Even if you're a picky eater, you've got to give these Thai dishes a try if you are visiting.
Tom Yum Goong soup has all the flavors of Thai food -- sweet, sour, spicy and salty rolled into one dish. The combination of lemon grass, galangal, cilantro, chili peppers, lime juice, fish sauce, mushrooms, fresh seafood and sometimes coconut milk, can be very intense, but it's a great introduction to what Thai food is all about.
This spicy papaya salad is refreshing, light and unique to the region. Som tam Thai is prepared with dried shrimp and peanuts and sometimes has shredded carrot, too. Eat it with sticky rice and gai yang (below) for a full Isan food experience.
Funnily enough, pad Thai isn't as popular among Thai people as many of the other dishes available in the country. Still, it's considered a favorite by many and, since it's far less spicy than most other options, is also what some call Thai comfort food. Despite what you may have experienced at your local Thai restaurant, pad Thai in Thailand is never made with ketchup!
•Tom Yum Gung
Tom Yum Goong soup has all the flavors of Thai food -- sweet, sour, spicy and salty rolled into one dish. The combination of lemon grass, galangal, cilantro, chili peppers, lime juice, fish sauce, mushrooms, fresh seafood and sometimes coconut milk, can be very intense, but it's a great introduction to what Thai food is all about.
•Som Tam
This spicy papaya salad is refreshing, light and unique to the region. Som tam Thai is prepared with dried shrimp and peanuts and sometimes has shredded carrot, too. Eat it with sticky rice and gai yang (below) for a full Isan food experience.
•Gai Yang
This simple grilled chicken dish is usually made over an open charcoal fire using chicken pieces with skin and bone. The crispy skin is usually just a little sweet and often charred in places, but the chicken itself is almost always tender and juicy. This is such a simple dish most overlook it but when eaten with som tam and sticky rice it's a solid Thai meal.•Pad Thai
Funnily enough, pad Thai isn't as popular among Thai people as many of the other dishes available in the country. Still, it's considered a favorite by many and, since it's far less spicy than most other options, is also what some call Thai comfort food. Despite what you may have experienced at your local Thai restaurant, pad Thai in Thailand is never made with ketchup!
•Khao Neo Mamuang
This very popular dessert is simply sweetened sticky rice served with fresh sliced mangos and coconut milk. April, May and June are when you'll find the best mangos, so if you're in town make sure to try the dessert then. More »
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