yahs...yahs...ahem...Dr PP - has this already been discussed?

As a falang with a sophisticated palate (England, China, Bolivia, Turkey and Middle East) my view is that authentic Thai food cannot be found in BKK...only in upcountry food stalls where there is nothing but mushy river fish, chicken grease and pig offal on offer with the usual noodles and stodgy rice. Please give me your comments.

Authentic Thai food is not suitable for animals.

All the best with Campbells soup and crackers.

Tutsi-roll

You're back Tutsi...........

Hey Tutsi. What is your idea of authentic Thai food ? This will give me some idea of whatyou are looking for. I love Thai food and think there are plenty of places in Bangkok to get real good stuff like mum makes back in the village.

For me dishes like Pla Nueng Manao - steamed fish with chillis and lime juice, is one real dish. Other stuff like som tam is authentic, as is roast chicken, tom yam soup, a good laab is easy to come by...th elist goes on !! the street stalls on Chok Chai Ruam Mit or around Victory monument are full of good stuff. try the Yok Yor series of restuarants. there is also a big restaurant just before the southern bus terminal that does good authentic food - it's a huge rambling old wooden place set back off the busy road.

hey Ned...I'm not talking about BKK...just some upcountry shithole food stall by the bus station. Yeah...I like well prepared tom yum and certainly some nice laap (even when prepared with pig ears) but you never get that in the hinterland market towns. Put that on a menu in a fancy hotel in the Smoke and the falangs would eat it up...describing culinary experiences to their friends in Ohio over drinks before Sunday lunch.

I suggest that if nam pla was removed from Thai food preparation it would taste better...coconut cream and chiles as well. But then it would be accused of being 'chinese' food. If you have ever eaten in a shit restaurant in Beijing that puts all other Asian cuisine to shame you would be confused.

Vive le differance?...shit.

Well I agree that there is some shitty food out there in the boonies, but most people in the boonies prepare their own at home and it is basic rice with fish or some meat and maybe egg. Issaan food is good and authentic, stuff like laab, sticky rice, nam prik, bbq chicken, maybe a fried fish and fresh uncooked vegies is great stuff. This is simple fare out in the rice fields for breakfast or lunch. In many ways it is a good healthy diet.

Its weird all the people I know that have lived and worked in China say that the food is crap over there. They all love coming back to Thailand for the food and ease of life.

My GF likes Issan Sausage with either BISTO or McDonnells curry sauce.Yum Yum

I have to admit that the little Isaan sausages with the rice stuffing are good but are hard to find elsewhere. They were easier to get in Abu Dhabi than where I live in Thailand.

Regarding Chinese food in China, I was in Harbin in winter...probably the most remote and deprived area on the planet and even the boiled wontons were a treat. Fresh vegetables and seafood...don't know where they came from. And street vendors selling melons and other fresh fruit from heated carts in -20C weather. With the year round abundance of ingredients you would think that the locals here would know what to do with them.

The only chicken I've seen around here is khao man gai (boiled rubber chicken - old laying hens) and chicken wings sold from the som tam cart. I have an oven (hooray!) and manage to get hold of a couple of broilers per week. The family goes ape shit with the roast falang chicken...ditto with pork ribs marinated with whatever bottled sauce I can find at Tesco 20 miles away.

Sure would like to get hold of some canned beans and ground beef for bean salad and meat loaf.

All the best and don't let your meat loaf...

I have to admit that the little Isaan sausages with the rice stuffing are good but are hard to find elsewhere. They were easier to get in Abu Dhabi than where I live in Thailand.

Regarding Chinese food in China, I was in Harbin in winter...probably the most remote and deprived area on the planet and even the boiled wontons were a treat. Fresh vegetables and seafood...don't know where they came from. And street vendors selling melons and other fresh fruit from heated carts in -20C weather. With the year round abundance of ingredients you would think that the locals here would know what to do with them.

The only chicken I've seen around here is khao man gai (boiled rubber chicken - old laying hens) and chicken wings sold from the som tam cart. I have an oven (hooray!) and manage to get hold of a couple of broilers per week. The family goes ape shit with the roast falang chicken...ditto with pork ribs marinated with whatever bottled sauce I can find at Tesco 20 miles away.

Sure would like to get hold of some canned beans and ground beef for bean salad and meat loaf.

All the best and don't let your meat loaf...

The meat will never loaf Tutsi...he lets me know if he's hungry