For A Culture So Obsessed With Food

[MAJIC]

Hey Guys...!!!! You forgot the 2 most famous restaurants in Bkk of all time.

1. Nana Hotel with the Nana Coffee Shop and Restaurant

...and...

2. The Hidelberg down Soi 4

Both since the 60's, i guess??? But not sure.

Sorry lammbock,but the worst Breakfast in Bangkok IMO is to be had at the Nana,so no rush to try their Restaurant.

[wintermute]

Thais really aren't hardcore foodies, they mostly just enjoy regional variations of their own cuisine. They aren't into the presentation, "fusion", or experimental stuff that goes on in the fancy restaurants.

If you want to see people truly anal about cooking then go to France or Japan.

[Chunky1]

I haven't been in BKK for over a year, but there is still,I'm sure an old wood place, that has the has duck hanging in the window, somewhere around Soi 15 Sukumvit, on the left as you walk towards where Robinsons. It says established in 1969. And there's an old Chinese Thai place across the other side and further up in Soi numbers, that has live fish tanks out in front that has been there very long time. I eat at both anytime I'm up there to go to my Embassy...

All the rats roaming around the one between Soi 12 and Soi 14 turned me off years ago.

[Jimi007]

I haven't been in BKK for over a year, but there is still,I'm sure an old wood place, that has the has duck hanging in the window, somewhere around Soi 15 Sukumvit, on the left as you walk towards where Robinsons. It says established in 1969. And there's an old Chinese Thai place across the other side and further up in Soi numbers, that has live fish tanks out in front that has been there very long time. I eat at both anytime I'm up there to go to my Embassy...

All the rats roaming around the one between Soi 12 and Soi 14 turned me off years ago.

LOL! You're just Mr. Happy! Is life that bad?

I have a very miserable mosquito born virus called Chikungunya, see link: Chikungungya, that I've had for about 14 months now, but I still try to have a good attitude about life. What's my choice, to become miserable??

[daveh]

My favorite restaurant in Thailand has to be Papaya on Phi Phi island. It's right in the center of the island with no view, but a long line of customers (two hours).

I think the biggest reason you don't see famous Thai restaurants in Thailand is the heat they add to the food. They usually over do it with chillies to the point that the actual flavor of the dishes are completely lost.

Having said that, I had a musaman curry at Papaya that was spicy, but also very hot and I still loved it. But the heat only detracted from its wonderful flavor.

Dave.

[bonobo]

My favorite restaurant in Thailand has to be Papaya on Phi Phi island. It's right in the center of the island with no view, but a long line of customers (two hours).

I think the biggest reason you don't see famous Thai restaurants in Thailand is the heat they add to the food. They usually over do it with chillies to the point that the actual flavor of the dishes are completely lost.

Having said that, I had a musaman curry at Papaya that was spicy, but also very hot and I still loved it. But the heat only detracted from its wonderful flavor.

Dave.

I happen to like the heat and can eat hotter food than all of my Thai friends save one.  But to be honest, I don't find most Thai dishes to be spicy at all.  There are a few notable exceptions, but the majority of dishes I find in a true Thai restaurant (not for tourists or one located in another country) or at street stands to be rather mild.  Good, but mild.

I eat lunch at my factory each day.  So let's take yesterday as an example.  Pork and garlic, omelette with ground pork, shrimp and some sort of pea pod, and noddles (pa sei yiew).  Typical fare here.  And not one was spicy.

[MrJohnson]

<br>I get the OP's point. For Thai chefs, there doesn't seem to be the kind of "celebrity chef" culture there is in the west. I think there are many well known restaurants, many of them small places known for decades by locals.<br>

<br><br>Actually there are plenty of celebrity chefs in Thailand. There is McDang who has his own TV show - it seems more about product placement than food but he does cooking demonstrations and also restaurant reviews. Then there is IK - the 'Indie chef' who also has his own TV show on Saturday mornings. Then there is the guy, sorry cannot remember his name right now, who used to be Executive Chef at The Four Seasons (Spices) and has now opened a kind of fusion bar/resaurant in Ruam Rudee. Just to mention a few.<br><br><br>

[Lammbock]

Sorry lammbock,but the worst Breakfast in Bangkok IMO is to be had at the Nana,so no rush to try their Restaurant.

