10 Must-Try Thai Dishes: Feast for the Senses

If you’re a foodie looking for an explosion of flavors, Thai foods should definitely be on your list. With its bold, spicy, and aromatic dishes, Thai food can vary anywhere from savory curries to refreshing salads, so there’s always something for everyone. 

If you heard anything about Thai food, you know that Pad Thai is a classic dish that’s loved by many. The classic stir-fried dish is easy to find in any food market or street vendor that is quickly fried in their hot woks. But what about other Thai dishes that are equally or even more delicious? Here are the top 10 foods and drinks I tried while in Thailand.

First up are some main dishes: 

Pad See Ew is a stir-fried noodle dish that’s perfect if you prefer thick noodles like myself since I prefer this dish over Pad Thai. 

Green Curry is another must-try, with its bold flavors that have a surprisingly spicy kick for the seemingly innocent green color (compared to red color foods that may be spicier). It’s best served with rice on the side so you can take advantage of the curry sauce after finishing veggies and/or meat. 

Spicy Chicken Basil Rice is a dish I came across while wandering in Bangkok searching for something to eat. The spicy dish was simple yet flavored well, and thankfully the spice level wasn’t too high—it was my first Thai dish upon arrival and I forgot about the different levels of spice compared to American (which is like zero haha) and Korean cuisine.

For side dishes, the options seem to be endless.  Pineapple Fried Rice is a popular dish that’s often served with seafood or chicken but not only that, it often is served in a carved-out pineapple, adding to the dish’s unique flavor and serving style.

For a tasty vegetable side dish,  Morning Glory is a stir-fried dish that’s seasoned with soy sauce and oyster sauce. This was recommended to me before my trip, otherwise, I wouldn’t have known to look for it, and it was quite delicious with its sweet-savory flavor. A unique traditional food I surprisingly enjoyed was Cho Muang, a purple or white dumpling filled with pork and peanuts. It can sometimes be shaped like a flower, and I randomly picked it up when walking through a market and didn’t realize at first it had meat in it haha but the flavors worked well together with the sweet and savory.

For dessert, you can’t go wrong with Fried Pineapple or Mango Sticky Rice, a classic dessert that’s found everywhere in Southeast Asia. I never had fried pineapple before so I was eager to try it when I saw it on the menu, and was not disappointed. Such a tasty treat. As for mango rice, like Pad Thai you can find it everywhere so it’s hard not to miss. I tried some on the last day, but where we got it from their food lacked a bit of flavor, so street vendors would have been the way to go. If you have a constant sweet tooth like myself, Roti is a dessert addiction you won’t regret. There were so many roti flavors to try from but banana roti with condensed milk or Nutella were my favorites.

For refreshing drinks, I had many cups of Fresh Coconut Water, Thai Tea, or Avocado Honey Smoothie. Coconut water was a great way to cool off in the heat, but since it was served in an actual coconut there was a lot of coconut meat to eat so I only got it a couple times since I can’t eat it all day long haha. Thai Tea is a delicious and sweet tea latte that became my go-to after a hot day in the sun and my new tea addiction. I ended up buying tea to bring home so I could continue drinking it, since I have yet to find it in Korea besides a couple places. My third favorite drink in Thailand was the Avocado Honey Smoothie. The unique and refreshing blend of flavors is a filling yet cooling drink, and one I fell in love with after my first time when I was in Vietnam.

Thai cuisine is a feast for the senses with its bold, spicy, and aromatic dishes. There’s so much to try and experience. What Thai food do you enjoy or wish to try?