| When you go to an exotic new country, one of | | | | while Thai curries are made from fresh herbs. |
| the best parts of the experience can be sampling | | | | A Typical Thai Meal |
| new taste sensations at the local restaurants. | | | | A typical Thai meal incorporates many different |
| Thailand is no exception. This is a country of | | | | courses including:o Tidbits: Small items to get your |
| culinary delights. From the extra spicy to | | | | appetite going including spring rolls, satay and |
| interestingly sour you will find a wide range of | | | | puffed rice balls.o Hot Salads: These are often |
| local foods that will delight your taste buds, fill | | | | spicy and more often than not have meat or fish |
| your belly and soak up tons of booze before you | | | | in them.o Main course: Served with soup and rice.o |
| hit the town. | | | | Dips: Sometimes a main course all their own, |
| Thai food is typically spicy and has many herbs | | | | sometimes they are included to be shared as part |
| and spices; this is for a few reasons. | | | | of the tidbit or main course. They are |
| One, Thai's love spicy food and two, the spices | | | | accompanied by vegetables or small pieces of |
| often have medicinal purposes. | | | | meat.o Curries: These can also be a main course |
| Many of us from major western cities already | | | | or stand out on their own. Curries almost always |
| have a fairly good idea of what Thai food is from | | | | have meat or fish in them.o Desert: Because of |
| our own local restaurants. Still, the food here is | | | | how spicy most Thai meals are, Thai deserts are |
| obviously going to be better, made with local | | | | often much sweeter than you may be used to. |
| ingredients and not exactly what you expect. | | | | They may add the pounds but they will be |
| The first major difference that you will notice is | | | | delicious! |
| that there is no knife on your place setting. | | | | Remember that Thai's don't differentiate between |
| Instead you get a spoon! | | | | Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. So you will not find |
| This goes back to ancient Buddhist customs | | | | the wide variety of breakfast foods that you will |
| where serving someone a large piece of meat | | | | in most places. There are tons of restaurants that |
| would be deeply offensive; so all pieces of meat | | | | cater to foreigners and that have excellent |
| or fish are already cut into small portions that can | | | | Breakfast food and buffets. |
| be easily brought to your mouth with a Thai | | | | It is not unusual for Thai restaurants to serve |
| spoon. | | | | food as it is ready. It is not considered rude to |
| Another big difference is that Thais rarely eat | | | | begin your meal when your food arrives. I have |
| alone and everyone shares each other's plates of | | | | been to restaurants where I was finished with |
| food. Typically, if two Thais go out together they | | | | my meal before my friend's food arrived. |
| will order three main courses. If three Thais go | | | | This is not uncommon and not considered rude to |
| out together they will order four main courses, | | | | eat when your plate arrives. |
| and so on and so on. | | | | It is also not uncommon for a group to order and |
| Soup also comes with every meal; but unlike in | | | | all share the same meal. I have seen many Thai's |
| the west they don't eat it as a separate course. | | | | order 3 plates of food and then just share at will. |
| Instead it is enjoyed at the same time as the | | | | If you have an aversion to someone taking food |
| main course as a way to incorporate a variety of | | | | off your plate, you need to make this clear as |
| taste sensations. | | | | most people that eat here do so in group settings |
| Almost all Thai meals are served with a plate of | | | | and it is considered part of the meal to share. |
| rice. | | | | Most places you eat will not offer 'real' napkins or |
| Every course brought to you will provide you with | | | | paper towels. Instead, they bring you toilet tissue. |
| complete taste balance. If one part of your meal | | | | Again, don't be offended by this. It is just part of |
| is very spicy, the other part will be very bland. If | | | | the course. You will also notice that after a meal, |
| part of your meal is sweet, another component | | | | most Thai's get up and go to the rest room and |
| will be sour. | | | | wash their hands carefully. |
| This is also part of the Buddhist way of looking at | | | | Tipping is not considered necessary but it is VERY |
| meals. | | | | appreciated. I suggest a tip of 20 baht to 100 |
| A Different Type Of Curry | | | | baht for a meal. It all depends on the price. I |
| Curry is used in many Thai dishes but in a | | | | know most that read this will disagree but if you |
| different way than you will be used to if you | | | | have a great meal and you had good service, |
| associate it with Indian food. | | | | give a nice tip to your waiter. To do this, you |
| Indian curries tend to burn in your mouth for long | | | | place the tip outside of the bin. If you place the |
| periods of time Thai curries, on the other hand, | | | | tip inside, it is shared with the entire staff or goes |
| tend to burn hotter at first, but quickly diminish in | | | | to the owner. If you want to tip your waiter, pay |
| your mouth. Nearly all Thai food is spicy. Hot | | | | your bin and think separately give them 50 baht |
| peppers are in most dishes. If you want non | | | | (or whatever amount you have decided on) in |
| spicy, make sure to request that! | | | | another hand. This assures that the tip goes to |
| Indian curries are also made from dried spices | | | | them. |