When the gates of the Bangkok airport open, you immediately realize that you are going to enter a pressure cooker. Everything is like exalted. The first hit of moisture is shocking. Crazy traffic, tall gray buildings, hundreds of motorcycles, fuchsia-colored cars, Buddhist temples, honks, power lines, jumbled alleys, restless people…
But what surprises the most when arriving in Bangkok is the smell. It smells like everything. It is difficult to distinguish because everything comes together in the same aroma, which varies in each corner. It is as if it were an orchestra where all the instruments sound at the same time. Baked food, fried food, boiled pasta, spices, herbs, fruit, roast meat… The sensation is so powerful that it catches you and you can almost eat through smell.
Thai gastronomy
The Thai capital concentrates all kinds of gastronomic influences that it has received throughout its history. As I said, it’s like one of those huge pots where you put everything. Chinese, Indian, Muslim, Malay or European cuisine have been leaving their mark. That yes, then that chaos they have managed to order it – they always seek harmony between sweet, bitter, salty and sour flavors – and turn it into one of the places on our planet where it is best eaten.
Actually, Thai gastronomy varies depending on where you travel: in the south, meat and fish are more elaborated, the dishes are more spicy and the curries are made with coconut milk; in the north, because the climate is colder, the food contains more fat; in the northeast, lime juice is used a lot and the flavors are reduced to salty and spicy, and finally, at the center of all these ecosystems is Bangkok, a city through which we are going to walk next in search of the fundamental dishes that best represent its gastronomic diversity.
Pad thai, the national dish
The history of this dish is amazing. It was invented a few years ago. As much as it is said, it does not belong to traditional Thai cuisine, far from it: it was pulled out of the sleeve by the dictator Phibun in the mid-20th century to attract travelers from all over the world. The idea was to create a kind of Thai gastronomic hit. And he did it. Today it is the most popular dish in the city and is found in almost every corner. It is omnipresent.
Pad thai, stir-fried rice noodles in wok.
Basically they are rice noodles sautéed in a wok with egg, fish sauce, tamarind, red pepper, and different combinations that range from bean sprouts, shrimp, chicken, tofu, and decorated with coriander and peanuts. Normally they don’t bite. Searching for the perfect Pad Thai in Bangkok is like trying to do the same with a potato omelette in Madrid: it’s not easy at all.
Where to eat a Pad Thai? They say that in the historic area of Samran Rat (Pratu Phi), in the Thipsamai restaurant, the most succulent pad thai in the country is served, they usually cook it wrapped in an omelette or with squid and shrimp.
Som tam in the street stalls
Okay, maybe it sounds better in English: streetfood, but it’s exactly the same and eaten the same way. In Spain we call them street food stalls, itinerant restaurants, stalls, beach bars or, in short, places where food is always on display. And in Bangkok are the best on the planet.
In fact, the capital of Thailand has some 11,000 restaurants, but a large part of its inhabitants go down to the streets to eat. It’s almost more affordable for them than going to the supermarket and cooking for themselves. Many homes do not even have a kitchen, they do not eat at home, it is their way of socializing.
Som Tam.
So, if what you want is to eat like a purebred Thai, go to a street stall, get in line (the longer the queue, the better it will be) and order a Som tam, one of the most requested dishes in the city. You will see how they prepare this unripe green papaya salad combined with chili, garlic, tomato, fish sauce and fresh vegetables right under your nose. It is fresh, pure and exquisite.
Where to eat a Som tam? Located in a side alley near the popular backpacker hub of Khao San Road, Jok Pochana is a favorite for its good quality.
Yom yum in Chinatown
Better known as Yaowarat or Chinatown, this Bangkok neighborhood is fascinating. It has no waste. The activity is overwhelming. The main street is packed with street food and restaurants. Red lights, noise, smoke, frenetic movement… an absolutely immersive setting, especially if you visit it at night. And it’s huge, which means it’s not easy to find somewhere to eat.
Yom yum, a very spicy shrimp soup.
There are several places in Yaowarat where they make good soups. Tom yum is the best known in the country. It’s hot, tart, sweet and citrusy all at the same time. It is a tremendously spicy shrimp soup with coconut milk, red curry, citronella, galangal and kaffir lime leaves. Each sip is a new explosion of unexpected flavor.
