What Thais Think Of Farang Food

[Hedghog]

There is no such thing as farang food, so nobody can like or dislike it I guess.

There is Italian food, Greek food, English food (traditional one, I guess nowadays they eat all kinds of food), French food, German food, Russian food, Mexican food etc.

Not much in common between the Italian and the Russian cuisines...

When Thais say 'farang food', it's only because most are not well traveled, not too educated, and really have no clue about the different cuisines available out there (It would be the same as if I would say I dislike Asian food, without knowing there is a difference between Indian, Japanese and Thai food).

Most Thais might not like blue cheese or meat pies, and I don't like it either, but I do love Italian, Greek and Spanish food.

Farang food would be food originating from a Farang (Caucasion chef,country of origin dish,etc) not Asian,African,etc.

[Backwoods]

My wife and her family all hate as said before vinegar, olives, and such, but the whole family loves my lasagna, meatloaf and mashed potatos and gravy, macaroni and cheese, tacos, burritos, ettoffe, jambalya, speggetti, stuffing, and of coarse apple and pumpkin pie. I also do barbeque ribs both with sauce and dry rubbed. Watch them go crazy over hot bisquits, and I stff japaleno peppers with sausage and cheese, and they love them with my cheetos puffs. I also treated them to some american style pepperoni and slim Jims, and they really love my Nachos! I eat very little Thai, so they love my leftovers!

[fasteddie]

Seems there is no western substitute for: Cockroaches,Maggots,Chicken Feet,Bloodcakes & Pigs Ears and Tails.

Not without ketchup though.

[cornishcarlos]

My wife has to have a carbonara at least once a month.

She also overdoses on blue cheeses, Brie and crackers..

Oh, bangers and mash also gets her excited but with a good slash of Tabassco

[soomak]

So what is aharn falung?

That's a term used by the Thais, it's by no means a cuisine. I suppose you already know that if you come from a western country.

There are at least 50 countries that their population would be called 'farang' by Thais, each with a different cuisine. While some may be quite similar to each other (as Thai and Lao food might be), others are completely different.

Wikipedia does have a page called "European cuisine" ("Western cuisine") that states some common characteristics of the cuisines in Europe, North America & Australia, but then goes on to list around 60 different cuisines, each with it's own page.

* By the way, the common characteristics of Western cuisine would be the use of wheat flour (bread, pasta, pastries), and the use of dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt), and the use of potatoes.

And those are also used in Indian and Middle eastern cuisines as well.

Edited December 11, 2012 by soomak

[Briggsy]

Soomak

Thank you for that articulate and concise post.

[Potosi]

I don't think Thais could appreciate the immense variety of Farang food starting from their own cuisine, which lacks variety. Rice or rice noodles with some toppings, and then it's battered to death with chilly. They don't know that ingriedients have tastes of their own, and that there are thousands more spices. The only Michelin-rated Thai restaurant in the world (Nahm, London) lost it's star last year, and as far as I know, there is none in Thailand no matter what cuisine. Compare this to France or Japan with thousands of starred Restaurants each. Compare the 1,500 kinds of sausage, 1,500 kinds of cheese, 1,000 sorts of breads from all corns there are, and 5,000 different beers in Germany to what is available in Thailand.

[isawasnake]

^just look at the "variety" of what sells on the street. It is such a small range, as you mention. I mean the amount of street food dishes around the country is so absurdly low compared to how many stands there are. It is scary really. I have never seen so much repeating, and lack of variety in my life, and they seem to like it that way. I do enjoy the food however, but my taste buds feel "trapped" many times.

Edited December 11, 2012 by isawasnake

[Potosi]

It's the literal fast food. The term was invented for what McDonalds and Co dish up, but Thai food deserves it more. Cooking with no regard of what the result looks, smells, and tastes like.

[ableguy]

Can't generalize, some like falang food, most dont.

And i've seen more falangs putting ketchup on their steak than thais.

Last but not least i had the misfortune to eat Bobs American ketchup drowned ribs,

amongst the most disgusting treats i tried

Please FARANGS how long have you been here ??????

[Ulysses G.]

I don't think Thais could appreciate the immense variety of Farang food starting from their own cuisine, which lacks variety. Rice or rice noodles with some toppings, and then it's battered to death with chilly. They don't know that ingriedients have tastes of their own, and that there are thousands more spices. The only Michelin-rated Thai restaurant in the world (Nahm, London) lost it's star last year, and as far as I know, there is none in Thailand no matter what cuisine.

