" - Laderach or Miette White Truffle..

and some french or italian confiserie & patisserie (tarte aux pêches, baba) is simply insane!

...almost as good as a good Massman or a genuine serve of Kanom Chine sai nam ya: ..

Lol. Western desserts are nice, but Thai desserts are indeed more delicate and goes well with Thai tea, or Pu'er tea from the Thai region of Yunnan. And those black and red beans whatever are commoner fare, it is not designed to be pleasing to eyes but it does wonder for the Thai peasants to clear their palate after their meals.

[Michaelaway]

From DininginThailand.com:

Foreign visitors "TOP 10" choices of Thai cuisine:

1). Tom Yam Kung

(2). Khang Khiao Wan Kai

(3). Phad Thai Goong

(4). Phad Kaphrao

(5). Kaeng Phet Pet Yang

(6). Tom Kha Kai

(7). Yam Nua

(8). Mu or Kai satay

(9). Kai Phad Met Mamuang

Himmaphan

(10). Panaeng