Has Thai Culinary Evolution Reached it's Highest Peak or Lowest Depth?

[junglechef]

TOM YUM CHEESE!!!!!!

Photos as pictured on the menu and as served (w/o egg as requested)

They told me they make their own cream cheese from milk (I asked just to be sure) and add a powdered smoked cheddar powder from a factory in Bangkok for color (and flavor I presume). Tasting the cheese alone one could feel the grittiness of the added powder but mixed into the soup it wasn't bad as it gave the dish a similar texture as adding coconut milk or condensed milk would. So just one more step away from the traditional way to make it. Otherwise just a falang twist, perhaps to add a hi-so, or would that be a so-so higher, element to attract poser gourmets? Didn't really add or ruin it too much as fusion cuisine can often do.

So has Thai culinary evolution reached it's highest peak or lowest depth? I figure neither yet but if they keep trying one or the other is bound to happen.

Edited August 16, 2013 by junglechef

[Songhua]

At a pub recently in Oz, the menu offered a choice of breads which included 'Thai Bread'. When we asked what it was, we were told it was focaccia with lemongrass butter. <deleted>?

A customer asked me in our own restaurant whether we sell pappadams or Palak Paneer. When I said no, she replied 'so you're not an authentic Thai restaurant then'.

We've also been asked for the 'Thai Ravioli' the customer had previously been able to buy elsewhere.

Oh, almost forgot - Bangkok Duck. 'What is that?' I asked (thinking there was a dish I'd not heard of). Customer's reply ... it's like Peking Duck but it's got 'basil and stuff' in it.

Edited August 16, 2013 by Songhua

[junglechef]

Love the horror stories, anyone got more?

Here's one, in New Zealand at a sushi bar I ordered Tuna Sushi and got tuna fish salad (yeah the stuff made with canned tuna and mayo) on top of seaweed wrapped rice. They also served chicken (salad) sushi.

[Songhua]

Love the horror stories, anyone got more?

Here's one, in New Zealand at a sushi bar I ordered Tuna Sushi and got tuna fish salad (yeah the stuff made with canned tuna and mayo) on top of seaweed wrapped rice. They also served chicken (salad) sushi.

Hundreds of them.

Customer: Í don't eat chilli at all but I want a curry'.

Me: 'Sorry, but Thai curries are made with a chilli base'.

Customer: 'Can't you just take the base out?'

[elektrified]

I happened to notice a lady at Makro last night buying about 12 industrial size boxes of the Mama (or whatever brand it is) apparently new 'cheese flavored' instant noodles along with 2 other trolleys full of instant noodles. So I guess it's already a big hit here.

[junglechef]

Not an outrageous incident but recent and local. Last week I had a craving for Pho. Went to two Vietnamese restaurants here in CM that both had "Vietnamese" on their sign. Both times was served Thai noodle soup with thin noodles and a plain broth as typical of Thai style. Both just added bean sports and Thai basil. I asked for the accompanying sauces (Hoisin and Chili) and both times got the four usual of Nam Pla, Vinegar etc. and not even lime . One of the restaurants also had Kho Soi on their buffet and they told me that it was also a Vietnamese dish. Both menus said Pho, one called it Saigon Noodle and the other Hanoi Noodle Soup, so at least they were Vietnamese in name!

[junglechef]

I happened to notice a lady at Makro last night buying about 12 industrial size boxes of the Mama (or whatever brand it is) apparently new 'cheese flavored' instant noodles along with 2 other trolleys full of instant noodles. So I guess it's already a big hit here.

I think they also call that Thai Pizza

[Songhua]

I have to admit we've jumped on the bandwagon ourselves from time to time.

One dish we created as an entrée was like san choi bao but with a mix of pad kapow-style chicken and plenty of coriander, mint & so forth, in lettuce wraps.

We put it on the menu, hardly ever sold any and took it off again.

There's obviously an art to mutating something.

Edited August 16, 2013 by Songhua

[northernjohn]

Well being as I am not a gourmet I am in no position to give a qualified opinion. Other than I feel quite sure there is room to go down.

