Bon Appetit from Dining in Thailand

It is often said; the signature of a well-lived life is one filled with many experiences - some of which include indulging in gourmet extravaganza and simply living life to the fullest. We are happy to share this culinary journey with our website visitors. Thais in particular, with their zest for life, are keen connoisseurs of fine cuisine. Recognizing this, we are pleased to bring you some of the best culinary delights Thailand has to offer with almost 500 restaurants.  Check out the Bangkok Restaurant Guide!

We are proud to be National Geographic's choice for one of their selections on their website for Thailand on their TripMarks page: Nationalgeographic.com

What's Authentic in Bangkok?

We've been hearing a lot about some good, authentic eateries in Bangkok but because this is Thailand, where the word "authentic" or "original" are used as marketing terms to attract those who crave the charm of old family-style eateries of quality.  We refer those that make a real attempt to preserve genuine tradition. So when a place uses the term "authentic" or "original", it is only a strong recommendation from a reliable friend that will drag me there. Just an occurrence is what is happening to the "Little Italy" area part of town, Sukhumvit Soi 31, with Italian eateries popping up practically every month each saying "original" or "authentic".

WHAT'S NEW IN BANGKOK?

On Sukhumvit sits a very minimalistic Thai restaurant owned by a husband & wife team. It is called "At Eighteen " (near Soi 18) and the food will easily satisfy those lunch cravings for a very reasonable price with the menu offering American breakfast, 7 types of Spaghetti at 75 baht, soups from Tom Yum to Curries for 60 to 80 baht and 25 Thai dishes at about 60 baht with a diet coke at 30 baht. Further down Sukhumvit, on the corner of Soi 14 is "Hundred Children " a combination of a Chinese furniture gallery & cafe with Chinese furnishings to admire while dining upstairs or down, The menu offers some sandwich sets & many styles of drinks from frappes, to Chinese teas to coffees. It's a refreshing spot with great ambiance with a diet coke at 30 baht.

BUENOS DIAS

It seems that Mexican food has burst onto Sukhumvit Rd. A small minimalist Mexican place called " Taco and Salsa" owned by a Mexican, Jorge Bernal, has moved from Soi 18 to its new home at 422 Sukhumvit Road. I stopped by to try a couple tacos. They came on a plate with cooked kidney beans and a pinch of lettuce for 170 baht. There was a medley of salsa, a hot sauce and what I was told was tomato sauce. I guess black olive may not be a Mexican thing but at most places around town, I can get black olives on my tacos. I was offered sour cream and guacamole for an additional charge but only after one of my tacos was already eaten. I thought the soft tortillas would be homemade at least with a Mexican proprietor but unfortunately they are bought locally.

We have found one of the best deals for Mexican food is still the Tuesday night buffet offered at Bourbon Street at Soi 22. You will get your fill of all your Mexican favorites you have missed since being in the kingdom and they offer all the fixins (including black olives, homemade guacamole, nachos & cheese, desserts and more on the buffet for only 295++ baht . Next to Times Square at the Leader Price complex sits Sunrise Tacos who has a couple other outlets in town. The food is usually quite good and mostly homemade although visits can be touch and go. My last trip included the Enchiladas plate that includes some refried beans and a couple of spoonfuls of Spanish rice. The enchiladas were a bit shy on meat but quite tasty. The rice had no taste as it appeared to have sat on the steam table as I visited about 4PM. One concession is that this location is open 24 hrs to satisfy those munchies and they do deliver.

The big news is December 1st will welcome "Los Cabos" at Soi 14, formerly Sukhumvit House #1. Almost completely renovated, this yellow and green colonial style house surrounded by lots of foliage and a lovely Spanish fountain might be the best Mexican restaurant in town (its certainly the most beautiful and we haven't even been inside). The proprietor, Robb Vaughn, a talented chef, has created menus for some of Thailand's most successful restaurants. Don't miss this place if you are a fan of Mexican cuisine!

Traveling To Paradise

Millions of people venture to the Lanna Kingdom every year, for leisure & business. For many, a bungalow with a slow moving ceiling fan on a beautiful beach at Koh Chang or Samui is what they have been dreaming of for months or even years. While others may prefer the rugged quest of mountainous terrain in search of a hidden Buddhist temple and yet some may enjoy being pampered to by a skilled Thai masseuse in a luxurious 5 star hotel in Bangkok.

All would enjoy a beautiful boat cruise on Thailand's Western Seaboard, discovering beaches & scenery that is unspoiled and unseen by many or traveling the infamous Chao Phraya river from Bangkok on a Sabai Cruise. Thailand is a major business hub in southeast Asia, not only because it produces a wide range of goods, but it also has the infrastructure that business people need.

Thailand's Culinary Secrets

Herbs and spices, Thai cuisine is a lot more, it's an art and cultural expression that pays meticulous attention to details like the quality ingredients and the uniform method of cutting vegetables or scoring fish prior to steaming to allow the juice of the herbs and spices to flavor it. One of the keys to cooking delicious Thai food is the use of specific spices in each dish. Recipes vary depend on the region and herbs and spices are cut or chopped before being added to a dish. Seeds of spices are sometimes roasted on a frying pan or wok first before being they are mixed with other ingredients or crushed to release flavor. For cutting meat & vegetables, most Thais prefer using a chopping board from the trunk of a tamarind tree, which gives the food its uniquely authentic taste.

THIS AINT HONG KONG ?

The above are just some of the reasons that Bangkok may never become a power house in the gastronomical realm. It will probably never be a competitor of Hong Kong or Singapore for its fine cuisines. People venture here for the simplistic tastes of Thai food often unmatched and rarely any better created than by the lady behind the small stall on sois all over the city. As the flames shoot up and the woks move around so quickly, the recipient of this fine dish will probably not pay more than 35 to 50 baht. Mr David Thompson, the Australian chef behind Nahm, the only Michelin-starred restaurant just wrote a book called "Thai Street Food". He says "Thailand has great food culture but it resides in the markets, homes and street stalls. You won't really find it in the restaurants. And the fact that people can eat on the streets means they tend not to eat Thai when in restaurants." There are some great restaurants cropping up around town and they excell in every aspect but people that come to Thailand rarely express "I can't wait to get to Bangkok to have some great Foie Gras or Spaghetti, they look forward to the usually reasonably priced delicious Thai food that the lady on the corner offers".