How Flexible Are Your Thai Partners' Tastes?

[Ijustwannateach]

I'm wondering about those of you who have a regular Thai partner: wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, etc. Does she or he join you in eating non-Thai foods? How flexible are they? How frequent?

"Steven"

[buadhai]

We eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast, but we almost always have Thai food for other meals. We don't have a kitchen, so it's always eat out or take out. We have a Japanese meal two or three times a month and sometimes we get a pizza or a burger or some other non-Thai, non-Asian food; but not often.

We'd probably have non-Thai food more often if it were not for the expense.

[TokyoT]

My wife has been pretty accepting of other foods – western, Japanese, Korean, Chinese. When we were in Japan we ate more meals together (same food). But since we have moved to Thailand she eats Thai food most of the time. I need more variety so while we eat together (at the same time), we usually eat different foods.

As far as western food goes she will eat across the board – steak, burgers, ribs, lasagna, pasta, pizza. But still generally prefers Thai food.

[Rinrada]

Chips and Fish with peas a slice of lemon... and lots and lots and lots of tomato sauce and sometimes that white tarter sauce but not too much..only a leetle bit......

2 many questions above........

[Mighty Mouse]

When I first brought my g/f to Australia she would only eat pork or seafood, all cooked Thai style.

She hated the smell of lamb being cooked and she wouldn't touch beef.

Many months later I cut a piece off my t bone steak and asked her to try it. Reluctantly she did. She was pleasantly surprised.

Now, she eats lamb cutlets and steak like there's no tomorrow. Not only eats it but cooks it too.

She still prefers Thai style and won't eat Indian style cooking, but she has adapted well and is most flexible.

[PeaceBlondie]

My long time partner liked very spicy Thai food, and just nibbled his meal if we ate only Western food (except KFC). Didn't like beef, and when we went to Sizzler, he chose the pork chops. He was free to go through the refrigerator at home, but seldom ate the Western food. He seldom ate sweets.

[sbk]

My husband will try anything once and generally likes everything he tries.

At first he wouldn't eat sushi (joked that the reason Japanese were so small was because they all had worms from eating uncooked fish ) but now that he has tried it can't get enough of it when its available.

He loves food I won't touch: sauerkraut, blue cheese and asparagus for instance. I would say there isn't anything he really dislikes at all, not fond of turkey as he thinks it smells funny but will still eat it.

He likes his food

[raro]

Very blessed with Mrs. raro...she eats more or less everything, even blue cheese no problem. I love cooking (and eating) and would hate it if he wouldn't like my food...vice versa I am also very adaptable to any Thai food and eat even stuff she wouldn't touch, Kung Choe Nam Pla springs into mind.

[Totster]

My wife won't even try falang food.. with the exception of bread (which she will only eat with some gooey milk stuff), and chips.

I once made some mash potato and she wouldn't even taste it... I also managed to make her try some

Marmite and was nearly sick... she even tried to get the taste out of her mouth with her fingers...

totster

[The Dan Sai Kid]

My wife'll eat most things she didn't like cheese until she tried it grilled. The only thing I have seen her spit out is pickled beetroot.

We eat farang food once or twice a week - more through economy than anything else. Thai food is so diverse in itself that it almost seems like a different cuisine everyday!

[Rinrada]

When I first brought my g/f to Australia she would only eat pork or seafood, all cooked Thai style.

She hated the smell of lamb being cooked and she wouldn't touch beef.

Many months later I cut a piece off my t bone steak and asked her to try it. Reluctantly she did. She was pleasantly surprised.

Now, she eats lamb cutlets and steak like there's no tomorrow. Not only eats it but cooks it too.

She still prefers Thai style and won't eat Indian style cooking, but she has adapted well and is most flexible.

Same here...she wont eat beef (nothing to do with any freeky religion or anything)so of course I dont like beef..work that one out

Lamb is also a NO -NO and she also hates Indian cooking but I think thats more to do with the Thai superiority factor against anything or anyone that not Hi Thai and ...darker than they are....................&... Hey nowt TIT do wi me.