But as for up I don't know. How would you rate a Thai meal in a hill tribe village accessible only on foot. Leaving aside whether you like it or not. How would you rate it as to it's authenticity the top of the line Thai meal. Or are you just interested in food you can buy in restaurants?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Love the horror stories, anyone got more?

Here's one, in New Zealand at a sushi bar I ordered Tuna Sushi and got tuna fish salad (yeah the stuff made with canned tuna and mayo) on top of seaweed wrapped rice. They also served chicken (salad) sushi.

Hundreds of them.

Customer: Í don't eat chilli at all but I want a curry'.

Me: 'Sorry, but Thai curries are made with a chilli base'.

Customer: 'Can't you just take the base out?'

Assuming you make the chili paste base yourself, you could substitute spicy chilies for mild ones; bell peppers even. That will keep some of the taste, but remove the heat. (Unless the guy's issue is some allergy to any kind of capsicum, then you're out of luck. Or you end up with something closer to an Indian curry, but with coconut milk. Not particularly Thai, but probably still tasty and sufficiently 'ethnic'.

Edited August 16, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Saan]

My favourite story occurred in a restaurant in Australia where I had ordered steak tartare. Shortly after ordering the owner came out to congratulate me on my choice and, pointing to another table, said 'at least you didn't ask for it well done like that woman with the blue rinsed hair over there'.

Back to the topic - of course Thai food will continue to evolve. Look at som tum, a traditional Thai dish made with papaya. Well, it would only have become traditional when papaya arrived here from South America.

[junglechef]

Well being as I am not a gourmet I am in no position to give a qualified opinion. Other than I feel quite sure there is room to go down.

But as for up I don't know. How would you rate a Thai meal in a hill tribe village accessible only on foot. Leaving aside whether you like it or not. How would you rate it as to it's authenticity the top of the line Thai meal. Or are you just interested in food you can buy in restaurants?

I like all good food! Enjoyed the most delicious soup last week made from wild mushrooms I helped pick in a home whose thin cardboard outside walls were made from old political campaign posters in Kampaneg Phet. Also had an amazing 10 course meal of Royal Thai Cuisine prepared by a Michelin starred Chef and another time a not too good Thai dinner also made by a World Class Michelin Starred Chef. Had good and bad meals at regularly priced places here too. Love the food in Burma and the Phillipines (both places that people say are not known for good food). Enjoy fine dining and road side stands and shopping at the local fresh market and cooking at home. But the common ingredient ( ) is good food!!

As comparing authenticity that a tough call and would have to be taken on a case by case evaluation. I've been days into the jungles of Laos where there is no roads and eaten canned fish with the locals one day and dog at the next village. Even came across a tribe that neither farmed or raised animals and ate wild jungle cats with these hunter and gatherers. That was authentic but not very tasty but more just subsistence living. Also it can be like comparing apples to oranges, is Laos or Northern Thai style Larb more authentic? Both are and can be good too!

[zeichen]

Fusion food is customary for all cultures. However overall Thai food has remained pure. I think that this might be their experimental stage of development. However overall in my experience Thai people don't cook Thai food very well especially the venues that cater to tourists. The old women just aren't around anymore. I have pictures of grandma and all of her neighbors back in the 40's sitting together making nam priks together for their daily meals. Was a wonderful tradition similar to the western quilt making groups.

Modern cooks here are looking outward rather than inward for inspiration. Thai food can be stagnant only because it reached its height centuries ago and made little improvements over the past 100 years.

There are some young chefs doing some interesting things but overall they are just grasping at straws.

But to put things in perspective 20 years ago I made an apple pie when I was in Korea in the smaller city that I lived no one had ever had it. All of the Koreans at the dinner waited for one woman to eat, then they all tried some. However after her first bite she went back to the table and put a spoon full of Kimchi on top of it. I almost puked. They all thought that was the most amazing thing.

as Korean american as apple pie and kimchi

[KRS1]

Not an outrageous incident but recent and local. Last week I had a craving for Pho. Went to two Vietnamese restaurants here in CM that both had "Vietnamese" on their sign. Both times was served Thai noodle soup with thin noodles and a plain broth as typical of Thai style. Both just added bean sports and Thai basil. I asked for the accompanying sauces (Hoisin and Chili) and both times got the four usual of Nam Pla, Vinegar etc. and not even lime . One of the restaurants also had Kho Soi on their buffet and they told me that it was also a Vietnamese dish. Both menus said Pho, one called it Saigon Noodle and the other Hanoi Noodle Soup, so at least they were Vietnamese in name!

