Ramentary: Witty Thai-tle
Took off for Thailand this spring break, so instead of ramen news, here’s some quick info about eating in the land of pad thai and myriad other delicious dishes. I’m just going to talk about a few of the noodle-based delights I managed to sample.
The quintessential Thai noodle dish is pad thai; it’s delicious and it’s everywhere. We were in admittedly touristy areas often, and as a result the prices may have been a little higher than normal, but you can find very good Thai food for about 30 baht (35 baht = 100 yen). The prices go up a bit if you include some of the better meats (seafood is slightly more than pork, for instance), but often the differences are insignificant. My Thai-based ex-JET buddy recommended the pad thai with egg, which was good, but not all I had hoped. Still, a solid dish and an easy foot in the door, since you can dictate ingredients, spice level, and even noodle thickness.
Lesser known, at least where I’m from, but equally as good is khao soi. My buddy is in northern Thailand, outside of a major city called Chiang Mai. Apparently khao soi is originally Burmese, but either way, it’s delicious. Immediately spicy with a coconut milk-laden curry base, it comes topped with fried bready noodles, crunchy and light before they soak up the soup and become a bit like dipped bread. The noodles in the soup are broad rice noodles, firm to the chew and at an interesting contrast to those served up top. Included on the side are spicy pickled veggies for yet another texture and flavor. Rounding out a packed bowl are small chicken legs, infused with curry flavor and fall-off-the-bone tender. A favorite.
Last but not least is beef noodle soup. I don’t recall the proper Thai name (a google returned lao pho or kuai tiao neua, neither of which rang a bell), but this is a milder dish, somewhat different than the typical perception of Thai food. Broad rice noodles, very reminiscent of Chinese chow fun, accompany poultry meatballs, strips of beef, sprouts, green onions and spices in a light but tasty example of Thai comfort food. Add enough bonus spice from the rack on your table and the soup turns from light brown to red, a sure sign indicator of its current flavor.
