is it just me or is thai food really that bland ...

[steven100]

Anyone else tend to agree or am I wrong .... Btw .I'm not saying all thai food is bland .. just this was..

Went out to a friends house last night for a casual evening dinner around the pool.

On offer was two of those salted barbequed fish, two containers of uncooked shrimp, chopped up squid, some mussels & those coral shell pippies, lettuce and shallots.

Now this was all bought outside at the corner street vendor I guess to minimize traveling .....

I don't mind some thai food so long as it's not cold ... but most of this was cold except for the fish that was just warm ....

Well I tucked in to some fish and squid and that was about it ... and not a lot of it either .. I did get a fish and squid wrapped in lettuce handed to me which was ok. ... the others were all commenting on how delicious it all was ..

The shrimp being uncooked is topped with that green seafood chilly sauce that they use every where you go in thailand .. and a bowl placed for further dipping if needed.

Is it that thai food is bland, minimalistic, simple with little finesse ....

I just found everything pretty ordinary and when cold is not so enjoyable in my view.

I would much prefer a nice hot nachos or buffalo chicken wings or some pizza.

IMO.

Edited November 11, 2014 by steven100

[SoiBiker]

No.

[Bernard Flint]

Sir

You have mentioned a couple of dishes compared to hundreds available.To say ALL thai food is bland because of a poor serving is ridiculous.

[joeyg]

I think Thai food is some of the best I've ever had. IMHO. Far from bland...

[Somsrisonphimai]

No, and you can also spice it up by add more salt, pepper, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar.

[David48]

You've nailed it ...

Thai food really is that bland ...

Thanks for the reminder to pack that extra bottle of HP Sauce for my next trip over.

.

[sipi]

It is you, but don't take it personally.

[Ace of Pop]

I enjoyed Thai Food in Europe, was disappointing to taste the bland, sugary stuff served up here.That Hot it all tastes the same unless you go to Posh Hotels here.

[joeyg]

I was raised on Italian food and have lived and traveled a lot all over the world. I especially like the Thai curries, much more than the Indian. In fact i find the Thai food in the states some what bland or sugary. can't say I've found that here.

I like getting foods with my girlfriend from Khon Kaen at noodle shops or street vendors best. When I've been back to the states, I find myself missing good Thai food. And I am 95% vegetarian. I vary from that when I feel I'm becoming protein deficient...

[tingtongtourist]

If Thai food from the vendour taste bland to you then i think you must be having a lot of very heavily salted western food in your usual diet..

And then also if your taste is for pizza, bacon sausage, hamburger ect you are probably missing the big fat+salt combo that get us lardasses in trouble!

Or maybe this vendour you talk of is the only one in BKK that doesnt add buckload of "khem phiset" to everything.

Also i bet a pizza margarita that you are a smoker?

:0) sorry to be lecture but i think that smoking definately mess with the tastebuds!

[kurnell]

If Thai food from the vendour taste bland to you then i think you must be having a lot of very heavily salted western food in your usual diet..

And then also if your taste is for pizza, bacon sausage, hamburger ect you are probably missing the big fat+salt combo that get us lardasses in trouble!

Or maybe this vendour you talk of is the only one in BKK that doesnt add buckload of "khem phiset" to everything.

Also i bet a pizza margarita that you are a smoker?

:0) sorry to be lecture but i think that smoking definately mess with the tastebuds!

You've nailed it. My colleague (Swedish) eats his french fries only after dousing the already heavily salted fries with another layer of salt. Disgusting.

[claffey]

Bland! Thai food!! That's ridiculous. Thai food is full of flavour and if its not all you do is add chilli, sauces etc.. I suggest you return to your bubble and keep eating your 'bland' hamburgers and ketchup!!

Its amazing how people who have lived here can come up with this shit! The narrow mindedness of people is startling....What happened to the OP was that he ended up outside his comfort zone and reacted negatively and defensively. He was given a new type of food for him and automatically thought it was crap because he's not use to it.Do people here expect everything to be the same as back home??

[robertthebruce]

Every dish is over loaded with salt and Sugar...., Big Time...

And the so called Fresh Fruit juice, is Syrup...healthy or what.

Fortunately there is some good Healthy Eating Restaurants out there, it's just knowing where.

[tingtongtourist]

^^ haha claffey.. now that was a lecture..steady on,each to his own eh? :0)

Anyhow once you live in thailand a bit i think you have stages of different tastes. This varied thing is what makes it good.

i had a stage where i want somtum all the time then same with tom yum and then nam tok moo. But after a while your bored of it.

some people like the spice/fish blend and some will never.

after2 year of thai food i eventually went back to making doner kebab in my appartent

Edited November 11, 2014 by tingtongtourist

[welsh1]

You've nailed it ...

Thai food really is that bland ...

Thanks for the reminder to pack that extra bottle of HP Sauce for my next trip over.

.

