Enjoying Thailand’s epicurean delights
Posted by Mr Tuk Tuk on January 6th, 2012 filed in Eating outThailand is famed throughout the world for the diversity of its cuisine. As the popularity of Thai dishes has grown, there has been a corresponding increase in the number of Thai restaurants overseas. I have sampled a few of the offerings at these eateries, and though the dishes are satisfactory they are often prepared to local tastes, and also are much more expensive than similar ones in Thailand.
Thai food markets or shopping centre food courts are usually the best and cheapest locations to sample staples such as noodle soup (ku-ay tiow), stir fried basil dishes (pad krapow) or spicy papaya salad (somtam) and sticky rice (kow nee-ow). A sign bearing the legend ‘Good Food, Clean Taste’ indicates the vendor has passed hygiene tests.
If visiting Chiang Mai in the north of the country, the ubiquitous khao soy is a pleasing blend of curry soup and egg noodles. Seafood is available in all of the major inland tourist hubs, yet is probably not quite as fresh as when it has just been hauled out of the sea in Pattaya, Phuket or Prachuap Khiri Khan. Tom yam gung is Thailand’s signature seafood offering and is a sour and spicy soup with prawns.
Over recent years, moo krataa restaurants have proliferated in Thailand and can be found in even the smallest towns. Moo krataa is best described as a barbecue buffet where diners pay a set price and then cook their dinner over a charcoal grill. Moo krataa restaurants are easily spotted as they tend to be hangar-sized, open-sided structures with tendrils of smoke above them.