Given that food has played such a huge role in my cultural experience so far, I haven't given it its rightful attention on this blog. Where to start, though. People have asked me how the Thai food here compares to that in Atlanta's Thai restaurants, and that's a tough question to answer. I'm not sure if the dishes I'm eating here aren't on the menus there or if I just didn't know to order them, but they seem very different than what I remember. Basics like Pad Thai seem pretty comparable, a notch above here, but I rarely order that. One thing I can't get enough of now is som tom (spicy papaya salad), which makes an appearance on almost every table here. Fried catfish topped with mango salad is another spicy fave (I no longer have to say “mai pet”!). And then there's fried rice with pineapple, seafood and shredded pork that's served inside a carved pineapple for an exotic presentation. There's such a variety here, I could try something new every night and not eat the same meal for weeks. The other night I ordered something with one of the best combination of flavors I've tasted: a plate of dark leaves, peanuts, something crunchy, and diced lime, ginger and onions. You pile the toppings onto a leaf and top it with a sweet sauce. Next time you're in a Thai restaurant, ask if they have “me om come”--you won't be disappointed. I also often make meals or snacks out of the vendor-peddled treats along my street: tamarinds covered with chili powder, grilled corn, noodles, sticky rice, fried chicken, roasted peanuts, freshly squeezed OJ, papaya, guava, and sundry other edibles. Of course, not everything I eat does it for my taste buds. I bought a cookie from a vendor on the way home from work the other night. It looked so good, all fluffy and soft and covered with sugar. Well, it tasted like fish. No kidding.
One of my favorite "30 baht" stands. I usually get the "lop muu", a combination of pork, mint and onions.
Given that food has played such a huge role in my cultural experience so far, I haven't given it its rightful attention on this blog. Where to start, though. People have asked me how the Thai food here compares to that in Atlanta's Thai restaurants, and that's a tough question to answer. I'm not sure if the dishes I'm eating here aren't on the menus there or if I just didn't know to order them, but they seem very different than what I remember. Basics like Pad Thai seem pretty comparable, a notch above here, but I rarely order that. One thing I can't get enough of now is som tom (spicy papaya salad), which makes an appearance on almost every table here. Fried catfish topped with mango salad is another spicy fave (I no longer have to say “mai pet”!). And then there's fried rice with pineapple, seafood and shredded pork that's served inside a carved pineapple for an exotic presentation. There's such a variety here, I could try something new every night and not eat the same meal for weeks. The other night I ordered something with one of the best combination of flavors I've tasted: a plate of dark leaves, peanuts, something crunchy, and diced lime, ginger and onions. You pile the toppings onto a leaf and top it with a sweet sauce. Next time you're in a Thai restaurant, ask if they have “me om come”--you won't be disappointed. I also often make meals or snacks out of the vendor-peddled treats along my street: tamarinds covered with chili powder, grilled corn, noodles, sticky rice, fried chicken, roasted peanuts, freshly squeezed OJ, papaya, guava, and sundry other edibles. Of course, not everything I eat does it for my taste buds. I bought a cookie from a vendor on the way home from work the other night. It looked so good, all fluffy and soft and covered with sugar. Well, it tasted like fish. No kidding.
One of my favorite "30 baht" stands. I usually get the "lop muu", a combination of pork, mint and onions.
