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Dining in Bangkok Bangkok has the best range of restaurants in Thailand (and probably in Southeast Asia), with food from all over the world and all types of prices. The recommendations that you find in each section are essentially around the main tourist haunts of Sukhumvit, Patumwan, Silom, Rajdamri and Banglampoo, as most visitors will be staying there. For Chinese food, Chinatown is obviously a good area to explore. Pahurat (and also Bangrak) is a good area to try Indian food (thanks to the Indian population). Western food are generally found especially around Silom and Sukhumvit area. Regional cuisines Don't forget to try the different types of curried dishes while in Bangkok It is said that a person will not be considered as having visited a country unless he or she has tasted its food. In Thailand, it might be a bit difficult to sample everything that your guide suggests, since there's just so much variation as far as Thai cuisine is concerned.. The introduction to Thai food begins with those that are served in small noodle shops, roving carts and streetside stalls in Bangkok and nearby provinces. Start with the different types of curry dishes, where coconut milk and spices are used for flavoring. These include tom yam koong, a hot and sour dish made up of shrimps and other seafood cooked in a broth spiced by chili and lemongrass; tom kha kai, curried chicken cooked in a thick coconut milk; and kaeng khaew wan kai, a spicy green curry with chicken, coconut milk, sweet basil and chilies. In the north, vegetables are extensively used in a lot of dishes. One favorite noodle dish is khao soi, crispy rice or egg noodles accompanied by a rich curry sauce that is thickened by the addition of coconut milk. Another popular noodle dish is khanom jeen nam ngeow, which is based on a similar dish that the Mon people from southern Burma are fond of. Also recommended are kaeng hung le, a spicy pork curry seasoned with ginger, tamarind and turmeric. As for the northeastern (Isan) region, the cuisine is similar to that of Laos with whom it shares a common border. Sticky rice is the staple, and a typical meal includes som tam (green papaya salad), kai yang (grilled chicken) grilled beef, pork and liver, deep-fried dried beef and larb (minced pork, beef, chicken or duck). All are accompanied by fresh vegetables. Southern food is known for its various kinds of curries. Among them are kaeng tai pla, a common dish made up of fish and vegetables, and kaeng lueng, or yellow curry, which is basically fish cooked with bamboo shoots. When in Bangkok, don't miss the opportunity to savor these dishes. Just drop by any restaurant that serves Thai food. |
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