Asian food is available in western countries, but, says Espen Skålnes, “you won't taste the real thing until you actually visit Asian countries.” Here is his take on real Thai food, in the third story of our series “Thailand through Norwegian eyes”

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Photo by Lidija Vidić.

Same, same, but different

Espen Skålnes

Bangkok is well known for a fantastic assortment of food. You can find everything from beef steaks to grilled grasshoppers and everything in between. Many dishes have the same name as they have in western restaurants, but when the plate is in front of you, the difference is pretty remarkable.

More spicy than in the west

Thai or Asian food is not unknown to westerners, but you won't taste the real thing until you actually visit Asian countries. You’ll find the food is a lot different from what you get at the local Asian restaurant at home. The spices here are strong, for example, and if your typical westerner orders hot, spicy food in Asia, he or she better be prepared for a lot of sweat and pain. When the food first touches your tongue it may not feel so bad, but after five minutes you should really start to feel the sting. Luckily, a good waiter will often warn you or ask how spicy you want your dish.

The dishes often have some kind of sauce or 'dip' on the plate. It's often sweet and sour or pretty spicy and strong and it adds something extra to the meal. This is not so common when you eat noodle or wok dishes, however. 

Seafood everywhere

Seafood is also a big thing in Bangkok. All restaurants offer a lot of seafood and there are plenty of seafood restaurants as well. Big crabs, squid, prawn, with noodles in soups, all very tasty and something you should try when in Bangkok. Exotic fried fish that you won't find at home are a must to try if you want to experience seafood in Thailand. The squid is recommended!

Edible insects

Something else you won’t find at home but which are readily available on Bangkok streets are fried insects. Grasshoppers, larvae, spiders, scorpions are just some of the many insects you can crunch on in the streets and alleys of Thailand’s capital. The crunchy taste you feel when you put a fried grasshopper in your mouth is something that will stick with you for some time. One of the insects that is pretty easy to eat is the bamboo worm. Many describe it as mushy, nutty and soft, but of course; you’ve got to try it yourself. The particular insects available depend on the season. Scorpions are considered a delicacy as they are hard to find.

Mats Johannesen (23) from Norway tasted a fried spider with some friends, “I found it very juicy and pretty good. The spider was fried in some kind of spice and that's pretty much what I tasted. Better than expected!”

Very different

Although a lot of the food might at first seem to be the same as you can get in any restaurant, it's actually a whole new world when you’re in Bangkok or Asia. The taste is really different and something everybody should try to experience.

Other stories in this series:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-together/404550/thailand-through-norwegian-eyes

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-together/404660/foreigners-awakening

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-together/404803/having-a-tattoo-at-wat-bang-phra

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-together/405075/three-on-the-streets