My top pick!
Top 5 Local Thai Food Selections

This is Kawamura from Monosus Thailand. I moved to Thailand five years ago.
I've become accustomed to Thai food culture, and I feel like my food has become completely Thai these days.

As anyone who has visited Thailand knows, it is a country with a deep-rooted street food culture.
When I walk around the city, I come across such a wide variety of cuisine that I never get bored and am always excited.

However, at first, there were many dishes that I couldn't try because I didn't even know what the dishes were called or what ingredients were inside.
After much trial and error, I have finally found my favorites, so I would like to take this opportunity to reveal them all to you, calling them my Top 5!

I thought that the most popular Thai dishes might be boring, so I decided to introduce a selection of more obscure dishes.

The food stalls we will introduce are located in the following five locations.

Let's go!

Somtam Pupara

Let's start with som tam pupara.
This is probably one of the most well-known Thai dishes among Japanese people.
Somtam. Simply put, it's a papaya salad.
It seems that this dish originally originated in Laos, but there are similar dishes in neighboring countries. However, it is known worldwide by its Thai name, "Som Tam."
By the way, in Lao it's called "Tam Som". It sounds quite similar.

The somtam that is generally known among Japanese people is "Somtam Thai."

The main material is

• papaya
• Chile
• garlic
• Dried shrimp
• lime
• sugar
• eggplant
• tomato

It's something like that.

This time we selected "Som Tam" + "Pupara".
This is a relatively unknown somtam for Japanese people.

What makes it different from regular Som Tam Thai is that it contains salted crab (called poo in Thai).
And it stinks (terribly).

To give you an idea, for example, when dusk comes around at Monotai, Rui often buys some somtam pu-parah from a nearby somtam shop, and the moment he opens the bag, there's always a momentary buzz in the office.
I also try to go home as quickly as possible once my bag is empty.

This smell is caused by something called ``Parar.''
Para is made by fermenting fish, rice bran, and salt in a jar for at least six months.
That's what Wiki says. No wonder it stinks.

But this paraffin adds a nice touch.
The average price is around 40-60 baht.

The recommended restaurant is located near Wongwianyai BTS station. BTS stands for Bangkok Skytrain, which is an essential means of transportation when traveling around Bangkok, which is often congested.
Even Tong from Monotai recommends this shop! The name of the shop is "Baan Dong Noi".

Let's go next!

Supercar Guy

Let's start with the photos!

Before I tried it for the first time, I had some prejudices.
To receive such cute hands.
Not only for Japanese people, but also for Westerners, a dish that is so blatantly made with chicken feet seems to be quite unfamiliar, and it is (in)famous as a dish that people are wary of.

But once you try it, you'll be hooked.
The moment you put it in your mouth, the first impact is the sourness of the lime, which is used generously. Next, the umami flavor of the chicken extract spreads, and then the intense spiciness of the chili pepper hits you!

It's so spicy, or rather painful. Make sure to have a drink nearby before eating. It goes great with Bia Singh (the most commonly drunk beer in Thailand!).

However, there are a lot of chili peppers in this dish, so you'll need to prepare yourself for a heavy stomach the next day!
When ordering, it might be a good idea to ask for it to be non-spicy (pet noi).

The reason why it's called "Super" is that it originated from a store near a supermarket about 20 years ago.
(According to a website called Pantip, the Thai version of Channel 2)

Seriously?! I don't really care about this information...

Yes, here are some recommended stores!
Laab Ubon is an Isan cuisine (a general term for cuisine from northeastern Thailand) restaurant located near BTS Surasak Station.

This is a famous store that even the female employees of Monotai say is one of their favorites. It's the best location to enjoy Isan music at full volume from the speakers inside the store!

Next!

Gapopar

Next is the area around BTS Krungthonburi station.
This is an older lady's food stall that targets people on their way home!
It looks like they're putting something thick and gooey into the pot.

The fish maw and quail eggs are beautifully mixed into the thick, starchy soup, making for a delicious dish!
Its name is Gapopar!

It is the main ingredient.

• Gapopa (fish swim bladder)
• Quail eggs
• Blood clot (pig or chicken)
• Cilantro
• Coriander root
• Bamboo shoots
• soy sauce
• salt
• pepper
• sugar
• Starch
• Rice noodles

Recipes vary from store to store, but we recommend the version that includes rice vermicelli.
If you like, you can add some jikujo (black rice vinegar) to taste!

It can be eaten lightly like a soup, and if you like soup, this is a dish you should definitely add to your weekly rotation of street food. You can get it for about 40 baht.

This is the area where you can find the auntie food stalls!

Next!

Tuptimgrop

Thai sweets! Confectionery edition!

What comes to mind when you think of Thai sweets?
Khao Niaw Mamuang (mango and sweet sticky rice)?
That's also delicious.

My recommendation is Tuptim Grop. This is also quite famous.

Tuptim is "Pomegranate".
Grop is a Thai word that means "crunchy, crunchy."

Those who have tried it may know that it does not actually contain pomegranate, but water chestnuts coated with tapioca flour and red coloring. The name seems to come from the fact that it looks like a pomegranate.

Just look at these jewel-like, bright red fruits! And the crunchy texture is great!

Put it in a bowl with sweet coconut milk and ice, and eat it when the ice has melted a little and the sweetness has become mild! Respect to the Thai ancestors who created this sweet!

As far as ingredients go, I'll list them.

• Water chestnut (water chestnut)
• Coloring
• water
• Tapioca flour
• sugar
• Coconut milk
• ice

Another recommended restaurant is in the BTS Wongwianyai area! It's called "Tuptim Grop" and it's just like that. I feel that they are just competing with one dish!

This is a famous shop run by a Chinese-looking guy! A bag of Tuptim Grop costs 40 baht.

Next!

Moo Ping and Gaiyang

Lastly, we have a classic Thai national street food.
"Moo Ping and Gaiyang"!
Moo means "pig" and pin means "grilled."
Guy means "bird" and yarn means "grilled".

Well, basically, it's exactly what the name suggests - grilled meat skewers. They're cheap and only 10 baht each!

According to a Japanese person who has recently been studying how to make Moo Ping, the secret to its flavor is in the Nam Chim (which means marinade in Thai). There seem to be many original recipes, but the key is to add coriander root to the sauce. It certainly has a unique flavor.

I was wondering which shop to introduce, but I found an amazing place!

Get off at BTS Silon Station, enter "Silom Soi 6" and arrive at a further back alley...
Things are already getting exciting!

The stall run by these guys is called "Pisit Gaiyang"!

We recommend the wide selection! There is outdoor seating and a 7-Eleven nearby, so you'll often see people buying beer at the store and having a drink here.

I was simply amazed at the vast selection, including pork, chicken, and even innards.

What's amazing about this restaurant is that you can eat as much fresh vegetables as you want and the variety of namchim is incredible!

The vegetables on the tray are all-you-can-eat, and they'll keep adding more if you run out.

I have no idea what's in these namchim. They're all delicious.
It's a sharing style where all customers dip the moo ping and vegetables into the bowl as they like and eat it!

I recently discovered this store! It can be found in the following locations:

So there you have it, my quick introduction of my top 5 Thai meals! What did you think?

The best part of searching for Thai food is walking around the city on foot, observing how busy the businesses are, and taking quick glances to see if the food looks delicious.

Of course, there are some restaurants that aren't that great, but as I mentioned at the beginning, the only way to find a restaurant you like is through trial and error!

However, it doesn't upset your stomach as much as you might think, so I urge you to give it a try!

See you next time!