Allow me to enlighten your thai noodle eating experience, for (imo) the best pork noodles go to chiang mai gate after 6pm...if you are on the inside of the moat, it is the last noodle shop (right next to the wall) on your right at the chiang mai gate market...they have duck, pork and chicken - but get the pork noodles (moo thoon) its braised in chunks the size of marbles (thoon), not slivers. The soup is called 'nam dang' which is a thicker darker colored soup, but tell them 'moo thoon'...'nam dang' is just the classification of soup. They are closed 1-2 days per week. If the shop is not at the very end, in the corner against the wall, its not them.

Then choose the type of noodle to put in the soup:

1) sen mee kao (small white rice noodles)

2) sen lek (thin flat rice noodles)

3) mee lueng ( yellow egg noodles)

4) se yai ( big flat wide rice noodles)

After eating there youll look at Thai noodles differently. (the red chili there is very hot, use extremely sparingly, literally the size of a 0.50 satang coin at a time)

Another noodle place is off of Huay Kaew road, in the complex across from Hillside 4, go into that lot, to the other end by the exit, there you will find black pepper noodle soup. It will clear you out. Not the same as the shop above but interesting and different.

For an enlightening thai food experience check out 'Cafe Di Niman' across from Warm Up on Nimanheimin road.

I put cream cheese in some Mama noodles (drained) once, wasnt all that bad.

[mic6ard]

Fusion food is customary for all cultures. However overall Thai food has remained pure. I think that this might be their experimental stage of development. However overall in my experience Thai people don't cook Thai food very well especially the venues that cater to tourists. The old women just aren't around anymore. I have pictures of grandma and all of her neighbors back in the 40's sitting together making nam priks together for their daily meals. Was a wonderful tradition similar to the western quilt making groups.

Modern cooks here are looking outward rather than inward for inspiration. Thai food can be stagnant only because it reached its height centuries ago and made little improvements over the past 100 years.

There are some young chefs doing some interesting things but overall they are just grasping at straws.

But to put things in perspective 20 years ago I made an apple pie when I was in Korea in the smaller city that I lived no one had ever had it. All of the Koreans at the dinner waited for one woman to eat, then they all tried some. However after her first bite she went back to the table and put a spoon full of Kimchi on top of it. I almost puked. They all thought that was the most amazing thing.

as Korean american as apple pie and kimchi

I know what you mean, about granmas sitting around and cooking up a storm. They don't pass on their knowledge ( at least 100% of the instructions) regarding food. Each family have their own little tricks to certain dishes that is disappearing fast. Sad really but not much we can do.

With fusion food, you really have to know what you're doing to make it work. And still there are something that SHOULD NOT be put together. I personally don't go for fusions, but I'll accept influences, like adding something to give it a touch of thainess, etc.

[KRS1]

Well being as I am not a gourmet I am in no position to give a qualified opinion. Other than I feel quite sure there is room to go down.

But as for up I don't know. How would you rate a Thai meal in a hill tribe village accessible only on foot. Leaving aside whether you like it or not. How would you rate it as to it's authenticity the top of the line Thai meal. Or are you just interested in food you can buy in restaurants?

Hill tribe village food is more like Yunnan Chinese or Burmese food.

[zeichen]

The funniest thing was having sushi in Japan and they made it american style. Had mayo on it and other nasty stuff. I traveled all the way expecting something genuine and what I got was worse than local shops in the US with high school kids preparing the food. I had to spend a fortune to get good Sushi in Japan.''

As for Som-Tam not being authentic because papayas are from South America, sorry but 300 + years of making it still is traditional. Otherwise you could say that no curry in Thailand is traditional because the majority of spices used are not indigenous. The only thing that gave heat to dishes was green peppercorn.

PadThai is considered by foreigners as traditional Thai food yet it is barely 60 years old.

