Good Thai Food Restaurants

[stament]

55 minutes ago, Bill97 said:

Yeh yeh yeh, a month ago you would be adamant that the fire safety standards in England(and Europe?) were 1000 times better than here too.

Probably still are in fairness and general safety standards. Only have to glance at everyday life here to notice that on general safety standards

Edited June 26, 2017 by stament

[whatsupdoc]

13 hours ago, heybruce said:

Boxes of dried stuff, got it.  Are the lemongrass, ginger, etc available in Europe as fresh as that used in local Thai kitchens?

 

It does seem like you developed a taste for westernized Thai food in Europe.  Understandable.  I tried pizza in Italy and decided I liked the American version better.

Many different pizza styles in Italy. Only one American version?

[scottiejohn]

4 hours ago, heybruce said:

The spices used are what make Thai food distinctive, and the spices used in Thailand are much fresher than the spices used in Europe. 

 

That has been my point through-out, fresh is better than dried

I believe that the "fresh is always better than dried" is not as straightforward as you are making out.

 

There are many links that discuss this, eg

http://www.jesrestaurantequipment.com/freshvsdriedspices

[heybruce]

3 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

I believe that the "fresh is always better than dried" is not as straightforward as you are making out.

 

There are many links that discuss this, eg

http://www.jesrestaurantequipment.com/freshvsdriedspices

You know what else is on that website?  Spices for sale!  http://www.jesrestaurantequipment.com/search.asp?keyword=spices  

 

Perhaps that's why the "discussion" ends with the recommendation to stock lots of spices.  I'm not sure I can trust their impartiality.

[elektrified]

9 hours ago, heybruce said:

Grown in Vietnam, packaged, shipped to a logistics hub, (presumably) flown to Europe, shipped to another logistics hub, distribute across Europe.  Not as fresh as what is used locally, especially if the spices are dried.  The spices used are what make Thai food distinctive, and the spices used in Thailand are much fresher than the spices used in Europe. 

 

That has been my point through-out, fresh is better than dried, and fruits and vegetables that are two days or less out of the farm are better than those that have spent days in transit, and have been chosen to be hard (green) enough to survive the transit.

 

I don't argue that food hygiene standards are higher in much of Europe, but the ingredients are much further, in time and distance, form their origins.  You will not find tom yam gung or mango salad in Europe that compares to what is in Thailand.  More plain dishes, such as pad thai gai, may be comparable and have better quality chicken, but I don't consider the plain dishes to be representative of Thai food.

The Vietnamese grow the vegetables in all of the European countries Bruce....they don't grow them in Vietnam......

[heybruce]

43 minutes ago, elektrified said:

The Vietnamese grow the vegetables in all of the European countries Bruce....they don't grow them in Vietnam......

When restaurants in Chiang Mai close the cooks go to the markets and pick up produce that has just been delivered by pick-up from the farms.  I don't know where the hothouses are that grow tropical fruits and vegetables in Europe, but I doubt that it works the same. 

 

However, let's assume the Vietnamese provide fresh, locally grown produce and spices in Europe (you did say they use dried spices in Europe, didn't you?), and it's of the same quality as in Thailand.  If the food isn't the same as Thai food produced in Thailand, then it is European Thai, not Thai.  If you prefer European Thai that's fine, but the topic is about good Thai restaurants in Chiang Mai.  Your preference for European Thai is not relevant.

 

If they are growing mangoes and papayas outside of the southern-most Mediterranean lands, they must have some impressive hothouses.

[just_Elaine]

แกงร้อนบ้านสวน is a mid-range restaurant. Sorry, it is not in the Nong Hoi area. It is off Canal on the way to the Convention center. We like their soups/curries (kaeng khea, for instance) and salads (Northern Pork salad, laab, yam dtua puu). We have brought Thais there and they like it also.

[stament]

Thanks Elaine, I had forgotten the thread was about restaurant recommendations ?