Finding Delicious Food in Thailand

After our late night arrival in Thailand, Kristin and I awoke mid-morning to begin our only full day in Bangkok. After a quick morning coffee, we ambled over to Ratchadamnoen Klang Road to the nearest bus stop; after watching dozens of buses pass, we finally saw our number and had to run out into the street to flag it down. We boarded and eventually arrive at our destination, Chatuchak Weekend Market. Known as Asia's largest market, Chatuchak covers a 35-acre area and houses over 8,000 different stalls selling a myriad of goods: clothing, ceramics, furniture, artwork, handicrafts, books, and of course, food.

While Kristin's top priority was finding some nice Thai clothing, mine was getting some skewers. There are dozens of street carts selling these all over Bangkok, but Chatuchak seemed like the place to find the best selection. Each vendor has their own marinades and special dipping sauces so try a few different ones. One stick is priced at 5-20 bot (approx. 10-60 cents US) depending on what it is and how big it is. I was a bit surprised that Thai cuisine has such a large emphasis on pork. That being said, there is a broad selection of chicken, fish, and other seafood at these little skewer carts. I'm not much of a pork eater but I have to admit that my favorites were probably pork: hot dogs, cut into chunks, and wrapped in bacon!

After passing through a few dozen stalls and feeling a bit overwhelmed, it was time for lunch. We exited the damp stall area and re-entered the world on a sunny street, stumbling upon several food vendors with little awnings setup. They all looked pretty similar, and the smell of traditional Thai cuisine was very enticing. We both ordered khanom chin namya, boiled rice noodles with fish balls in a fish-based sauce. The chef prepared it quickly and it was on our table in minutes. Then, we got to customize our bowls with fresh ingredients that took up most of our table space: bean sprouts, cabbage, fresh and pickled cucumber slices, a whole selection of greens (spearmint leaves, Accacia  pennata leaves, and others I can't name), and plenty of different sauces that range from sweet to very spicy.

Kristin and I spent a couple more hours walking through the stalls and bargaining for deals. I think we both wanted to buy a whole lot of different things because there are such unique products on offer at Chatuchak. We thought about our traveling lifestyle and knew that more is less, so we restrained ourselves and each bought a few articles of clothing before weaving our way back through the crowds to the busy bus stop.

After a long trip back to the Khaosan Road area and a little rest, it was time for a couple of beers and some dinner. We again indulged in street food along Khaosan road, and debated trying some insects (yes, the picture above is a selection of bugs). Many insects are considered a delicacy in Thai cuisine; the maeng da, a gaint water bug, is said to taste like gorgonzola cheese! Other insects on offer include grasshopper (far left), scorpions (first in back-left), termites, bee larvae, and silkworms. They are mostly deed-fried with a selection of different spices (kaffir lime leaves, cumin, coriander, and/or chilies). I have been known to eat insects, but I don't think I've ever paid for any before. One scorpion cost 30 bot ($1 US), the same as a whole dish of pad thai!