Thailand should be on everyone’s bucketlist, but the best reason to visit is not for the beaches or the temples. The best reason to travel to Thailand is for the food. There is no better way to get to know a country or a culture than diving right into the cuisine. Thai food features every aspect of taste, salty, sweet, sour, bitter and the most complex taste, umami, and will always leave you craving more.
There are so many more unique and interesting dishes beyond the basic Pad Thai that everyone is familiar with. Thai food has incredibly complex and well balanced multi-dimensional flavors and if you aren’t exploring new dishes while in Thailand, then you are missing out!
I reached out to star chefs Chef Bo and Chef Dylan of Bo.Lan Restaurant in Thailand to find out their expert opinion on the best dishes to try when traveling through Thailand! You will want to add these tasty dishes to your bucket list on your next trip to Thailand!
Khao Soi
Found in Northern regions of Thailand.
It is a Muslim influenced dish with a lot of delicious spices and coconut cream as well as tan from pickled mustard greens. This dish is best with beef and lamb!
Nam Phrik Kapi
Found in Central Plain areas of Thailand.
This is what a Thai meal should be revolve around. It is a dip with fermented shrimp paste and chilis. It is so essential to Thai food and is a foundation of many other Thai dishes. The seasonal green that served with it can also be very interesting!
Boat Noodles
Found in the Patumthani area of Thailand.
Move over Pad Thai! It’s Time to Visit the Boat Noodle stores. The boat noodle used to be sold in boats. It is made of braised pork or beef soup full of herbs, spices and of course, noodles. Blood is also added to the soup create a richer body to the dish, so this soup may only be for the brave!
Laab (Raw minced Beef Salad)
Found in Northern Thailand.
This raw minced beef is a tartare of Thailand with wild spices and loads of native fresh herb. Better check the date before you head to one of the “larp” shops. They are closed on the Buddhism day (that happen four times a week).
Rice noodles with Southern curry:
Found in Southern Thailand
Also known by it’s Thai name, Kanom jeen na yaa tai. This dish is composed of rice noodles; fresh or fermented, with super spicy southern curry. This one isn’t for the fait of heart as the curry in this dish is so spicy that it can literally make your ear ring. Some shops will offer fried chicken to take the edge off. You will find this dish with boiled egg at every shop, with assorted local greens.
Be sure to keep these dishes in mid as apart of your next trip to Thailand!
If you want to try some of Chef Bo and Chef Dylan’s cooking, they’re going to be in San Francisco at the Chang Sensory Trails, offering tasty bites from their own personal memories of Thailand.