This is how I feel about Thai food. IMO, some dishes are OK, but I have no great love for it. However, some people LOVE the stuff, but I can't figure out why. Give me Japanese or Chinese instead any time.

[metisdead]

Posts containing derogatory racist slurs have been removed.

[poanoi]

Can't generalize, some like falang food, most dont.

And i've seen more falangs putting ketchup on their steak than thais.

Last but not least i had the misfortune to eat Bobs American ketchup drowned ribs,

amongst the most disgusting treats i tried

Please FARANGS how long have you been here ??????

Around 10 years or so

[Jingthing]

I don't think Thais could appreciate the immense variety of Farang food starting from their own cuisine, which lacks variety. Rice or rice noodles with some toppings, and then it's battered to death with chilly. They don't know that ingriedients have tastes of their own, and that there are thousands more spices. The only Michelin-rated Thai restaurant in the world (Nahm, London) lost it's star last year, and as far as I know, there is none in Thailand no matter what cuisine.

This is how I feel about Thai food. IMO, some dishes are OK, but I have no great love for it. However, some people LOVE the stuff, but I can't figure out why. Give me Japanese or Chinese instead any time.

Familiarity breeds contempt?

[AyG]

I'm more than a little surprised by the ignorance of some of the posters here who seem to have no appreciation whatsoever for the variety and subtlety of Thai cuisine.

I don't think Thais could appreciate the immense variety of Farang food starting from their own cuisine, which lacks variety. Rice or rice noodles with some toppings, and then it's battered to death with chilly.

I rather doubt farang could appreciate the amazing range of Thai dishes if they limit themselves to Thai food which is solely starch with a topping. There's much more to it than that. Just look at the food section of any Thai language bookstore and see how many thousands of dishes there are.

^just look at the "variety" of what sells on the street. It is such a small range, as you mention. I mean the amount of street food dishes around the country is so absurdly low compared to how many stands there are. It is scary really.

Compared with, say the UK, where in the street you can buy burgers with stinky fried onions and the occasional hotdog, I'd say Thailand does pretty well.

Cooking with no regard of what the result looks, smells, and tastes like.

To me this seems like the height of ignorance. Thai people for the most part analyse every dish they eat, commenting on the balance between sweet, sour, spicy and bitter. No vendor could ever make a living if he/she had "no regard for the the result looks, smells and tastes like".

This is how I feel about Thai food. IMO, some dishes are OK, but I have no great love for it. However, some people LOVE the stuff, but I can't figure out why.

It's perfectly OK not to understand the delights of Thai food. I'm not sure, though, that I would personally want to publicise my seemingly total lack of understanding of the cuisine.

I have no problem whatsoever with people living their life in some sort of farang food ghetto in Bangkok, but why on earth do they feel the need to post their narrow-minded, insular, ill-informed, infantile, imbecilic, inane whitterings on a subject about which they are patently totally clueless?

[RabC]

AyG maybe others ignorance ofmThai food is as bad as your ignorance of the variety of food available on a British Hight St, be careful whom you chastise.

[AyG]

AyG maybe others ignorance ofmThai food is as bad as your ignorance of the variety of food available on a British Hight St, be careful whom you chastise.

Please enlighten me. The comment was about street food - not food available in other places (I assume shops/pubs/knocking shops) on the High Street.

I think back to walking recently up and down London's Oxford Street - probably the most famous High Street in the UK. The only carts I saw sold stinking burgers and onions - and that was actually on New Oxford Street - and a couple of carts selling popcorn (equally foul-smelling). There are also a few carts around selling candied peanuts and roasted chestnuts, but nothing to write home about.

What is this wonderful panoply of English streetly food delights that is available on the average British High Street? Jellied eels? Maybe "bangers and mash"? Lancashire hotpot? Stargazey pie? Clotted cream teas? Seared black pudding topped with a pan-fried scallop and cauliflower puree?

Please, what am I missing?

[Hedghog]

I like a good curryvurst with mayo,from a schnell imbiss (street food) in Germany

[RabC]

AyG maybe others ignorance ofmThai food is as bad as your ignorance of the variety of food available on a British Hight St, be careful whom you chastise.

