Thailand is food heaven where the average meal costs $2 or less. I took advantage of the cheap eats to indulge many of my Thai and western favorites.
- Food I wished I had but didn't: Fresh melon with chili. I kept hearing about ti, but never found it.
- Food I had but wished I didn't: probably salad. Not that it wasn't good, but come on, there are so may better things to eat in Thailand.
- What should have been on the list: milk toast!
- Biggest surprise: Thailand's chicken rice is better than Singapore's.
- Most delicious meal: tom-yum eggs for breakfast
Papaya salad
My favorite food in Thailand. So sweet. So spicy.
Pad Thai
The staple at Thai restaurants in America turns out to be a
legitimate dish!
Milk toast
Never heard of this before coming to Thailand, but it’s
excellent. French bread, toasted and butters, then covered with condensed milk.
Chicken rice
What I thought was a Singaporean dish is actually a classic
Thai one too. I like the Thai version better because it sometimes comes with a
piece of blood cake, and the sauce is spicier.
Street food
Thailand may well be the best country in the world for
street food (second only to Taiwan – but I’, very biased). Winning points
include variety, freshness, sanitation, and expert takeaway packaging.
Mango sticky rice
My favorite Thai dessert (and possible my favorite dessert
of any kind) is widely available on the streets and in restaurants across the
country. I heard that mangos would only be good in summer, but even in winter I
thought they were great!
Rotis
Rotis are originally from the Indian subcontinent, but the
Thais have reimagined them as desserts and crepes. I ordered a ham and cheeses
roti which was excellent (though not filling), but the rottis with whipped
cream and fruit are the most popular.
Cake
Cake is great in Thailand. I had all kinds of cake. Red velvet
cake, rainbow cake, cheesecake.
Salad
I was told not to eat salas in Asia because the vegetables
are not clean and are washed with unsanitary water. However, I could not resist
the wildly popular Salad Concept in Chiang Mai. Best salads in the country!
Thai Breakfast
Our favorite hole-in-the-wall was this almighty breakfast
noodle place and we ate here almost everyday. I loved the spicy tom-yam eggs,
and tom-yam noodles.