When a food leaves its country of origin and gets reinvented to suit the local tastes and then is brought back to the home country, a full circle evolution, then there is change. Italian food is a perfect example. Every country has their own versions of Italian food and many Italian restaurants in Italy are using those "corrupted recipes" Imagine going to Naples and eating at a Pizza Hut. American style pizzas have traveled a lot further and are more popular than the original Italian styles.

The thing that is wonderful about food is that there is no limit to what can be done. There are rules to keep flavors balanced but Thai stocks and sauces infused with lemon grass, or kaffir lime leaves, or how thais add grapao basil to italian recipes instead of sweet basil.

GO FOR IT.

Food is for Fun.

I made Laab sausage and it was awesome. Just a typical larger grain pork sausage filled with fried jasmine rice powder, herbs, spices, lime juice, lime leaves, chunks of fatty skin.

I make a fried rice with Naam (sour pork) and chinese sausage (the dark hard sweet one). So you have the sour and the sweet balance each other out.

HO mok Pla is a traditional fish and coconut custard. I make it with green curry paste instead of red. Add lime juice, and the fried jasmine rice powder. It tastes Thai but not traditional because uses the green instead of red. Why not more flexibility in traditional recipes. Every Thai that I serve it to, scratches their head and all say the same thing "I wonder why this hasn't been made before"

Only in Thailand can you get American fried rice (still don't understand what that is)

[ShopBoy]

is this place in JJ market ? they are on Japanese magazine and few others

[junglechef]

is this place in JJ market ? they are on Japanese magazine and few others

Yes but I was just pointing out how I was amused that cheese is used as an ingredient in Tom Yum and not particularly about the place. But they were very nice and I also had another dish that was their modern twist on an old dish that didn't really work as well.

Cute place in a cute mini-mall w/Rimping and fancy boutiques etc. But once again the place was half-built, very few people and pretty much one had to drive there and the parking lot was full (maybe with employees cars), remind you of any other new mall with a Rimping?

[hellodolly]

The funniest thing was having sushi in Japan and they made it american style. Had mayo on it and other nasty stuff. I traveled all the way expecting something genuine and what I got was worse than local shops in the US with high school kids preparing the food. I had to spend a fortune to get good Sushi in Japan.''

As for Som-Tam not being authentic because papayas are from South America, sorry but 300 + years of making it still is traditional. Otherwise you could say that no curry in Thailand is traditional because the majority of spices used are not indigenous. The only thing that gave heat to dishes was green peppercorn.

PadThai is considered by foreigners as traditional Thai food yet it is barely 60 years old.

When a food leaves its country of origin and gets reinvented to suit the local tastes and then is brought back to the home country, a full circle evolution, then there is change. Italian food is a perfect example. Every country has their own versions of Italian food and many Italian restaurants in Italy are using those "corrupted recipes" Imagine going to Naples and eating at a Pizza Hut. American style pizzas have traveled a lot further and are more popular than the original Italian styles.

The thing that is wonderful about food is that there is no limit to what can be done. There are rules to keep flavors balanced but Thai stocks and sauces infused with lemon grass, or kaffir lime leaves, or how thais add grapao basil to italian recipes instead of sweet basil.

GO FOR IT.

Food is for Fun.

I made Laab sausage and it was awesome. Just a typical larger grain pork sausage filled with fried jasmine rice powder, herbs, spices, lime juice, lime leaves, chunks of fatty skin.

I make a fried rice with Naam (sour pork) and chinese sausage (the dark hard sweet one). So you have the sour and the sweet balance each other out.

HO mok Pla is a traditional fish and coconut custard. I make it with green curry paste instead of red. Add lime juice, and the fried jasmine rice powder. It tastes Thai but not traditional because uses the green instead of red. Why not more flexibility in traditional recipes. Every Thai that I serve it to, scratches their head and all say the same thing "I wonder why this hasn't been made before"

Only in Thailand can you get American fried rice (still don't understand what that is)

I kind of got the idea that you are saying it will never reach either extreme as it will be iin a state of change as other countries modify it.

