In addition to being great for adjusting to the culture and climate, Khao San Road is also a great place to ease yourself into the intense sensory mélange that is Thai cuisine. Restaurants, shacks and stalls on wheels abound, and most of what's sold at them toned down to cater to the unadjusted Western palate. In particular, the spiciness of curries, salads and noodles is much less than locals enjoy eating. If you like spicy, the phrase 'ped maak' should do the trick.
Don't think its all tame variations on Thai cooking and Western junk food (Burger King, McDonalds and Subway are all in attendence). Recent years have seen an upsurge in upscale restaurants and bars, and the variety and sophistication of the food available on Khao San Road has rocketed proportionally. Menus offering interesting fusions of Thai with Western cuisine are now common, and many establishments and stalls specialise in gourmet international cuisine. Pizza, sushi, falafel, seafood, fish and chips, and pasta all get a look in.
The Pleasures of Pat Thai
Be sure to try 'pat thai'. A trip to Khao San Road wouldn't be complete without sampling the street vendors' famous take on this popular, tasty, nutritious and, above all, cheap Thai dish. There are Thai-style omelets too and, on Soi Rambuttri, grilled fish and meat available. For vitamin and protein bursts enjoy Thailand's plentiful natural produce in the form of fresh tropical fruit (cut into chunks for easy eating), blended fruit shakes and - if you're brave or drunk enough - fried insects.
Once you've completed your initiation into spicy food, head to nearby Phra Arthit Road for trendy hole-in-the-wall restaurants popular with arty Thais. Or try Banglamphu Market, which begins about 50 metres to the right on Chakrapong Road. Here an aromatic and wholly authentic array of stalls peddle noodles soups, curries, grilled oddities and odd looking deserts. These alternatives to the staple backpacker diet of pad thai, banana pancakes and watermelon shakes are notable, not only for usually being more delicious than what's sold on Khao San Road, but also being much, much cheaper.
Learn more about Khao San Road: Where to Stay, What to See & Do, Nightlife, Shopping, Getting Around
Learn more about where to eat: Sukhumvit, Chidlom - Ploenchit, Riverside, Silom, Siam, Ratchaprasong, Sathorn, Old City, Chatuchak, Pratunam, Ratchadapisek |
