There are many Thai dishes that are specialities of a particular region that aren't eaten much elsewhere, but Pad Thai is eaten across the country - I'm sure there's plenty of variation though.

I can't see how it could have been Americanised as it's very popular in Europe and I've never heard of General Tsos Chicken.

The Thais have a long history of absorbing new ingredients and making them their own (chili only came recently - the traditional 'big four' seasonings are salt, garlic, cilantro/coriander root and peppercorns). Muslim spices have come from the South, Chinese influences from the North, and the Thais are still assimilating Western ingredients.

But Pad Thai isn't so different from Japanese yakisoba. The noodles probably mean it's got Chinese influences, but Americanised? Only certain versions that might be watered down for foreign palates.

One big difference: pad thai is made from rice flour and yakisoba is made from wheat flour. The taste/texture between the two is entirely different. Pad Thai is more akin to the southern chinese rice stick noodles (米粉 or mǐfěn) or Vietnamese pho noodles.

My favourite Thai dishes are 'pla kee mao' and the raw prawns 'cooked' with fish sauce, lemon, chili and garlic...there are also pieces of a slightly bitter vegetable placed around the shrimp...mmmm, the best. There is also a shrimp dish where the shrimp (tiny) are literally jumping out of the bowl..this dish is served with a lid to keep the shrimp inside..now that is fresh!

Add me to the list for Lotus of Siam!!!!!!^ Anytime I'm just about anywhere on the west coast, I will go (almost) out of my way to get there..the food, ohhhhhh the food!!!!!! (think how homer loves his beer!):D

I am a fan of Thai Basil Chicken-- as long as i remember that "hot" and "Thai hot" are vastly different!

The point I was making was that they are both familiar dishes, extremely popular in their country of origin, that are acceptable to Western palates.
(Mentioning a dish made with Harusame noodles would have been too obscure)

Favorite Thai dishes
 

1) Yam Pla Dok Fu - crispy catfish with green mango salad
2) Crispy Squid with Basil -

Both of these are great at Thai Square, in Arlington, VA.

And I love the See-Ew Noodles at Thai Kingdom, Washignton, DC

anything made by my inlaws
fresh from the sea with herbs from the garden, come watch the sunset with us@ paradise bunglows yanui

mmmm, I forgot about these dishes...yum, although pla tub-tim will do...there are so many delicious thai dishes.

I love the very spicy mango salads (yams?) and Tom Yum Kun is fantastic when I have a cold. I'll take it spicy, too.

Tom Kha Gai
Chicken Satay
Beef Panang
Prawns Pineapple Curry

When I'm in Seattle, I usually hit up Thai Heaven in lower Queen Anne.

Prawn Laksa - but it has lots of fat so it is a rare indulgence.

Another vote for Pad Thai, Pad Kee Mao and Pad Se Ew.

Tom Yum and Pad Prik King are my two favorites...but I love just about any noodle dish!

Is this actually a Thai dish? :confused:

I tried Pad Thai yesterday and for some reason (the food itself didn't appear to be bad or did it taste bad, It was delicious) but all I could think of was that Globe Trekker episode with Ian (forget the last name) on a river in Indonesia somewhere getting breakfast served in a canoe, lol


I got a taste of my bosses dish, I don't know what she ordered but it was these tiny noodles with some spicy sauce, that was so much better than my Pad Thai... especially after I ruined my own appetite...

--Russ

nam sod
papaya salad

IMHO, laksa is malaysian/singaporean dish. I love curry laksa, unfortunately it's hard to find a good curry laksa dish in US. The closest I ever find is in Vancouver. Don't confuse curry laksa w/ asam laksa, totally different food and I learn the hard way.

Btw, For Thai food,
Tom yum goong
Green Curry
Boneless duck with red curry

Dungrats? That might belong in the funny restaurant names thread!

Actually, it's Duangrat's (http://www.duangrats.com/). Right around the corner is the less expensive, less formal Rabieng, also owned by Duangrat.

When in Thailand my favorite comfort meal is som tam (papaya salad), grilled chicken or catfish, and sticky rice, usually washed down with a 10-baht iced coffee. Larb moo (minced pork and chilis, typically eaten wrapped in lettuce leaves) is another favorite. I'm also a tom yum goong fanatic and have it with at least half my dinners there.