Speaking of some thing different. I took a coat hanger put two marshmallows on it slid a hot dog on it through the center of it. Roasted it on a fire the marshmellow melted down on the hot dog. I put it on a bun with just plain yellow mustard and had a sweet and sour hot dog. It was delicious but I don't think it will catch on.

Maybe some one here will try it with a Thai twist to the system and ingredients.

Where is junglechef when you need him?

[haybilly]

Junglechef--if you ever go back to Kamphaeng Phet and can't find wild mushrooms, cooked in a cardboard walled house---search out a restaurant called Oasis--run by a German Chef [ Mike] and his Thai wise [Ann]--they make really good quality food--both Thai and all forms of Western--it's the quality that counts, though--especially in a town like Kamphaeng Phet.

P.S. Just google Oasis Kamphaeng Phet--there are several entries.

[amykat]

I happened to notice a lady at Makro last night buying about 12 industrial size boxes of the Mama (or whatever brand it is) apparently new 'cheese flavored' instant noodles along with 2 other trolleys full of instant noodles. So I guess it's already a big hit here.

I think they also call that Thai Pizza

But you would need to add copious amounts of Thai ketchup first !!

[amykat]

The funniest thing was having sushi in Japan and they made it american style. Had mayo on it and other nasty stuff. I traveled all the way expecting something genuine and what I got was worse than local shops in the US with high school kids preparing the food. I had to spend a fortune to get good Sushi in Japan.''

Only in Thailand can you get American fried rice (still don't understand what that is)

Wow, I wonder why/how/who would have decided that sushi with mayo is "American style"? Are you sure that you have had that in AMERICA? Or that was some weird Japanese idea of American style?

Did you eat this in a small town in South Dakota, or Alabama? I would be surprised if they even had a sushi restuarant, and if they needed to dress it up, like so ...well this just isn't making sense to me.

Sushi is quite popluar at least in big US cities, and I think it is quite authentic ...having been with many Japanese people, from my Japanese company in Los Angeles.

Like the "American fried rice" which in Thailand, is simply nothing, other than a hotdog added ...as you know, we don't eat that in the US, nor do we have Asian restuarants serving that ...so maybe some idiot in Japan had the same kind of idea ... and maybe some Japanese, actually like it?? I don't know, just asking ...plopping mayo on things, isn't really "American food" ?? Not where I have ever lived. I guess some people who are addicted to big blobs of fat might like it, and tend to add it on their home food?

[amykat]

Junglechef,

That big blob of "cheese" looks totally disgusting!! Are you sure you have shared your real opinion about that??

A bit off subject, but I recently loaded up on imported soft goat cheese, which was on sale at Rimping. I really don't like it myself, but try to make myself like it, through repeated exposure. However, to my shock, my nearly 8 year old daughter, totally LOVES it! She told me that goat cheese and candy (or ice cream) can't remember, are her two favorite foods in the world!!

Isn't that weird?

[junglechef]

Not an outrageous incident but recent and local. Last week I had a craving for Pho. Went to two Vietnamese restaurants here in CM that both had "Vietnamese" on their sign. Both times was served Thai noodle soup with thin noodles and a plain broth as typical of Thai style. Both just added bean sports and Thai basil. I asked for the accompanying sauces (Hoisin and Chili) and both times got the four usual of Nam Pla, Vinegar etc. and not even lime . One of the restaurants also had Kho Soi on their buffet and they told me that it was also a Vietnamese dish. Both menus said Pho, one called it Saigon Noodle and the other Hanoi Noodle Soup, so at least they were Vietnamese in name!

Allow me to enlighten your thai noodle eating experience, for (imo) the best pork noodles go to chiang mai gate after 6pm...if you are on the inside of the moat, it is the last noodle shop (right next to the wall) on your right at the chiang mai gate market...they have duck, pork and chicken - but get the pork noodles (moo thoon) its braised in chunks the size of marbles (thoon), not slivers. The soup is called 'nam dang' which is a thicker darker colored soup, but tell them 'moo thoon'...'nam dang' is just the classification of soup. They are closed 1-2 days per week. If the shop is not at the very end, in the corner against the wall, its not them.