I can't see whats wrong with the breakfast @ the Nana Hotel. I's a good one. But this is my opinion.

Anyhow, my post was more meant to be a joke.

[KhaoNiaw]

Celebrity chef (mentioned above): chefMcDang.com

There are famous restaurants. Every now and then, people I work with drag me out to lunch telling me that we're going to somewhere famous for a particular dish or type of food. This usually involves a 3-hour lunch break as it can be a bit of drive to get there. They'll tend to refer to the name of the owner or cook, rather than the name of the establishment itself. And by the time we've got back to the office, I can't remember either. So no recommendations to offer here, I'm afraid.

Edited September 21, 2010 by KhaoNiaw

[longstebe]

Leng Kee in Pattaya. Soi bukhow and Central rd.

[tim armstrong]

There are a few, Cabbages and Condoms, as you said already, Blue Elephant, Naj on Convent.

one thing, all of these restaurants would be 5-10 times the price of Thai food sold on the streets and in little Thai Restaruants.

to eat good Thai food and to experiance a Tha restaurant you only need a couple of hundred baht so why go to these expensive places where all you get extra is better service and A/C?

Couldn't agree more. The idea of eating western style in smart surroundings,with water views or on a terrace by candlelight, belongs in western countries. The truly great thing about eating out here is that there is so much choice and regional variation. Also,not much unnecessary regulation. Thais love food, and graze their way through the day, cheaply and mostly without health problems. I find food here is more fresh, has not been 'homogenised' to death, and doesn't need an 'ambiance'or be unrealistically expensive to make it taste well. Many of our visitors think our province - Nakhon Sawan, has the best food in Thailand, but there are no really smart, expensive restaurants. A piece of trivia - Thai is one of the worlds' 6 or 7 distinct cuisines.

[bonobo]

Couldn't agree more. The idea of eating western style in smart surroundings,with water views or on a terrace by candlelight, belongs in western countries. The truly great thing about eating out here is that there is so much choice and regional variation. Also,not much unnecessary regulation.  Thais love food, and graze their way through the day, cheaply and mostly without health problems. I find food here is more fresh, has not been 'homogenised' to death, and doesn't need an 'ambiance'or be unrealistically expensive to make it taste well. Many of our visitors think our province - Nakhon Sawan, has the best food in Thailand, but there are no really smart, expensive restaurants. A piece of trivia - Thai is one of the worlds' 6 or 7 distinct cuisines.

I have to take some issue with your post.  First, Thais do suffer from health problems, some associated with food.  The lack of refrigeration among street stalls has resulted in problems, and the continual reuse of cooking oil for weeks at a time is a health risk.

Now I happen to like the street food, and I do eat it.  But I steer away from foods which would have a higher degree of potential problems.    

But to dismiss more expensive restaurants is throwing away a huge part of the enjoyment you can have here.  Just as in New York, for example, the fact that you can enjoy a great hotdog, gyro, or steak sandwich on the street does not mean that a trip to Peter Lugers for steak is not a true pleasure, or just because you can get delicious noodles in Tokyo on the cheap does not mean that you should not enjoy a true sukiyaki in Rappongi.

A well prepared meal in Thailand can be an exciting culinary adventure.  And Thai food is more than just the 20 or 30 dishes commonly served at small streetside restaurants.

As far as ambiance, what is wrong with that?  If I want a romantic evening, a nice table overlooking the river with an attentive staff is rather more enjoyable than eating on plastic chairs on Soi Umptyfratz with amangy soi dog begging for scraps.

As far as 6 or 7 distinct cuisines?  Where did that come from?  Thailand has three generally accepted cuisines on its own.  China must have more than a dozen.  And so on.  

Eating well with well prepared food and in nice surroundings belongs in all countries.  Just as eating good food on the cheap belongs in all countries.  I don't think you should limit eating in Thailand to any one particular type of venue.

[p_brownstone]

Normandie Grill

Chandr Phen

Silom Pattakarn

Ming Lee

To name but a few

All have been around for many years.

