So, what's thai food like?

[Seonaid]

When you do try it, tell us how it went!

 

[Shin Ji]

I'd recommend the chicken with cashew nuts if you're looking for a safe introduction to Thai cooking. If you can get some Tom Kha Gai (coconut and chicken soup) with it, you're good to go. I lived there for 5 years and it's still my favorite in American restaurants. Get sticky rice with it if you can.

Pad Thai is usually good, and sometimes excellent, but you never really know what you're getting, particularly in America. It varies from stall to stall in Thailand too - it can be bone dry or swimming in a greasy orange sauce, or anything in between.

As a general rule, if the Thai restaurant serves Chinese food - walk away. Those kinds of places are universally terrible. Japanese/Thai can be good, though. If you're not sure if the place is Chinese or Thai, look at the servers. If they are smiling and polite, they are Thai. If they are scowling and screaming at each other in their own language, they're Chinese. It may sound rude, but it's been true at every Chinese place I've been to in my entire life.

 

[Talath]

Nam pla (thai style fish sauce) is the devil, imho, but that shouldn't stop you from trying it. As other people have pointed out, the style of thai involves alot of citrus, coconut milk, chiles, and fresh herbs. It is a clean style of food, definetly spicy, and it is damn delicious. Pad thai and chicken satay are good places to start. Get something with curry in it, if you like curry, they have a few types (red, green, and yellow I believe). Thai spring rolls can be good; they can be fried or fresh, and usually come with some thai basil, and a sweet and spicy chili sauce. The thai people do wonderful things with peanuts, so I think you can't go wrong if a dish has peanut sauce. In the end, you might want to ask your server for suggestions. Happy dining!

 

[Felon]

Upon having my community supporter account activated, my first act was to look for this thread. What amazingly helpful and informative replies! Thanks, one and all, I will try thai over the holidays.

Btw, I should explain that I'm not an altogether unadventurous person, my aversion to onions can be pretty strong, so much so that it can quickly taint my impression of the cuisine. Don't ask me why. It's not even the flavor; I use onion powder and dried french onions liberally, and I can tear up a bag of Funyons like nobody's business, but there's something about the texture, the sudden slimy surprise of a boiled onion making its way into my mouth that just gives me the instant reaction of "grossforeignmatterinmyfoodYEEECCCHspititout!!!"

 

[Marchen]

I haven't tried Thai food yet, but a Thai place just opened near my school. Apparently it has a lot of vegan offerings there, and they kindly mark directly on the menu items that are either vegetarian or completely vegan. I'll probably check it out when the semester starts again. It's nice to have places like that, as it's hard enough finding places to eat out.

 

[Arnwyn]

Unlike everyone here, I find Thai food to be absolutely horrendous.

It doesn't help that I despise curry (I wish I didn't, but oh well). I'm also not all that much of an adventurous eater, so that's another strike against me.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Unlike everyone here, I find Thai food to be absolutely horrendous.

It doesn't help that I despise curry (I wish I didn't, but oh well). I'm also not all that much of an adventurous eater, so that's another strike against me.

I'm left wondering why you posted in this thread? It isn't as if your comment is any help in Felon making decisions about trying Thai.

 

[Arnwyn]

I'm left wondering why you posted in this thread? It isn't as if your comment is any help in Felon making decisions about trying Thai.

Good point, actually. I was responding to the thread title "What's Thai food like?" - which, my answer is, awful.

But true - discussions about "taste" are difficult to get any great results. (Though, based on what his first post says about his dislikes, I'd be inclined to say that my post may turn out to be the most predictive one of the bunch...)

My bad.

 

[Nellisir]

Good point, actually. I was responding to the thread title "What's Thai food like?" - which, my answer is, awful.

But true - discussions about "taste" are difficult to get any great results. (Though, based on what his first post says about his dislikes, I'd be inclined to say that my post may turn out to be the most predictive one of the bunch...)

My bad.

I'm not what you'd call an adventurous eater either, and I can only take very mild spices, but I can always find something. Thai fried rice, if nothing else. The better and more authentic the restaurant, the better your chances of finding something good. Not all Thai food is covered in curry.

If yoy find Thai food "awful"; hate curry; and aren't that adventurous an eater, how often have you actually eaten Thai?

 

[Arnwyn]

I'm not what you'd call an adventurous eater either, and I can only take very mild spices, but I can always find something. Thai fried rice, if nothing else. The better and more authentic the restaurant, the better your chances of finding something good. Not all Thai food is covered in curry.

If yoy find Thai food "awful"; hate curry; and aren't that adventurous an eater, how often have you actually eaten Thai?

"Actually" not very often at all. I usually give something a couple of tries just to make sure - after that I quickly discover that it's pretty much not for me.

I suspect I'd be able to "find something", too, if I really wanted to waste my time and be experimental until eventually finding success - but when I have so many other choices elsewhere, "finding something" simply doesn't cut it. *shrug*