I have always intended to write a few blogs on the food I eat regularly , as I do post lots of food on my facebook page and get lots of questions about the food as well as requests for more pictures. I must admit my wife, does get a bit annoyed with me, when I get my phone or camera out, and take a picture or two before I tuck into my well deserved meal.
I am very lucky, not living in a major tourist area, so I eat at the restaurants and food stalls the locals use, and that’s great because its real Thai food and even better its cheap. Most of the food costs around 40 – 50 Bht. ( around £1 or $1.80 ) and as the normal rate for a days work for a Thai is around 300 Bht ( Around £7.85 or $9.22) not is not a bad price , nut like a lot of countries, if you enter tourist areas these prices will increase considerably , so you will see only or mainly tourists there.
Like any other country, you can try a certain dish and you may not like the taste, but please do not let this dissuade you keep trying the dish. I have been to a few places were I love the dish, and then one day it was different, too hot, and found that iota was a different cook. It happens. I have tried lots of Khao Say Gai and it was only after a few attempts I managed to find the perfect Khao Say Gai for me. I would recommend that you do this with several different dishes and then you will have a list of great dishes , and the places to find them.
If you want to find lots of great Thai dishes and at a great price, I would always recommend you go to large Supermarkets or shopping centres. In shopping centres you will find nice restaurants on the main levels, but I recommend you look on the ground floor, as there is normally an area for great eating stalls, for the staff and locals to have their lunch. They could not afore , or have the tine to eat at the pizza or restaurants on the main floors.
When you do find a food court in a supermarket , say in a Big C or Tesco – Lotus supermarket, Look around for a kiosk, in the kiosk you will have to hand over 100 Bht and you will receive a credit size card, in which you will use to but whatever food you want. If its just for you, then you will need only one card, but as most meals cost around 50 Bht you will need more than one card, for food and drinks. When you have eaten and drunk to your fill, return to the kiosk, hand over your card(s) and you will get whatever cash you have not used.
If you are driving, you will always see restaurants and food stalls at the side of the road, As a general rule, they will be selling rice meals or noodle meals. Some larger restaurant will sell both. The reason is simple , as its easier for stalls to sell one type for food.
The reasons for this is simple , its easier for the stall owners or small restaurants to prepare for the days business if they only have to prepare for one type of dish. You will also see very small stalls, sometimes with an oil drum BBQ with a single person selling , one type of food, it could be BBQ pork, Chiang Mai sausages, salted fish or some other food.
If you have not been abroad before m and worried about hygiene, I do not worry too munch about that. Its simple, if a person or stall sells bad food, they will go out of business very quickly, the locals are not stupid and they love their food.
The Thais. love their food, its the centre of all the community, when they visit they bring food, when they talk they make food. When you are going to visit someone one , you should bring your own food, or bring food that can be cooked, or bring food from a stall, but food needs to be brought.
I decided to complete my first blog on my food habits with my favourite dishes. My favourite Thai dish, well one of them, as there are a few, is Khao Say Gai, (Pronounced Cow Soy Guy) Chicken Curry soup and soda and crispy noodles.
I came across this when I first priced in Chiang Mai, which is the Northern part of Thailand, Its very common here as its a northern dish , but I am sure that you may be able to find it in the major city here in Thailand.
The best Khao Say Gai around where I live, is in the Big C, food court, on the main Hang Dong road, there is another Big C further down the road, passed the Police station , but their Khao Say Gai is not so good , but their Low Ka Moo is wonderful , and the Kow Ka Moo in the other Big C is not as good.
Khao Say Gai is a curry sauce, a watery sauce , made from coconut milk, and you also get a chicken leg, soft noodles as well as crunchy noodles. It is a bit spicy , but not over the top, the only thing you have to worry about is getting the sauce all over your shirt.
One thing you have to understand when eating Thai food or going to a stall, there will be condiments either on the table or at the stall. A lot of Thai food, will have a sauce or soup , for noodles, you may find not a bit bland, but it is meant to be that way. You will see people get their food, and then add what they want to suit their taste. There will be vinegar , chilly powder, sugar, fish sauce and when you eat Khao Say, there will be pickle and raw onions.
I hope you like this blog and if you have any questions please ask and I will see if I can help you.
My Personal Journey to Thailand 