Patrick

[bkkjames]

Mc Dang-overated or what? What does his dad actually do on that show besides stand there?

Thais are nuts about their food. How many people in your country chunky will drive an hour out of the city for "the best" pork leg, bbq chicken or seafood?

[jpez]

Yeah, what this country needs is some foul mouthed kitchen Kaiser plastering his face all over our television screens. Gordchai Ramsayattha anyone? Can anyone name a truly world famous restaurant in any neighbouring country? Singapore? China? India? Famous for its food, that is, not for some novelty like the chef stirring the soup with his grandmother's jaw bone, or the food is dropped onto your plate from a helicopter hovering 10,000 feet above you while a rollerskating midget with a shaved head, a glass eye and a crystal ball fires plucked geese at it from a Napoleonic War cannon.

Mind you, didn't Keith Floyd have a place in Phuket? Or don't farangs count?

His restaurant is at Burasari Resort in Phuket. Hard to miss it with his name plastered everywhere, not to mention the 24 hour Keith Floyd channel... Restaurant was usually empty so maybe he isn't a huge selling point.

[Jingthing]

I still think the culture is very different here. It is much more insular food-wise. It has great food of course but it is NOT a foodie place for locals. For example, in New York there is an entire culture of all kinds of people (not just Thai) who can talk your ear off about the virtues of one Thai restaurant or another, or one Ethiopian restaurant over another. In Bangkok, seriously folks, how many Thais would have strong opinions about one pizza joint versus another?

Edited September 21, 2010 by Jingthing

[bkkjames]

I know several thais that can talk for hours about where to get the best this or that jt. Ever spend time in a lift during lunch hour_that's all they talk about.

Doesn't sound as trendy as discussing the best pizza in NY, but then again I bet those same foodies don't talk about where to get the best Thai either.

[Jingthing]

Doesn't sound as trendy as discussing the best pizza in NY, but then again I bet those same foodies don't talk about where to get the best Thai either.

Yes they do. Absolutely, they do. Trust me. American foodies are into Thai food in a big way.

Edited September 21, 2010 by Jingthing

[wintermute]

Doesn't sound as trendy as discussing the best pizza in NY, but then again I bet those same foodies don't talk about where to get the best Thai either.

Actually they do. Most people "in the know" restaurant wise in the big cities can tell you where to get the best food from each ethnicity in a city. Thais just aren't big on western food or international food. They do however like some odds and ends from other asian cuisines. Look at the franchise restaurants like Fuji..they are wildly popular.

[Jingthing]

Doesn't sound as trendy as discussing the best pizza in NY, but then again I bet those same foodies don't talk about where to get the best Thai either.

Actually they do. Most people "in the know" restaurant wise in the big cities can tell you where to get the best food from each ethnicity in a city. Thais just aren't big on western food or international food. They do however like some odds and ends from other asian cuisines. Look at the franchise restaurants like Fuji..they are wildly popular.

Indeed. And Fuji and Zen are quite mediocre. Hardly foodie joints.

[wintermute]

Doesn't sound as trendy as discussing the best pizza in NY, but then again I bet those same foodies don't talk about where to get the best Thai either.

Actually they do. Most people "in the know" restaurant wise in the big cities can tell you where to get the best food from each ethnicity in a city. Thais just aren't big on western food or international food. They do however like some odds and ends from other asian cuisines. Look at the franchise restaurants like Fuji..they are wildly popular.

Indeed. And Fuji and Zen are quite mediocre. Hardly foodie joints.

Well, I didn't say they were an example of sophisticated food tastes since Fuji is the equivalent of let's say TGI Fridays in the U.S. It's just that their taste does deviate from the usual sweet,sour,spicy dishes.

I have to say the fact that Thais can eat sashimi at all is surprising to me in a way.They don't have anything that's a close equivalent.

Edited September 21, 2010 by wintermute

[ballpoint]

...I have to say the fact that Thais can eat sashimi at all is surprising to me in a way.They don't have anything that's a close equivalent.

And westerners are all brought up on raw fish?

[wintermute]

...I have to say the fact that Thais can eat sashimi at all is surprising to me in a way.They don't have anything that's a close equivalent.

