Thailand Live Monday 14 October 2024

[eek]

Was mentioned to me that Isaan food doesnt have much in the way of Vegetarian dishes.

Have never tried Isaan food..but as a veggie, is that then an impossible feat?

..or, does anyone know of good Isaan restaurants that offer vegetarian options?

tnx.

[danbradster]

Papaya Salad seems to be a staple in Isaan and vegetarian except for the fish sauce (which doesn't taste like fish).

Maybe mushroom soup also. Som tam.

Most has meat though.

[naboo]

Papaya Salad seems to be a staple in Isaan and vegetarian except for the fish sauce (which doesn't taste like fish).

And the crab and rotten fish...

I can't think of anything.... and neither can the better half.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I could get real creative and come up with isan food, re-imagined in a vegetarian way. The trouble is to also get Isan restaurants to actually make it, which will be another challenge.

Probably what you could do is visit a Thai-Lao/Vietnamese restaurant, and work from there. For example, there's a really nice shop at the new(ish) center where Wawi coffee is on Ratchdamnoen Road. (See Yaek Klang Wiang). At the far end is a Vietnamese place and I bet they could get you close to interesting Lao/Issan food in a veggie way. (Will still require the ususal negotiations & brainstorming, but if you can't make it work there then I'd give up on it. )

I guess the main challenge is that only true veggie places have some of the proteine substitutes that can give some body to dishes such as larb issan and the curries and soups. Another route may be to find a very small Isan road-side place and provide them with the mushrooms and meat-substitute stuff. I think I could pull that off; you'd want all the freshness of the herbs in there, but you can't go without something to replace the meat or fish.

[slinky1876]

I love Isaan food, but everything I eat tends to come with meat. Geng Nor Mai (bamboo shoot soup)Soup Nor Mai (different style of bamboo soup) and Geng Het (mushroom soup) Soup het kem tong( different style of mushroom soup). There are lots of other dishes that contain fish. I use a small isarn restaurant on the corner of Moonmuang Soi 9 and Ratpakinai Rd(sorry I don't know the name), a place called Kaen Chai which is directly opposite the old Siam TV building and if you don't mind taking your food home there is a great little stall that sets up on Moonmuang Rd Soi 2, she normally sets up after midday.

[Petey]

Its not easy to find vegetarian food in Isaan itself but I managed to find vegetarian restaurants in Nong Khai and Udon which served dishes rather different from those on offer at vegetarian restaurants here in the North. One dish I like very much was vegetarian "kao kluuk" which I've never seen here. Its usually made with shrimp paste in Isaan but perhaps you could get someone to make it veggie-style for you. Maybe the owner of Blue Diamond who comes from Isaan originally.

[leininger]

My wife who is Lao makes laap tahu which is laap which is made with tofu and has no meat whatsoever. However I am not sure where to find a restaurant which serves this. perhaps if you inquire at vegetarian place, if they do not have on menu they can still make it. I personally love this stuff and eat it at least once a week, even though I am not vegetarian.

[GUANO]

My wife who is Lao makes laap tahu which is laap which is made with tofu and has no meat whatsoever. However I am not sure where to find a restaurant which serves this. perhaps if you inquire at vegetarian place, if they do not have on menu they can still make it. I personally love this stuff and eat it at least once a week, even though I am not vegetarian.

Have really enjoyed all the Issan food I've had. There are quite a few veggie places that do Laab Issan. Two that I'm sure do it are Mai Kai Dee's, (don't be put off by the name) which is up near the red cross building and the vegetarian centre on the road from the moat to airport plaza. There is also a veggie restaurant on Suthep road (after the temple if your driving towards the mountain and before the traffic lights) that does Som Tam.

Good Luck

GUANO

[meadish_sweetball]

Khun Churn has vegetarian laap (larb). At least they used to have it in the past.