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Some of the foods are not available in standard restaurants or
food outlets and present your only chance to sample some really
unique tastes. If Thai people can tuck in with gusto - why can't
everybody else? The more sophisticated stalls tend to have a regular
spot that they go to for a few hours, and have a regular clientele.
Others wander the streets, occasionally stopping in one place for
a little while, then moving along in search of customers.
The simplest of vendors carry their wares in rattan baskets balanced
on a pole carried across the back. They sell grilled bananas, sweet
potato or corn, grilled eggs (still in their shell), steamed corn,
BBQ chicken, meatballs on skewers and garlic sausage. Various versions
of sticky rice mixed with banana, shredded coconut or red beans
wrapped in banana leaves or stuffed into lengths of bamboo and then
BBQ'd are delicious. Try the tiny coconut puddings (grilled on a
small hotplate) or the papaya salad. You'll see the vendors moving
awkwardly down the street trying to dodge the crowds, or squatting
on the sidewalk waiting for customers to approach, or just simply
having a rest.
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The next step up in sophistication is the mobile vendor selling
wares from a stainless steel cart with wheels, which is pulled or
pushed along the road or sidewalk using extended handle bars. You
can find a great range of natural ice creams - the cart is equipped
with a stainless steel container packed with dry ice to keep the
ice-cream cold. Often you'll hear the sound of a small cow bell
attached to their stall attracting customer's attention. Flavours
include the favourite - coconut ice-cream - sometimes decorated
with corn, red bean and coloured noodles made from yam paste, but
you can also get taro flavoured ice-cream, and the Thai's extreme
favourite - Durian. The ice-cream is either sold as small blocks
set on paddle pop sticks, or is scooped into little cups and then
garnished with such toppings as dried crushed peanuts and lashings
of condensed milk. A larger stall selling ice-cream has a wider
range of toppings and also offer cones, or bread to sandwich the
ice-cream in.
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Freshly cut fruit is also widely sold by vendors who walk the streets
pulling their stall along looking for customers. The fruit is packed
in ice behind glass to keep it cold and fresh. You choose you piece
and the vendor will whip out his cutting board and knife and chop
it into easy bite size pieces, pop it into a bag along with a skewer
as your eating utensil.
You will be offered a little bag filled with sugar and chilli mix
- the Thai's like to dip their fresh fruit into this for a little
extra bite!
Also from mobile vendors you will find dried squid, banana pancakes
made from flour and egg (cooked on a hot plate, spread with condensed
milk, stacked, and then cut into wedges), smaller pancakes spread
with coconut cream and topped with shredded coconut and bright orange
strings made from egg yolks, deep fried banana, taro and sweet potato,
cool desserts made from a mixture of corn, red beans, yam paste
noodles, coconut milk or sweet cordial and topped with shaved ice,
deep fried spring rolls, deep fried chicken and pork, Chinese flour
dumplings with sweet or savoury fillings, pork, chicken or beef
sate's grilled on a charcoal and served with peanut sauce and marinated
vegetables.
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The most sophisticated vendors have stalls of quite a substantial
size, with 2 side wheels on one side and the other side attached
to a motorbike. They usually have a favourite spot to settle down
in for the day or night, where they place a few small plastic or
wooden chairs and tables around so that customers can sit and eat
on the side of the street.
Depending on what is being served, the stall might be equipped
with a charcoal grill, hot plate and preparation area, with all
the ingredients either hanging down from the top, or stacked around
the sides protected by Perspex walls. Serving more than just snacks,
these stalls can provide substantial meals and attract dozens of
customers at busy times of the day. Often you will come across clusters
of such vendors - each offering something different, so that the
customer can pick and choose from a variety of stalls and have a
feast for 40-50 Baht.
You might find soups, fried noodles, fried vegetables, "sticky"
rice with chicken, red pork or duck with rice; stewed pork with
pickles and greens and northeastern Thai food like papaya, beef
or pork salad.
Seafood Restaurants
Great local seafood can be found in the restaurants which line
the beach road. Almost all have colourful displays of fresh fish,
shrimps, crab, lobster, oysters, and other shellfish waiting for
your approval. Just tell them how much, and how you want it cooked,
either Thai or western style and wait for a taste experience.
Patong Seafood, one of the oldest restaurants in Patong on the
beach rd close to Soi Bangla specialises in lobster and king Prawn
served both Thai and International style. Specialities include prawns
in tamarind sauce, the famous Thai soup with shrimp (Tom Yam Gung)
Steamed lobster, curried crab and - that's just the Thai food... |