I know at one time (in west africa) I went off meat for over a year..not so much to become a veggie just felt that the flys had a better chance of getting to the mounds of rotting sun baked suppricating dead cows flesh being offered up for sale in the local market ..before I could savour the delights of a maggot spiced gonard kebab

[SamuiRes]

Hates Cheese and regards Stilton as my revenge for Dead Fish Sauce!

Introduced her to Lamb Chops and now she cannot get enough of them.

Steaks - as often as she can - but have to be very well done - no red at all!

Loves Chinese Food.

Not really a fan of Indian but gradually beginning to consider Mexican.

Prefers Thai food at home although will join me in a Sunday Roast which she cooks well.

Taught her how to do Shepherds Pie which she spiced up and will sometimes have some.

Sunday morning - Bacon & Eggs goes down well.

Not happy if she has not had sticky rice and papaya salad at least once a day though.

[rcalsop]

My wife ,Thai

prefers Thai food ( we all like our mothers cooking ) but loves Indian , Mexican ,Italian .

Likes grilled cheese, hates Lamb , is reserved with beef, loves ostrich steaks , crocodile steaks ,

The only real no,no is Lamb ..that I have found is quite normal in Thailand ..

The only real reason for a limitation of western food except pasta is the expense !!!!!

[raro]

My wife won't even try falang food.. with the exception of bread (which she will only eat with some gooey milk stuff), and chips.

I once made some mash potato and she wouldn't even taste it... I also managed to make her try some

Marmite and was nearly sick... she even tried to get the taste out of her mouth with her fingers...

totster

I fully understand the marmite part....

[A. BOOZER]

My wife food favourites include: lamb, salmon, Indian food, black pudding, gammon, mushy peas, popcorn, toast with lime marmalade.

She hates: Jellied eels (strange woman!) Wish I was down the 'Smoke' for a large bowl at Tubby Isaacs!

Edited March 4, 2006 by A. BOOZER

[Kathe]

My partner can eat more thai spicy food than me. Things that he doesnt like is sweet with honey like chinese noodle with sticky sauce ( Gui Teiw Lard Naah ). He loves mussmann ( moslem thai food ) khao tord without Naem ( rice ball with redchilly paste without raw beef ) I dont eat either raw beef. I love western food and love to try everything even blue cheese. I dont eat much potatoes and fish with white sauce or Hering salad. I love cheese and beef and steak hummmmm and all Italian food, french food, but I dont like salty food. I can cook thai food only little and too lazy to cook complicated thai food, all I can do is easy and quick to prepare. But I think western food is easy to cook than thai and I can do better than thai food but when I am in Thailand, I shall not eat western food only thai and japanese food, now my sister show me the good Vietnamese food to try and I love them too, plenty of veggi. I must not have thai food every week ( too lazy to cook )

[britmaveric]

Likes western food, however will make her pom pooie, so she limits her intake. Not an issue apart from an occassional steak or english breakfast - eat thai/lao food.

[jtb]

I also managed to make her try some

Marmite and was nearly sick... she even tried to get the taste out of her mouth with her fingers...

totster

[tutsiwarrior]

can't get the missus to eat much foreign cuisine...she is however partial to canneloni and a nice pepper steak. We ate at Senor Pico's at the Rembrandt last night and I ordered a range of dishes for her information. She and the kids picked out the bits they liked and left the rest...over half of what I ordered...

[miniwai]

I must be blessed. My girlfriend not only loves Western food, but is also an excellent cook of both Western and Thai food. We enjoy Western food on a regular basis, mostly homemade. We eat just about anything and enjoy food very much.

[thaigerd]

Our menu is changing daily: Sometimes Thai, sometimes western and sometimes both at the same time.

Since I introduced her to western steak meat she likes beef as well

We do a lot of homemade food all kind of cuisines.

Some weeks ago I've caught her eating lentil stew with rice in the morning

Her favourite is always the homemade mashed potatoes with my gravy together with any kind of meat, even Thaifood.......

My wife is a very bad cook but I work as a Chef. So I do all the cooking including Thaifood in exchange she washes the car every Sunday, that's our deal.