Please enlighten me. The comment was about street food - not food available in other places (I assume shops/pubs/knocking shops) on the High Street.

I think back to walking recently up and down London's Oxford Street - probably the most famous High Street in the UK. The only carts I saw sold stinking burgers and onions - and that was actually on New Oxford Street - and a couple of carts selling popcorn (equally foul-smelling). There are also a few carts around selling candied peanuts and roasted chestnuts, but nothing to write home about.

What is this wonderful panoply of English streetly food delights that is available on the average British High Street? Jellied eels? Maybe "bangers and mash"? Lancashire hotpot? Stargazey pie? Clotted cream teas? Seared black pudding topped with a pan-fried scallop and cauliflower puree?

Please, what am I missing?

Street markets in W London, Soho, Borough Market, Brick Lane..............Need any more?

[nickmanchester2]

My mrs smashes tabasco on everything

tell her to watch out for broken glass then

[cardholder]

I'm more than a little surprised by the ignorance of some of the posters here who seem to have no appreciation whatsoever for the variety and subtlety of Thai cuisine.

This is how I feel about Thai food. IMO, some dishes are OK, but I have no great love for it. However, some people LOVE the stuff, but I can't figure out why.

It's perfectly OK not to understand the delights of Thai food. I'm not sure, though, that I would personally want to publicise my seemingly total lack of understanding of the cuisine.

I have no problem whatsoever with people living their life in some sort of farang food ghetto in Bangkok, but why on earth do they feel the need to post their narrow-minded, insular, ill-informed, infantile, imbecilic, inane whitterings on a subject about which they are patently totally clueless?

I thought Ulysees G had it about spot on.

IMO the best Thai foods are copied from the likes of India/Indonesia.

[cardholder]

AyG maybe others ignorance ofmThai food is as bad as your ignorance of the variety of food available on a British Hight St, be careful whom you chastise.

Please enlighten me. The comment was about street food - not food available in other places (I assume shops/pubs/knocking shops) on the High Street.

I think back to walking recently up and down London's Oxford Street - probably the most famous High Street in the UK. The only carts I saw sold stinking burgers and onions - and that was actually on New Oxford Street - and a couple of carts selling popcorn (equally foul-smelling). There are also a few carts around selling candied peanuts and roasted chestnuts, but nothing to write home about.

What is this wonderful panoply of English streetly food delights that is available on the average British High Street? Jellied eels? Maybe "bangers and mash"? Lancashire hotpot? Stargazey pie? Clotted cream teas? Seared black pudding topped with a pan-fried scallop and cauliflower puree?

Please, what am I missing?

Street markets in W London, Soho, Borough Market, Brick Lane..............Need any more?

Add Greenwich as well - but avoid the Thai kitchen that appears to sell a dumbed-down version of Thai food for the UK palate.

As a late convert to Mexican food, I have to say that the flavours (and spiciness) are far more subtle than those of Thai food - and, overall, more flavorsome.

[Lickey]

Seems there is no western substitute for: Cockroaches,Maggots,Chicken Feet,Bloodcakes & Pigs Ears and Tails.

I believe there is a sububstitute in the West, not nameing names, but most of them are in Goverment.

[MAJIC]

Seems there is no western substitute for: Cockroaches,Maggots,Chicken Feet,Bloodcakes & Pigs Ears and Tails.

I believe there is a sububstitute in the West, not nameing names, but most of them are in Goverment.

If you are correct? it doesn't say much for Thai Politicians!

[Lickey]

Seems there is no western substitute for: Cockroaches,Maggots,Chicken Feet,Bloodcakes & Pigs Ears and Tails.

I believe there is a sububstitute in the West, not nameing names, but most of them are in Goverment.

If you are correct? it doesn't say much for Thai Politicians!

It dosnt does it,, but back on topic, Mrs loves falang food, in 6.5 years she spent 8months in UK, learnt some of my favorites from Mum and cooks/bakes these often, so im a happy chappy, funny thing is, even with a lovely steak & kidney casserole, she will put a glob of sticky rice and chillies on the plate, well, thats thais, they want there rice same we want our Taters and bread i suppose,

But street food, no way, looking at the cooking oil, its almost black, full of carcogenics, mrs is the same since i pointed it out to her,,never touch it, otherwise, yes, Mrs votes for good fresh falang food, [no KFC Chickking or MC Crap]