| Dining Like the Locals
Finding a good, cheap and most importantly delicious meal is as easy as making toast. If you are staying anywhere near central Bangkok you have many choices of dining options, whether it's in a mall or outside.
Though the Thais preferred places to eat are out on the streets or by an alley at a restaurant run not by white coated chefs but by simple folks who know one thing and one thing only. To cook traditional Thai food that does the country proud. Some of Bangkok's restaurants are outdoors with plastic chairs. Since the majority of apartments in Bangkok are not equipped with kitchens, the locals resort to eating out. And that's a good thing, especially for tourists. I always recommend travelers and visitors to any country to sample the local cuisine and stay away from the western fast food chains pervading central Bangkok. Suffice to say - if you are not used to eating Asian foods then get ready for a culinary adventure of a lifetime that will widen your eyes and expand your palette. Go to any street corner in Bangkok and you will find a wide assortment of street food hawkers and restaurants. And many of these establishments have a loyal core following. Sticks of sweet grilled pork and beef, friend garlic chicken, spicy papaya salad (som tam) and much more can be had without putting you in the poor house. You can easily spot a great place to grab a bite just by seeing how crowded it is with locals. The only drawback to eating at most local street food restaurants is that most of the menus are written in Thai, that is even if there is a menu to begin with. However most street food vendors located within places where tourists usually stay do have menus. But you'll be paying a bit more. So it can be a bit intimidating at first when you plop down on a plastic stool and not knowing what to order. Don't worry. Most street side restaurants are very accommodating and patient. However, armed with a few basic Thai and by following the simple tutorial below you will have an excellent authentic home cooked Thai meal at an exceptionally affordable price. But there is one thing you should know. Street side restaurants and mobile food carts may not be as clean as you would wish it could be. Most establishments do not have running water and rely on barrels of potable water. Since Bangkok is hot one can imagine that as the day goes on how can raw meats stay cold in a makeshift cooler. I suggest first examining the environment you are about to eat in and see how many people are eating. And it is always a good idea to carry with you wet naps and tissue paper that are easily found in 7-Eleven convenience stores. Remember, most street side restaurants and hawker stands do not provide tissue. So bring plenty of your own. Thai Style Barbecue
Every culture in the world has it. Ever since the dawn of man - barbecued meats are the quintessential standards of all cuisine around the world. And Bangkok certainly has their own unique style. You can easily find barbecue stands on mobile carts. Some are small and some are big and elaborate. You can find all manners of goodies to snack on or even make a meal. Depending on each individual cart you can buy sausages, chicken, beef as well as all types of processed meats and seafood. Most of what they sell are usually marinated in some sort of soy sauce and spice. But you always have the option to add your more after your order has been either cooked or reheated. Before ordering and picking what you want, I suggest watching how the cook handles the food. It's best to order something that has just been picked off the grill. Otherwise I suggest placing the meat back on the grill for a quick reheating. Yes you are allowed to handle the food you want. Just make sure you don't burn yourself.
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