Top 8 dishes in Thailand For Your Beloved Foodie Dad

This father’s day, what better way to relive childhood memories with your foodie dad than to take him on an extraordinary culinary journey where you both can savor delicious food.

Thailand is the food paradise you are searching for, called so with good reason. Very often you will find people greeting each other with “Have you eaten yet?” which is enough to tell you that this nation takes its food as seriously as your dad. Thai cuisine is nothing short of sheer brilliance and is the perfect balance of fresh ingredients, herbs and spices. A delicious combination of five key flavors; hot, sweet, sour, salty and bitter, Thai food is rich in flavor and texture, appealing to everyone who tastes it.

Here’s presenting eight must try dishes in Thailand. You are about to make your Dad surrender his taste buds to one of the most extraordinary culinary journeys he will undertake. #travelwithdad

1. Pad Thai

Pad Thai remains one of the most popular and delicious Thai dishes. Prepared using flat noodles, stir fried with spring onions, beans, tofu, bean sprouts, shrimp, peanuts, fish sauce, eggs and lime juice, Pad Thai is a must try when in Thailand. If your dad’s a vegetarian don’t despair; he can enjoy a vegetarian version of the dish by asking for it to be prepared without sea food and fish sauce. Garnish your Pad Thai with peanuts and a dash of lemon juice and dig in.

Where Can I Try It? Pad Thai can be found at the numerous street food stalls around the city; some of them stay open till late at night.

2. Grilled Seafood

Surrounded by the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, there is no dearth of fresh seafood here. Daddy loves seafood? Rejoice! On the streets of Thailand he will find numerous food stalls serving delicious prawns, shrimp, octopus, fish balls and crabs chargrilled in front of him.

Every vendor has his own unique recipe and serves the grilled seafood with a delicious sweet chilli sauce. Make sure you carry your own tissues along as eating street food can be a tad messy.

Where Can I Try It? You’ll find grilled seafood on street food vendor’s carts at almost every corner of the city.

3. Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam)

The Thai Green Papaya salad is one of the most popular dishes not only in Thailand, but all across the world, and you need to taste it to know why. Prepared using raw papaya, red chillies, fish sauce and honey, this delicious salad balances out the sweet, sour and salty flavours perfectly.

Vegetarian dads can ask for this salad to be made without the fish sauce. 

Where Can I Try It? Som Tam is easily available all over Thailand, right from a street food vendor’s cart, to a food court in a mall, to a fine-dining restaurant. Thai's love their Som Tam really spicy, though you may want to ask for a less spicy version.

4. Tom Yum

Another Thai delight famous all over the world is the Tom Yum soup. Brimming with creamy coconut milk, juicy shrimp, tangy tomatoes, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, you possibly cannot let dad leave Thailand without making him try this delicacy. Vegetarians can ask for a vegetarian version of the soup without the shrimp in it.

Where Can I Try It? Tom Yum soup can easily be found in restaurants all over Thailand.

5. Deep Fried Insects

This certainly isn’t for the faint hearted dads. Various kinds of bugs and insects are readily consumed as snacks in Thailand. The insects are deep fried in a wok and garnished with soy sauce for some extra flavour. Some popular insects that you can try are bamboo worms, grasshoppers, silk worms, crickets and even scorpions.

Where Can I Try It? Fried insects can be found abundantly on street vendor’s carts all across Thailand.

6. Spring Rolls

This quick snack is easy to make and full of delicious and healthy fillings like bean sprouts, cabbage and carrots, and flavourful herbs like Thai basil and cilantro. Spring rolls are usually served with condiments such as soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, ginger and lime juice.

Where Can I Try It? Spring rolls are served in restaurants all over Thailand.

7. Noodle Soup

Noodle soup is a staple in Thailand and makes for a quick lunch on the go. You can choose the kind of noodles you want in your soup, along with add-ons such as shrimp, chicken, fish balls, bean sprouts and mixed green vegetables. Garnish your noodle soup with a splash of soy sauce, lime juice and a drizzle of peanuts and dig in!

Vegetarians don’t fret, you can ask for noodle soup to be made without meat or fish. Slurp away and enjoy the true flavours of Thailand.

Where Can I Try It? Noodle soup can be found easily all across Thailand, at street vendor’s carts or food courts.  Almost all restaurants in Thailand have noodle soup on their menu.

8. Dessert

No meal is complete without dessert and there is no exception to that rule in Thailand either. Thai’s love their dessert and you’ll be spoilt for choice. Choose from a mind boggling variety of fried banana, mango sticky rice (slices of ripe mango served with sticky rice and garnished with coconut milk) and banana pancakes topped with Nutella and jam.

If you’re keeping a tab on your waistline, then you can always opt for a delicious variety of tropical fresh fruit, which is easily available all through the year. Do make it a point to sample fresh fruits like pineapples, coconuts, jackfruit, durian, mango, watermelon and custard apple.

Where Can I Try It? You will find the best Thai desserts at street vendor stalls, which is often the best place to sample them. Fine dining restaurants also serve dessert, but they are usually on the pricier side.

Did reading all of this whet your appetite for some delicious Thai food?  In that case book your holiday to Thailand today and get ready to embark on a gastronomical adventure with your adorable old man!