HP Sauce, now your talking my language

[ttthailand]

Everything depends on the cook. Bad cook bad food, good cook good food. In general Thai food is great and has many flavors.

[smokie36]

Its funny....sometimes I go out to eat with my gf and we will order a fish...some rice and usually as an afterthought a vegetable dish....often its the little side dish that has the spicing and flavour you really need to pack a nice punch.

Just a thought.....

[Bernard Flint]

I enjoyed Thai Food in Europe, was disappointing to taste the bland, sugary stuff served up here.That Hot it all tastes the same unless you go to Posh Hotels here.

Posh hotels for good thai food, thats the funniest comment i have ever heard

[smokie36]

I enjoyed Thai Food in Europe, was disappointing to taste the bland, sugary stuff served up here.That Hot it all tastes the same unless you go to Posh Hotels here.

Posh hotels for good thai food, thats the funniest comment i have ever heard

Indeed....the place on Pattanakan I was thinking of has never charged me more than 400 Baht for the whole fish....side dish.....rice and beer/water for both of us.

Why anyone would pay 3000 Baht a head for Thai food in Thailand is beyond comprehension.

[Ace of Pop]

I enjoyed Thai Food in Europe, was disappointing to taste the bland, sugary stuff served up here.That Hot it all tastes the same unless you go to Posh Hotels here.

Posh hotels for good thai food, thats the funniest comment i have ever heard

Try the Oriental. thats Yummy,plus no Backpackers or Chang Shirted Ferangs,Worth every cent.

[Gecko123]

From what you described most Thai people I know wouldn't find that food very appetizing or appealing.

I'm guessing your fellow guests were just being polite when they commented on how tasty the food was.

[Ace of Pop]

I enjoyed Thai Food in Europe, was disappointing to taste the bland, sugary stuff served up here.That Hot it all tastes the same unless you go to Posh Hotels here.

Posh hotels for good thai food, thats the funniest comment i have ever heard

Indeed....the place on Pattanakan I was thinking of has never charged me more than 400 Baht for the whole fish....side dish.....rice and beer/water for both of us.

Why anyone would pay 3000 Baht a head for Thai food in Thailand is beyond comprehension.

No ones surprised at That.

[smokie36]

Jog on pal...I'll save my Baht for the seafood buffet at the Intercon.

[namdocmai]

Thai bbq is not my kind of bbq, but thai food is sure not bland. Fish and seafood is eaten with that green chilisauce, i like it but i don't eat bbq squid or mussles (only deepfried) . Prawns taste better when marinated (chili/garlic). You can also add lime juice or anything you like but please no HP sauce, i don't like that at all.

Fish i prefer deepfried, deepfried seabass is great (without the bones). Food is never cold in Thailand only in very cold restaurants. Salted snakehead fish is eaten with green chilisauce, i like it.

But you should eat bbq with Som tum salad, fried rice/noodles/mihoen and the rest of the sidedishes that you might like.

For bbq they do have great satay with peanutsauce and cucumber/onions/green chile...i love that. Steaks you better cook yourself.. One day i made farang bbq with everything marinated indonesian style (only fresh herbs used) and the thai all loved it. Smoked spareribs (american style) , mixed meat/vegy skewers with garlic mayonaise, smoked marinated chickenwings. Can't wait to do that again but the Thai also love their bbq squid, up to them.

[SoiBiker]

I enjoyed Thai Food in Europe, was disappointing to taste the bland, sugary stuff served up here.That Hot it all tastes the same unless you go to Posh Hotels here.

Posh hotels for good thai food, thats the funniest comment i have ever heard

Never eaten at Nahm?

[noahvail]

You've nailed it ...

Thai food really is that bland ...

Thanks for the reminder to pack that extra bottle of HP Sauce for my next trip over.

.

HP Sauce, now your talking my language

If you really want to ramp it up, just bring some ghost peppers back with you...only don't say they're "ghost" peppers, nobody here would go near them with a name like that ??

[namdocmai]

You've nailed it ...

Thai food really is that bland ...

Thanks for the reminder to pack that extra bottle of HP Sauce for my next trip over.

.

HP Sauce, now your talking my language

If you really want to ramp it up, just bring some ghost peppers back with you...only don't say they're "ghost" peppers, nobody here would go near them with a name like that ??

Maybe they even those peppers.

I still have a bet going, my thai friend will eat 5 habanero peppers without drinking water, if he can do it i will pay him 1000 baht.

Good that you remind me, i will do it soon.

[elgordo38]

Thai food is great for the waistline you don't see that many fat Thai's wellll come to think of I yes I have younger ones in the last couple years. In a couple decades they will have to increase the size of hospital beds me thinks.

[SoiBiker]

Plenty of fat Thais. I blame Swensens.

[iSabai]

Plenty of fat Thais. I blame Swensens.

Most Thais would find Swensens (McD, BK, KFC, etc.) overly expensive. I blame 7-Eleven.