Then choose the type of noodle to put in the soup:

1) sen mee kao (small white rice noodles)

2) sen lek (thin flat rice noodles)

3) mee lueng ( yellow egg noodles)

4) se yai ( big flat wide rice noodles)

After eating there youll look at Thai noodles differently. (the red chili there is very hot, use extremely sparingly, literally the size of a 0.50 satang coin at a time)

Another noodle place is off of Huay Kaew road, in the complex across from Hillside 4, go into that lot, to the other end by the exit, there you will find black pepper noodle soup. It will clear you out. Not the same as the shop above but interesting and different.

For an enlightening thai food experience check out 'Cafe Di Niman' across from Warm Up on Nimanheimin road.

I put cream cheese in some Mama noodles (drained) once, wasnt all that bad. alt=biggrin.png width=20 height=20>

Thanks I'll try them both. My latest thing is Huey Tia Newa (sp.) or Boat Noodle Soup with braised pork in a broth made with the blood. Found a good one on 1001 near Mae Jo. Sounds similar. Last month it was Ayutthaya Noodle Soups which is similar but with a different recipe, nice one can be gotten on 3029 before Rimping intersection coming from 118 or for 15 baht on the old San Sai road near Mae Gat village.

When I mentioned plain broth I was referring to the good ones that are made with bones and root veg or bad ones with bullion equivalent for typical Thai noodle soup as opposed to traditional Pho broth seasoned with star anise among other things.

As I mentioned before in this topic that the simple mushroom soup I had was divine, plain does not connotate bad just simple clean flavors. It's all good!

[Ulysses G.]

Wow, I wonder why/how/who would have decided that sushi with mayo is "American style"? Are you sure that you have had that in AMERICA?

California rolls (the crab was mixed with mayo) were quite popular 25-30 years ago in the best sushi places in San Francisco and so was tuna salad on top of sushi. I think that it is an American thing, but you can get plenty of traditional sushi too. I have never had really good California rolls outside of the USA.

[Ulysses G.]

Not an outrageous incident but recent and local. Last week I had a craving for Pho. Went to two Vietnamese restaurants here in CM that both had "Vietnamese" on their sign. Both times was served Thai noodle soup with thin noodles and a plain broth as typical of Thai style.

I have always wondered why some people rave about Pho. I suspect it is much better in USA than Vietnam - at least when I spent a lot of time there.

I traveled around Vietnam a lot in the early 90s and lived there for a while in 1997. I generally prefer Vietnamese food to Thai, but thought that Thai soup was superior to Pho. The beef was terrible (much like Thailand ) and they were using packaged noodles where Thailand used fresh ones. Mybe it was fashionable at the time as I think that packaged noodles were kind of new to Vietnam, but, to me, Thai soup had a much better flavor.

I would guess that all the food in Vietnam is much better quality as their economy has improved a lot and a lot of the food was good even when the economy was terrible. I really miss their bread in particular. Their foreign food was WAY better than Thailand at the time, but Thailand has improved in leaps and bounds.

Edited August 16, 2013 by Ulysses G.

[KRS1]

Not an outrageous incident but recent and local. Last week I had a craving for Pho. Went to two Vietnamese restaurants here in CM that both had "Vietnamese" on their sign. Both times was served Thai noodle soup with thin noodles and a plain broth as typical of Thai style. Both just added bean sports and Thai basil. I asked for the accompanying sauces (Hoisin and Chili) and both times got the four usual of Nam Pla, Vinegar etc. and not even lime . One of the restaurants also had Kho Soi on their buffet and they told me that it was also a Vietnamese dish. Both menus said Pho, one called it Saigon Noodle and the other Hanoi Noodle Soup, so at least they were Vietnamese in name!

Allow me to enlighten your thai noodle eating experience, for (imo) the best pork noodles go to chiang mai gate after 6pm...if you are on the inside of the moat, it is the last noodle shop (right next to the wall) on your right at the chiang mai gate market...they have duck, pork and chicken - but get the pork noodles (moo thoon) its braised in chunks the size of marbles (thoon), not slivers. The soup is called 'nam dang' which is a thicker darker colored soup, but tell them 'moo thoon'...'nam dang' is just the classification of soup. They are closed 1-2 days per week. If the shop is not at the very end, in the corner against the wall, its not them.

