Every day is a new adventure here in Thailand, and believe it or not, most of those adventures involve food. Growing up in Southern California provided many opportunities for tasting some of the more notable dishes from most countries, but it definitely did not prepare me for some of the things I have ended up trying. The local markets offer some of the best chances to try out new things as food carts line the streets selling anything from rotee (a delicious pastry type dessert usually glazed with condensed milk) to dried squid. Usually priced at less than an American dollar, there is no reason not to give in to your curiosities. In the markets alone, I have tried crickets, dried squid, and have even found my favorite dish in all of Thailand...Khao Soi! Khao Soi (in my opinion) is quite possibly the best thing you can eat here, and although served at many restaurants, the best can only be found at the Sunday market. An older woman scoops this Northern Thailand specialty consisting of noodles, meat curry (chicken, pork, or beef), and crispy noodles to a diverse group of customers feeding into an addiction that starts from the second you take that last bite, until the next week, when you can once again taste her amazing concoction. Fortunately, there are plenty of other delicious restaurants that help hold me over during the week.
Another hidden gem that we have discovered is the "veggie place." For forty baht (less than two American dollars), you can get an entire meal consisting of brown rice and stir-fried organic vegetables and meats. For dessert, you needn't look far, and on the top of the list is The Volcano. Soft, thick Japanese brick toast is served smothered in caramel, condensed milk, and fresh cut bananas. With the first bite you are overwhelmed with flavor, and the focus goes from your previous conversation, to a determination to finish every last piece, which actually proves to be a pretty daunting task. Almost every other building is another restaurant, and although we have found our favorites, we try our hardest to branch out and try new things.
When I came here, I thought I would crave American food every day, but my experience has been quite the opposite (even though my first stop from the airport will be an In-n-Out drive-thru). With less than two weeks remaining, there are plenty of new restaurants and food carts to experience and I can't wait to find my next favorite.
-Kyley Olson
Another hidden gem that we have discovered is the "veggie place." For forty baht (less than two American dollars), you can get an entire meal consisting of brown rice and stir-fried organic vegetables and meats. For dessert, you needn't look far, and on the top of the list is The Volcano. Soft, thick Japanese brick toast is served smothered in caramel, condensed milk, and fresh cut bananas. With the first bite you are overwhelmed with flavor, and the focus goes from your previous conversation, to a determination to finish every last piece, which actually proves to be a pretty daunting task. Almost every other building is another restaurant, and although we have found our favorites, we try our hardest to branch out and try new things.
When I came here, I thought I would crave American food every day, but my experience has been quite the opposite (even though my first stop from the airport will be an In-n-Out drive-thru). With less than two weeks remaining, there are plenty of new restaurants and food carts to experience and I can't wait to find my next favorite.
-Kyley Olson