smokie36 Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 So I'm spending a few days on an island in Trang with my gf and seemingly no matter how hard we try to ask, the restaurants are incapable of turning out authentic food. An example: Pla Tod Sam rod that was served with cauliflower in some thin sweet bland sauce instead of the thick chilli garlic rich sauce Pad krapao served without any krapao or chilli, tasted like a poor version of mince n tatties....well without the tatties of course but you get the gist. Why can't or won't these places serve proper Thai dishes? :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Any locals eating there? Always eat where it's busy and the locals are eating ... fancy or not so fancy. But agree in principle with what you are describing ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokie36 Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 (edited) Doesn't matter David. There are Thais doing the cooking and we have been quite specific when ordering as to how we want it made. Edited December 21, 2012 by smokie36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 (edited) Try ordering very clearly (and very obnoxiously looking at the waiter hard in the eyes and demanding them to CONFIRM your request) and sending the dishes back if way off. Obviously, they either don't care, don't believe you, don't have the ingredients in the kitchen, or can't actually cook (or a combination of those factors). Living in a tourist area myself I find that in most cases I can "train" a restaurant over repeated visits to not farangatize my vittles as long as the staff doesn't change too much. Of course in some captive audience tourist resorts, some restaurants are just total crap and behind all hope. From the restaurant's point of view serving horrible fake Thai food like that, if only one out of twenty customers gives them push back, what's their motivation to put in a special effort for a small minority? Also of course they don't want any food sent back that is too spicy, can't fix that. Edited December 21, 2012 by Jingthing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yermanee Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Try ordering very clearly (and very obnoxiously looking at the waiter hard in the eyes and demanding them to CONFIRM your request) and sending the dishes back if way off. Obviously, they either don't care, don't believe you, don't have the ingredients in the kitchen, or can't actually cook (or a combination of those factors). Living in a tourist area myself I find that in most cases I can "train" a restaurant over repeated visits to not farangatize my vittles as long as the staff doesn't change too much. Of course in some captive audience tourist resorts, some restaurants are just total crap and behind all hope. Probably won't help a bit in hotel restaurants. The staff have strict orders regarding food for farangs, and they wouldn't dream off going against these instructions no matter how hard you insist. Have had the same problem in many restaurants in the south where the cuisine is normally a fair bit more spicy than the norm. Any roadside eateries on the island Smokes ? You could also ask where the staff eats. Just my 2 cents Yermanee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurwait Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Why can't or won't these places serve proper Thai dishes? Pla Tod Sam rod Westernised Thai food for westernised Thai language ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokie36 Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 Try ordering very clearly (and very obnoxiously looking at the waiter hard in the eyes and demanding them to CONFIRM your request) and sending the dishes back if way off. Obviously, they either don't care, don't believe you, don't have the ingredients in the kitchen, or can't actually cook (or a combination of those factors). Living in a tourist area myself I find that in most cases I can "train" a restaurant over repeated visits to not farangatize my vittles as long as the staff doesn't change too much. Of course in some captive audience tourist resorts, some restaurants are just total crap and behind all hope.From the restaurant's point of view serving horrible fake Thai food like that, if only one out of twenty customers gives them push back, what's their motivation to put in a special effort for a small minority? Also of course they don't want any food sent back that is too spicy, can't fix that. I hear you JT.....however my gf is ordering the food quite clearly in Thai. I guess of the three or four places here they all employ people who can't cook! That said we did manage to cobble together a decent gaeng som by substituting the offered carrot for some raw papaya. Properly spicy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Try ordering very clearly (and very obnoxiously looking at the waiter hard in the eyes and demanding them to CONFIRM your request) and sending the dishes back if way off. Obviously, they either don't care, don't believe you, don't have the ingredients in the kitchen, or can't actually cook (or a combination of those factors). Living in a tourist area myself I find that in most cases I can "train" a restaurant over repeated visits to not farangatize my vittles as long as the staff doesn't change too much. Of course in some captive audience tourist resorts, some restaurants are just total crap and behind all hope. Probably won't help a bit in hotel restaurants. The staff have strict orders regarding food for farangs, and they wouldn't dream off going against these instructions no matter how hard you insist. Have had the same problem in many restaurants in the south where the cuisine is normally a fair bit more spicy than the norm. Any roadside eateries on the island Smokes ? You could also ask where the staff eats. Just my 2 cents Yermanee Maybe wouldn't work for most people. I have my ways! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokie36 Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 Why can't or won't these places serve proper Thai dishes? Pla Tod Sam rod Westernised Thai food for westernised Thai language ? Don't be pedantic on this thread. We have no time for this nonsense when there is food to discuss. Cheers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 That said we did manage to cobble together a decent gaeng som by substituting the offered carrot for some raw papaya. Properly spicy. WOW .. you can eat that stuff ... spicy ... . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yermanee Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 [Maybe wouldn't work for most people. I have my ways! You don't have to remind us JT that you're special. We all know that. Yermanee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurwait Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Why can't or won't these places serve proper Thai dishes? Pla Tod Sam rod Westernised Thai food for westernised Thai language ? Don't be pedantic on this thread. We have no time for this nonsense when there is food to discuss. Cheers. Oh alright then. If I have to. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 [Maybe wouldn't work for most people. I have my ways! You don't have to remind us JT that you're special. We all know that. Yermanee Most "normal" people just want to relax at a beach resort and not make a scene about crappy food. Let the ocean make waves, not them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookMan Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Try ordering very clearly (and very obnoxiously looking at the waiter hard in the eyes and demanding them to CONFIRM your request) and sending the dishes back if way off. Obviously, they either don't care, don't believe you, don't have the ingredients in the kitchen, or can't actually cook (or a combination of those factors). Living in a tourist area myself I find that in most cases I can "train" a restaurant over repeated visits to not farangatize my vittles as long as the staff doesn't change too much. Of course in some captive audience tourist resorts, some restaurants are just total crap and behind all hope. Probably won't help a bit in hotel restaurants. The staff have strict orders regarding food for farangs, and they wouldn't dream off going against these instructions no matter how hard you insist. Have had the same problem in many restaurants in the south where the cuisine is normally a fair bit more spicy than the norm. Any roadside eateries on the island Smokes ? You could also ask where the staff eats. Just my 2 cents Yermanee Maybe wouldn't work for most people. I have my ways! Do these training ways include a whip and leather JT? Just wanted to know if they are similar to my own Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokie36 Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 [Maybe wouldn't work for most people. I have my ways! You don't have to remind us JT that you're special. We all know that. Yermanee Most "normal" people just want to relax at a beach resort and not make a scene about crappy food. Let the ocean make waves, not them. Most people put up with crap food so that's OK? Never thought I'd hear such defeatist talk from you JT!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Invest in some plastic plates from 7-11 and take a trip to the local market. Your gf's sanity is of paramount importance at this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefoot1988 Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 i like the comparsion with pakapao and mince n tatties. . . . i want it with potatoes now, so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgeezer Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 (edited) Deleted. Edited December 21, 2012 by tgeezer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgeezer Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 A friend of mine said of his resort bungalows on one of the islands that no Thai would ever eat there, he was proud of the fact, he said the food was for tourists. He also had his staff clean the beach everyday; clean beaches, another unauthentic Thai experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 David48 stated the golden rule. If you want authentic Thai food, look for where the Thais choose to eat. Having said that, I once organised a small dinner for about a dozen people, half of them Thai, half of them farang, and did a mix of food. All the farang ate the Thai food, and all the Thais ate the farang food! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokie36 Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 Invest in some plastic plates from 7-11 and take a trip to the local market. Your gf's sanity is of paramount importance at this time. 7/11??? This aint Phuket mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokie36 Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 i like the comparsion with pakapao and mince n tatties. . . . i want it with potatoes now, so much Yes...khapow moo is a better option than mince any day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 [Maybe wouldn't work for most people. I have my ways! You don't have to remind us JT that you're special. We all know that. He almost won second place in the poster of the year contest. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 [Maybe wouldn't work for most people. I have my ways! You don't have to remind us JT that you're special. We all know that. Yermanee Most "normal" people just want to relax at a beach resort and not make a scene about crappy food. Let the ocean make waves, not them. Most people put up with crap food so that's OK? Never thought I'd hear such defeatist talk from you JT!! You didn't get my humor or ya bluffing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 [Maybe wouldn't work for most people. I have my ways! You don't have to remind us JT that you're special. We all know that. He almost won second place in the poster of the year contest. Resident division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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