[GDT]

Hey all,

Just getting to virtually know my way around BKK before the trip in late March. Going on a bit of a budget but nothing too bad. Both for the wallet and the experience I'd like to steer clear from the Western restaurants and hit the food stalls as much as possible. I like Asian night markets quite a bit. But everything tells me that Sukhumvit is a busy area. What kind of prices are we talking about for street food? Substantially different than restaurants?

GDT

[The Sperminator]

Get a good bowl of noodle soup,for 30 baht.In the morning Jok for 25 baht,and Kow man gai 20/25 baht.

[The Sperminator]

Here's a little appetizer for you.
http://lolo-eatablet...20Street%20Food

[khagai]

The Sperminator, on 02 February 2010 - 09:43 AM, said:

Here's a little appetizer for you.
http://lolo-eatablet...20Street%20Food

Nice little compendiary of the different choices and how to order them. I have always been a fan of kuay thiew and yen ta for. I might mention to the original poster, that all street vendors are not the same, their fares are judged by the Thais, same as we might judge where the best pizza, hamburger, steak, etc is. There is a significant difference in taste and many times broth recipes are "family secrets". Just like you think the pizza in one place (let's say deep dish) is great, I might think it's shit or just passable because I like thin crust, or such and such topping. As you sample the wares around Sukhimvit, etc., you will find your own favorites. I particularly like the "bamee, kiaow, muu daeng" at the vendor up on Asoke Road, just as you turn out left from Soi Cowboy, and Yen ta for at a small shop near Preedee 4 (soi 4) and Phrakanong. But, each to his own taste, just like hamburgers and pizza.

The one food stand item that I am a little wary about, largely because in the long run, I have had some stomach and taste issues is som tam. Here are my issues: (1) I will not eat som tam with the crab inside for flavoring because I believe the crab might be the one high potential for food poisoning. Oftentimes the carts will sit in the sun, and although they are usually shielded by an umbrella or two, I don't believe the Thai weather is conducive to maintaining the freshness of the crab. Simply say, "mai sai puu", no crab please. Many of my Thai friends have foregone the crab for the same reason and will only order it when the somtam is made in a climate controlled environment. Second, there is som tam balaa and some tam thai, the first being an ISSARN dish and containing a cured fish base, definitely a salty and (for farangs) fishy taste, which some farangs like as an acquired taste. Som tam Thai, is the standard som tam made with chopped papaya, some carrot, dried shrimp, peanuts (whole or crushed), pepper, a little tomato, (the crab or not, as mentioned above), and some sauce mix, that you can request, sweet, non-sweet, sour, not sour, etc. Both the balaa and the som tam thai can be spiced (adding peppers) by stating how many peppers to put in. 2 or 3 peppers (sahm met for 3 peppers), is mild to medium by Thai standards (probably quite hot by farang standards), 5 pepper & up (hah met) starts to burn a lot for us generally, but is quite palatable to many Thais. I personally think somtam requires some heat to be good...the question for you will remain how much, and a lot has to do with time in Thailand.

Sorry for being long-winded here--my final bitch about somtam with street vendors. Both varieties are good and have their regional followings as far as Thais are concerned. But, what I don't like is many vendors only use a single set of mortar and pestle to make up their somtam for both their balaa and Thai customers, carrying over the flavor of the last batch to the new batch. I do not want to eat somtam Thai, made in a bowl where the provider previously made balaa, as the fish taste and smell will carry over and ruin the somtam Thai. Unfortunately many vendors do not maintain separate mortars and pestle for the different varieties and often you get the carry over. You will find this out if you eat som tam at the street vendors in the Sukhimvit area, especially since there are a ton of Issarn workers (all sorts of jobs, not just sex perveyors) in the area. Somtam, also is like pizza for the westerner, where the thais will like one vendor over another for personal taste reasons (too sweet, too sour, etc.). Over time, I have found myself making those judgments as well. Anyway, good luck, at eating from the vendors., with just a little caution for a newbie, it will be very rewarding and you will definitely find new taste sensations.

