Originally Posted by
Mont-Fleuri
Would a taxi substitute the Or is it essential that one owns a car in Bangkok to go to a restaurant !
Given that 99.9 % of Thai restaurants have hmmm Thai names, how does one distinguish before entering, the style,service, or indeed the authenticity of the cuisine ?
I have dined in a plethora of restaurants in Bkk where farangs have been in the minority. The food however did not always reflect your theory. That because it was Thai named with a predominant Thai clientele, the food was in any way superior.
I would go so far as to say that by dining at the more expensive restaurants at hotels etc would also have a bearing on the quality of food and the prices wherby you see that reflected on a higher ratio of farang diners.
If you walked by Pandanus, would you dismiss this place for not having a Thai name ?
A taxi is a fine way to get around, but you still need to be able to direct the taxi because invariably he won't know what you're talking about.
You are correct, just being thai does not guarantee any sort of quality. In fact, completely contrary to my generalization would be western fast food establishments. KFC, McDonalds, Pizza company etc rarely have more than a few token farang, but they are often packed with Thais.
I don't like dining at hotels nor expensive restaurants except in rare (very rare) circumstances. I get much more satisfaction in finding a llittle local hole that serves delectable food at a price that locals flock to.
I also think farang tend to congregate in hotel or expensive restaurants because they feel more comfortable with both the surroundings and the food quality. Again, spending alot of money does not indicate the food is better.