Introduction to Thai foods
One of the great enjoyments of being in Bangkok is that
you can eat 24 hrs. a day. No matter what sort of food you are looking
for, be it Western or Eastern, you'll have little trouble finding
it with the taste that will satisfy your fancy or remove your homesickness.
Hundreds of restaurants and thousands of coffee shops, noodle shops,
snack bars and street-side food stalls are scattered in the downtown
districts of Bangkok and many, many more in the provincial tourist
centres. As Thailand produces all kinds of foodstuff, food prices
here are, of course, very reasonable.
Original Thai foods(Popularity : 90 %) :
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Thailand, for centuries an Asian crossroads,
owes it rich culinary art to the cuisines of India,
China, Malaysia and Indonesia. The success of this
country's cuisine lies in the blend of 4 basic tastes---salty,
sweet, sour and pungent---which form a wide range
of flavours, making the diner want to eat more and
more. However , holidaymakers must note that chilli
is amply used in a number of Thai dishes, such as
curry, fried dishes and even soups. So if you are
trying Thai hot food for the first time, watch out
for the little green or red chillies or ask the chef
to make the dish less hot than usual. Eat plenty
of cooked rice with the hot dishes. This is the way
to smother the fire in your mouth, which cannot be
done with sweets or even a cold drink. |
Normally, each Thai restaurant has
its own specialties, so ask the waiter for their
recommendation. Some favourite Thai dishes are: Gai
ho bai toei seasoned fried chicken in leaf
wrappers; thotman plakrai or thotman
gung fish or shrimp fritters Thai style;
various kinds of yam Thai salad; tomyam hot
and sour soup; curry and namprik with
fresh vegetables. And bring your meal to perfection
by ending it with Thai sweets, such as salim,
thapthim krop, lotchong, khanom chan coconut-cream
gelatine, thong yot, foi thong, etc. |
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Sea Foods(Popularity : 70 %) :
More and more visitors to Thailand have discovered
to their delight that Thailand is not only a kingdom
of fruits, but also a kingdom of seafood. Anyone
who has experienced Thai seafood will readily agree
to its great variety and its savoury taste and sweet
smell. |
A secret of seafood deliciousness lies
in its freshness. As Thailand has a long coastline,
and Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and most other cities
are close to the sea, fresh supplies of fish, crabs,
prawns, lobsters and other shellfish are always available
and all consumers will find them most palatable no
matter whether they are gourmets or just ordinary
diners. |
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Western & Asian Food(Popularity :60
%) :
Most coffee shops in tourist hotels serve an approximation
of European food, some also Chinese and Japanese.
For more authentic dishes, you can try the nationality
restaurants, mostly located in the leading hotels
and in the busy shopping areas. There you will find
the food and the desserts in their original tastes.
Western cuisines available in Bangkok and provincial
tourist centres are American, English, French, German,
Hungarian, Italian, Scandinavian and Swiss. Asian
cuisines include Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese,
Indian, Muslim and Arabic. |
Chinese Food (Popularity :80 %) :
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Thailand is an ideal place for enjoying
genuine Chinese food that tastes exactly like that
of its country of origin. The Chinese culinary art
was first brought to Thailand by the Chinese who
migrated to this country in large numbers in the
late Ayutthaya period over 200 years ago. As a result
of the long history of contact between the two peoples,
the Thai and the Chinese cultures are now well mixed
together in many aspects, including the art of cooking.
Chinese food is commonly served in restaurants and
hotels in every part of Thailand, especially in Bangkok,
Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai. Indeed, Thailand
is the only place outside of China (Taiwan and Hong
Kong) that can provide tourists with such a wide
choice of delicious Chinese dishes. |
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