This post has been edited by khagai: 04 February 2010 - 06:16 PM

[GDT]

Well thanks guys for all that. I'm pumped! Yeah, the street vendors are always where it's at. Sure, sometimes I need an Indian buffet or a western pizza, but by and large I look for the the line of locals and wait my turn.

[The Sperminator]

I always go for Som tam Thai,never have Bangkok belly after.My Thai wife goes for Som tam balaa and often has crab added.I would say she has food poisoning at least twice a month.

[GDT]

Actually something I forgot to ask was how is the proliferation of street food around that area? I'd like to be able to walk down the street for no longer than 10 minutes before I found some good places to eat. Possible? Or is it mostly restaurants?

[khagai]

GDT, on 06 February 2010 - 08:03 PM, said:

Actually something I forgot to ask was how is the proliferation of street food around that area? I'd like to be able to walk down the street for no longer than 10 minutes before I found some good places to eat. Possible? Or is it mostly restaurants?

Most of the street vendors are off the sidestreets off of Sukhimvit. As you walk up Sukhimvit (towards the higher numbers), the odd streets shoot off the left hand side (Soi 3, 5, 7, 11, 19, 21 (Asoke); to the right (Soi 4, 8,). You see I have either skipped some streets or have not mentioned them--the point here is the mentioned streets tend to have quite a few street vendors. Some of the vendors work during the day and some workin in the evening, you will find the timing out for yourself. Some of the vendors, work up to 100-200 yards/meters away from Sukhimvit.

[tom48]

For daytime sidewalk fare, there are several good choices near suk on soi 18. Early in the morning the older thai couple right in front of the spirit house close to the BMW dealership serves a great morning coffee, better than Starbucks. At lunchtime there are several places where tables are set on the sidewalk and the younger office workers tend to eat here. I used to eat on the shady side of the street there. For dinner, I would tend to eat a fuller sit down meal in a restaurant, to get ready for my night time drinking. Then late at night, Foodland around the corner from Nana, or maybe sidewalk noodles around soi 11 would be the way to end my night, depending on what my companion was hungry for, or if I was alone. Street food is almost always cheaper than restaurants.

[The Sperminator]

You can always head in to Robinsons,just go down the stairs to the food hall and buy some coupons can get a good meal in there for 30 baht.Also on the corner of soi 3 the shopping mall has a food hall just put some credit on one of the electronic cards at the booth.When you buy something they just swipe the card.Any money left over is refunded at the booth.The plus side of the food halls is its cheap,air con toilets near bye and no pollution from the traffic.
Down side is they close about 10pm.

This post has been edited by The Sperminator: 07 February 2010 - 02:05 PM

[khagai]

Good to mention about the food courts. Sperminator mentioned the ones close to Nana, also if you are out and about at malls, look for the food courts in those as well--all of them have inexpensive food courts. Some, like Emporium, Paragon, and Central World are more expensive with Kuaytiaw starting around 55 baht, but the food is good and tasty, and you can try other things you might not find on the street such as Kaow Soy (a northern treat), pretty decent at Emporium and Panthip. Some of the other malls (like MBK and even Panthip & Fortune (both computer/hw/sw malls)) have more inexpensive offerings starting around 30 baht. Not to mention, all the large all-in-one stores (Big C, Lotus, CarreFour, etc.) have inexpensive food courts as well. So you are not relegated to outdoor stalls for eating, and the others, in malls are also handy if you want air or the weather turns inclement, or you are out and about either shopping or seeing a movie (First runs are much cheaper than USA or Europe in even the expensive theaters and are typically run in their native language (English, Korean, Japanese, etc)in Bangkok. Wednesday is "cheapo" day and tickets only run 80 baht. Movies change on Thursday here, not Friday, so new ones come in on Thursday. This gives you other inexpensive things to do (besides f**king), although if this is your first time, you probably won't take a break from the hunt, once you get started.