I apologize if I missed it but I looked through this thread and did not see this Thai dish listed:

Meang Kum
Fresh Chapoo leaves on top of which sit roasted coconut, sun dried shrimp, diced ginger, shallot, lime, peanuts and Thai hot pepper, served with sauce that one spoons onto the the whole pile of items listed above. One then puts the whole thing in the mouth to eat.

This is an amazing dish, I've only seen it once before on a Thai restaurant menu. I spoke with the restaurant owner who grew up in Bangkok and said this dish has always been one of her favorites since a young age. Anyone else like this dish or have seen it on a US menu?

My staples when in Thailand:

Pad Krapow with squid, shrimp, or mixed seafood (must have at least once every 48 hrs)
Kaeng Pa (jungle curry) with squid, shrimp or seafood
Chicken Fried Rice
Green curry w/chicken
Larb Pla Dook
Som Tom (only from street vendors)
Many other very spicy stir-fried meat/veg dishes w/steamed rice
Many other soups

Pad Thai is good, but just seems so unhealthy compared to other options. I try to sample one new dish every day or two, and am rarely disappointed. I DO NOT like mangoes or sticky rice at all, or anything containing the sweet red gunk known as "chili sauce".

1. Duck Red Curry
2. Shrimp Pad Thai

I had some excellent Duck Red Curry at Brown Sugar in Boston last month, though I was mad the dish didn't come with carrots.

That is an incredible dish, and they followed it up with a Thai beef jerky that almost sent me into ecstasy. I do love LoS, especially because their wine list rocks also.

I also loves the Kai Yaang (game hen) at Pok Pok in Portland, not to mention their to-die-for Vietnamese fish sauce wings.

Thai fishcakes! The proper, hot, squeaky, battery ones. Lovely.

It's always disappointing when somewhere (usually a gastropub or similar) serves 'Thai fishcakes' that turn out to be like normal fishcakes - potato and breadcrumb based. A pox on them!

Luckily, Waitrose in the UK have started doing a not bad version, made with hake. It lacks the squeak you get when it's been freshly fried, but it's not a terrible approximation.

not impressed with LOS
 

With our large thai population we have an abundance of cheap thai places that are both authentic and delicious. They blow LOS out of the water at half the price. I went to LOS twice trying to discover what the big hoopla was all about and could never figure it out.

Anyhow, my fav dish is Panang Curry. And Tom Ka Gai.

The Duck red curry at Spice Market in the Four Seasons Bangkok is my all time favorite rendition the curry. The version at Lotus of Siam is quite good.

I love a very citrus-y som tam as well.

I thought Lotus of Siam was the best thai restaurant in North America until I went to Maenam in Vancouver. I must give Maenam the edge.

When you say authentic, do you mean that they have all or most of the same vegetables as they do in Thailand? Small green Thai eggplant, pea eggplant, morning glory, all the different peppers, fresh holy basil, proper mushrooms, etc, etc? I have yet to find a Thai restaurant in the US that has anywhere near the variety of produce to be even remotely 'authentic'. Carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini and so forth is what I normally find here, and doesn't work for me at all.

My fav is Pad Prik Khing, with chicken and green beans. Thailand Restaurant here in SF has a great version.

Two of my favorite Thai dishes as well. Tastiest Panang Curry that I've tried comes from Baan Khanita (Sukhumvit Soi 23) -- they serve it with huge amount of kaffir lime leaves.

Too bad most Thai restaurants in US do not make 'real' Panang Curry -- there is often little distinction between Red and Panang.

Hmm. I make Panang curry at home as well (well try to anyway) following recipes from Thai cookbooks. Now you've got me curious. What are the major differences between what the restaurants are serving as Panang and the real thing? I'm hoping the restaurants I go to are serving the real thing, but I suppose I've no way of knowing as I've never been to Thailand.

Panang Curry is a stir fry meat dish with a thick sauce (almost gravy like), served with kaffir lime leaves. Most US restaurants make Panang the same way as Red Curry (soupy broth), which is not authentic at all.

I actually learned to make Panang in a cooking class in Chiang Mai few years ago, but I've forgotten how! :-)

I also forgot to mention my other favorite Thai dish: KHAO SOI! This curry noodle dish is to die for!!!

Thai Green Curry (with Chicken). My wife makes a great version using fresh Thai basil, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Thai eggplant and pea eggplant.

Larb gai - spicy Thai chicken salad is also awesome

+1 on the pad see ew. Chicken panang is also a favorite, though from the discussion it sounds like I'm partial to the "mass market" version.