Gerd

[Rinrada]

Fish and Chips with garden peas...but not mushies.....

[Thaddeus]

We made a trip to Hua Hin a few months back(my brother came over to LOS for a holiday) and I finally managed to persuade the wife to try Indian food. This was only achieved after she had called a mate to see if it was Ok.

When the meal was finished she berated me for not taking her for an Indian when we were in the UK and I had to explain to her that she would adamantly refuse when I suggested it and the fact that in England she was addicted to Lamb Chops.

[migrant]

My THai fiance has been here in California 10 years, but still needs Thai food at least every third day, which is fine with me.

Because of our busy schedules, we do eat out a lot and she asks me to choose every other time.

I'll defer most the time, and she will complain I never choose

The few times I suggest something, it's usually a 25% chance I'll get it usually it's overridden by her "well, we COULD go there, but how about....(I don't care)(It counts as my choice, even if overridden though)

She does not like Italian type pasta dishes, Mexican basic tacos, rice beans, etc, lamb and is so so on Indian.

She does love Chinese/dim sum, Japanese (sushi rolls, tempura, etc) and seafood, so so on meats.

I eat out also with clients, or cook at home when she is working, so have plenty of chances to choose 'my foods'.

[Roy Jing]

Beef and lamb are out," lamb smells to much" but she will cook it for the family. Loves chinese Yum Cha, Vietnamese, Japanese -sushi etc, roast pork and all the vegies that go with it, Italian pasta, some Indian food- mainly the vegie dishes and naan bread and all seafood.

She likes bacon and eggs with fried mushroom and tomato for sunday morning breakfast which suits me fine.

There is other things she likes and she is willing to try new things but her diet mainly consists of Thai food.

Roy

[chaiyapoon]

Last girlfriend was getting good at eating western foods,but wouldn't eat any indian food at all.

My current girlfriend will eat an occasional KFC but thats about it. She normally eats thai only.Even then only eats about 80% rice.She says she will try more falang food but its not happened yet,

[Jeff1]

Now she likes corned beef. Great with nam pla and rice

[Crossy]

My missus loves cooking and can make just about anything Asian or Western by just having eaten it.

For example, my mum gave her Shepherds Pie (made with pork, Id doesn't eat beef). When we returned to Belgium (where I was working) Id produced a very passable Shepherds Pie, when asked if she'd talked to mum, "no, just made it".

She's still struggling with "Appun Clumbun" (apple crumble), it seems that the 'crumble' part is beating her, all her attempts are very edible though

Id won't eat beef, however when we went to one of the best horse restaurants in Brussels, she had a 'steak', delicious!! Still won't eat beef though.

If you haven't tried horse, you should, tasty and much more healthy than beef. Just got to get past the idea that you're eating what came 4th in the 2:30.

[tutsiwarrior]

I had the kids in the kitchen today...first the 4 y.o. niece indicated that she wanted toast...I indicated 'how 'bout some Skippys extra crunchy to go with that'...she was cool wid it and noshing away...

then came the step daughter and two of the older nieces...they had had some experience with peanut butter and were wary, but I did two slices and set them out for their consumption/rejection. Then they wanted a drink and went for the water in the fridge...I charged in and said 'try this!' and pulled out a cold can of A&W root beer. They were wary again...sniffing the can carefully. I poured some into a glass and the next oldest niece was sipping away and enjoying it. Then the stepdaughter (the oldest of the kids in the kitchen) took a sip, made a face and spat the root beer into the sink.

How can anyone not like A&W root beer? I believe that this was a display on the stepdaughter's part to assert dominance over the others at the expense of A&W root beer. The niece that was enjoying her root beer quietly put down her glass and put the remains of the can in the freezer...

Goes to show...questions regarding alimentary ethnocentrism are multifaceted...

Edited November 3, 2006 by tutsiwarrior

[Khutan]

In the Khutan, house we eat all sorts of things, some stuff I don't like, same as Mrs Khutan. But it is nearly everything and anything from Penang Gai one day, Hamburgers the next. It really depends on what we feel like.

Obviously places like L'Opera get a good working simply because of the quality.