Then choose the type of noodle to put in the soup:

1) sen mee kao (small white rice noodles)

2) sen lek (thin flat rice noodles)

3) mee lueng ( yellow egg noodles)

4) se yai ( big flat wide rice noodles)

After eating there youll look at Thai noodles differently. (the red chili there is very hot, use extremely sparingly, literally the size of a 0.50 satang coin at a time)

Another noodle place is off of Huay Kaew road, in the complex across from Hillside 4, go into that lot, to the other end by the exit, there you will find black pepper noodle soup. It will clear you out. Not the same as the shop above but interesting and different.

For an enlightening thai food experience check out 'Cafe Di Niman' across from Warm Up on Nimanheimin road.

I put cream cheese in some Mama noodles (drained) once, wasnt all that bad. alt=biggrin.png width=20 height=20>

Thanks I'll try them both. My latest thing is Huey Tia Newa (sp.) or Boat Noodle Soup with braised pork in a broth made with the blood. Found a good one on 1001 near Mae Jo. Sounds similar. Last month it was Ayutthaya Noodle Soups which is similar but with a different recipe, nice one can be gotten on 3029 before Rimping intersection coming from 118 or for 15 baht on the old San Sai road near Mae Gat village.

When I mentioned plain broth I was referring to the good ones that are made with bones and root veg or bad ones with bullion equivalent for typical Thai noodle soup as opposed to traditional Pho broth seasoned with star anise among other things.

As I mentioned before in this topic that the simple mushroom soup I had was divine, plain does not connotate bad just simple clean flavors. It's all good!

ah good ol' Guawy Thiew Ruah...i love that stuff, back in the old days they use to put ganja in it...theres still a place in BKK that still serves it up, with 'all' the ingredients...always got sleepy and dry mouthed afterwards

Real Guay Thiew Ruah should be served in a very small bowl, about the quantity of a coffee cup, you have to eat like 3-4 of them.

Do the shops you are talking about serve them in small quantities? Those are the best !

Best Pho' I ever had was in Dallas...the restaurant was adequately named 'Best Pho' lol...about 6 miles from the Thai temple.

[junglechef]

"Real Guay Thiew Ruah should be served in a very small bowl, about the quantity of a coffee cup, you have to eat like 3-4 of them.

Do the shops you are talking about serve them in small quantities? Those are the best !"

Yes the one for 15 baht does and I do (eat 3 orders). I was wondering what that was all about, thanks for all the insight! Nice young couple from BKK opened it recently and it's quite crowed at lunch w/Mae Jo Uni ppl.

[junglechef]

Zeichen's your comments are interesting and insightful especially the ones concerning Thai cooks. I find most are just doing it to get by similar to the teacher's who don't teach and the doctors who don't doc! With the many factors going into producing a good dish from purchasing and holding the ingredients to proper cooking techniques and an understanding of flavoring a "mai pen rai" attitude just doesn't cut it for a making consistently good dish.

But when one does have the necessary set of skills then by all means go for it and see what happens even if it's not always great. And by all means I couldn't encourage one more to do so at home with whatever talent and knowledge one has especially if your not planning on charging me for it!

My best meals here have been cooked by Grandma's including my GF's Mom who can take up to 4 hrs. to make a snack using old methods and lots of elbow grease. If I ever even suggested to her an easier way, using an electric device for instance, I think I'd be thrown out of my own house immediately!

I believe the story with American Fried Rice is that it was made for the U.S. soldiers here during the war by Thai cooks with mess hall products for the Amercian palate.

Wikipedia:

American fried rice (Thai: ข้าวผัดอเมริกัน, RTGS: 'khao phat amerikan') is a Thai fried rice dish with "American" side ingredients like fried chicken, ham, hot dogs, raisins, ketchup, and croutons. Other ingredients like pineapple are optional. Because it was invented during the Vietnam War era to serve to United States Marine Corps and United States Air Force personnel stationed in Thailand, it is generally not found in Thai restaurants outside Thailand. With the recent^[when?] proliferation of Thai restaurants, American fried rice is now appearing on Thai restaurant menus in the United States. The name comes from the fact that most of the ingredients are American or at least Western in origin.