And westerners are all brought up on raw fish?

Sushi is a niche taste in most western countries. There is no big sushi franchise like there is in Thailand.

The Japanese chains in Thailand are a little unique in that they appeal to the majority population.

Edited September 21, 2010 by wintermute

[tigerfish]

...I have to say the fact that Thais can eat sashimi at all is surprising to me in a way.They don't have anything that's a close equivalent.

And westerners are all brought up on raw fish?

Sushi is a niche taste in most western countries. There is no big sushi franchise like there is in Thailand.

The Japanese chains in Thailand are a little unique in that they appeal to the majority population.

itsu and yo sushi, two of the biggest customers of the company i used to work for back in london.

sushi is big business all over the world, not just in asia.

Edited September 21, 2010 by tigerfish

[Chunky1]

I haven't been in BKK for over a year, but there is still,I'm sure an old wood place, that has the has duck hanging in the window, somewhere around Soi 15 Sukumvit, on the left as you walk towards where Robinsons. It says established in 1969. And there's an old Chinese Thai place across the other side and further up in Soi numbers, that has live fish tanks out in front that has been there very long time. I eat at both anytime I'm up there to go to my Embassy...

All the rats roaming around the one between Soi 12 and Soi 14 turned me off years ago.

LOL! You're just Mr. Happy! Is life that bad?

I have a very miserable mosquito born virus called Chikungunya, see link: Chikungungya, that I've had for about 14 months now, but I still try to have a good attitude about life. What's my choice, to become miserable??

I see that delusion is a symptom. Perhaps it is time to up the meds.

Edited September 22, 2010 by Chunky1

[bonobo]

Doesn't sound as trendy as discussing the best pizza in NY, but then again I bet those same foodies don't talk about where to get the best Thai either.

Yes they do. Absolutely, they do. Trust me. American foodies are into Thai food in a big way.

Second that.

[bonobo]

...I have to say the fact that Thais can eat sashimi at all is surprising to me in a way.They don't have anything that's a close equivalent.

And westerners are all brought up on raw fish?

Sushi is a niche taste in most western countries. There is no big sushi franchise like there is in Thailand.

The Japanese chains in Thailand are a little unique in that they appeal to the majority population.

Can't say much about Europe, but there are huge numbers of sushi places in the US.  Todai and Onami are just two chains in the SoCal area.

[wintermute]

...I have to say the fact that Thais can eat sashimi at all is surprising to me in a way.They don't have anything that's a close equivalent.

And westerners are all brought up on raw fish?

Sushi is a niche taste in most western countries. There is no big sushi franchise like there is in Thailand.

The Japanese chains in Thailand are a little unique in that they appeal to the majority population.

Can't say much about Europe, but there are huge numbers of sushi places in the US. Todai and Onami are just two chains in the SoCal area.

My point is none of those are very big. They still cater towards a small percentage of the population. Most Americans don't eat/won't try sushi rolls much less sashimi.

Fuji is extremely mainstream..like on par with sizzler. There is not a sushi house at every strip mall in the U.S. like the equivalent in Thailand. It's because Thais are big on casual dining Japanese food.

[bonobo]

Sushi is a niche taste in most western countries. There is no big sushi franchise like there is in Thailand.

The Japanese chains in Thailand are a little unique in that they appeal to the majority population.

Can't say much about Europe, but there are huge numbers of sushi places in the US.  Todai and Onami are just two chains in the SoCal area.

My point is none of those are very big. They still cater towards a small percentage of the population. Most Americans don't eat/won't try sushi rolls much less sashimi.

Fuji is extremely mainstream..like on par with sizzler. There is not a sushi house at every strip mall in the U.S. like the equivalent in Thailand. It's because Thais are big on casual dining Japanese food.

Maybe my view is skewed as my US home is in California, and I spend most to my time in the US there, in NYC, Chicago, and Hawaii, but pretty much in every strip mall and shopping center, or seemingly every block in NYC, there is a sushi place.  Whether traditional or Nobo clones of fusion (the California roll was invented in the US, after all), sushi is seemingly everywhere. 

[zthyadat]

h

Edited September 26, 2010 by zthyadat