By We doubt that there is a Western city that doesn’t have at least one Thai restaurant, such is the popularity of this unique cuisine, if you are planning a visit to the Land of Smiles, here is a basic guide to Thai food.
Spicy
Thai food is up there with Mexico regarding spiciness, there are several chili pepper species; as a generalisation, the smaller the pepper, the hotter it will be! The Thai word for spicy is ‘phet’, so if you don’t want a spicy dish, ‘mai phet’ means ‘not spicy’. Most gastronomic experts agree that Thai cuisine is all about intense tastes; spicy, sweet, and sour, sometimes you find all 3 in a single dish (Tom Yam Gung, phet phet, sai mano). There are culinary groups that rent a meeting room in Phuket where you can sample the best Thai dishes.
Coconut curries
The ultimate in Thai curry is without doubt those made with coconut cream; masaman, peneng and tom yam, to name but a few. If you have yet to experience these dishes, be prepared for a unique experience, one that you will want to repeat often. You can buy a plastic bag of Thai curry from a street vendor for around 40 baht, but be warned, it will be spicy!
Thai street food
Has to be up there with the best on the planet and the great thing about Thai food vendors is, that they are everywhere, whether a mobile pushcart, a tri-motorcycle, or a little stall, you never have to walk far to find a delicious bowl of $2 noodles. Most have tables and chairs and you’ll be served with iced water and all the condiments are on the table (sugar, chili, more chili, and peppers in a sour vinegar). If you have a few days free in Bangkok and are looking for cool activities, click here.
Thai desserts
Some expats have lived here for decades and they still come across desserts they have never seen! The Thais are very creative with coconut and rice; a million and one ways to make sweet dishes, plus there are hundreds of fruits in the land of plenty. Yes, there are many street dogs in Thailand, but they are all well-fed. Fruit vendors are everywhere, with a glass-covered section filled with ice and a range of fruits.
Thai restaurants
In Thai ‘Rahn ahan Dtam Sang’ means ‘restaurant to order’, which means you can basically order anything you like; they have an extensive menu (with images). A typical Thai restaurant would be partially open air, with no walls just a roof, and as soon as you sit down, a cute waitress brings a drinks trolley with ice and takes your drinks order (handing you a cold face towel), while you browse the menu. If we are talking about an upmarket traditional Thai restaurant, the service is impeccable, and tipping is a good idea if you plan to be a regular!
We hope that you enjoy your first holiday in the Land of Smiles and if you’re the adventurous type, you will have lots of unusual dishes to experience.
meeting room in Phuketphuketthai cuisinethai food
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