The wonderful food of Thailand

Thailand’s food is one of the highlights of any visit here, and after many years of travelling to the Country, the staff at Escape Worldwide have their own view of it!

Karen used to be the biggest wimp in the office when it came to spicy food, but over the years she’s developed a real taste for Thai food. “I tend to stick to dishes that I know I like, so I don’t get any unexpected surprises. Everything is so fresh, and the seafood in particular tends to be superb – and so well priced, compared to the UK. In fact, I tend to go a bit overboard in Thailand as the food is really good value – crab cakes or spring rolls as a starter for £ 1, a main dish of a Thai curry for maybe £ 1.50, all washed down with copious quantities of Singha or Chang beer – and you still won’t have hit a fiver!”

Natalie remembers one meal in particular. “I think the hottest meal I’ve ever had was in Bangkok, when I thought I’d try a Thai Green Curry. The restaurant our hotel, the Dusit Thani, suggested was a traditional place a few minutes walk away (there are so many restaurants in this area of Bangkok it’s hard to know where to start!) so I guess the food is fairly authentic – perhaps I should have asked for a less hot version! It got to the point where I couldn’t feel my mouth, but even then the flavours of the food were still there. Even a large bottle of Singha Beer didn’t help much!”

Darren had developed a straightforward theory to Thai food. “If it comes with coconut milk, it’s likely that it’s going to be spicy, as the coconut milk is often used for cooling things down. Therefore, ask for a less spicy version. If it has red bits floating in the coconut milk, you haven’t really got a hope! My standard dish if I’m not sure of what to go for is Phad Thai, or fried noodles – always tasty, always available and always cheap, you really can’t go too far wrong!”

Mark’s been visiting Thailand since 1991, so has tried many local dishes from the regions over the years. “The oddest thing I think I’ve tried was in the Isaan region of Northeastern Thailand, which has its own different style of food. In Nakhon Ratchasima, one of the larger towns in the area, I tried a type of local sausage, which I can only describe as ‘different’ – I still have no idea what was in it! I did a Thai cookery course in Chiang Mai on one visit, so I learnt about the local spices and vegetables – this is something I’d really recommend, and some schools will also tell you what replacement ingredients you can use if you can’t obtain the authentic stuff when you get back home.”

For holidays to Thailand visit www.thaiescapes.co.uk

Thailand not for you? Then checkout some of the other great holidays we offer: www.escapeworldwide.co.uk

Happy travelling!