Given how much I care about food, how much I think about eating, and my own fickleness in my stances and opinions, I might disagree with what I’ve written down here shortly after I’m through, but, for now, here is my advice for eating in Bangkok:
I am weary of suggesting any specific places to eat in a city like Bangkok for a few reasons. First, this city is overwhelmingly large and it’s safe to say I don’t know most of it. Second, this city is overwhelmingly large and getting from the place you are to “this one place you just have to try” could take you longer than a Lord of the Rings movie. Third, most neighborhoods are covered with all kinds of options. So don’t feel defeated if you stick to plastic seating on the sidewalks of your hood or wherever you’re at, and maybe venture out to a few well-known food places as destinations. Sure there must be places and people out there that make the best of something, but my assumption is that if there are street vendors that make one or a few particular dishes night after night, and they stay in business, they probably are far from awful and delicious enough for many Thais and easily suitable for my unsophisticated novice tongue.
I think the main thing for eating in Bangkok, is that there seems to be an array of delicious snack, noodle, and rice dishes that hold prominence and can be found just about everywhere here that we rarely see on menus or at least rarely order in California. What I’m saying is, sure, go ahead and eat mango and sticky rice for dessert because if it’s in season you’re lucky and its delicious, but don’t use up all that precious and limited space in your stomach on pad thai or curries when there is pork leg over rice or BBQ pork egg noodle soup to be had (and oh so many savory spicy things with sticky rice). Then, once you find a dish you really are into, maybe its time to have an adventure and to seek out the best or most famous supplier of this magical dish (perhaps through asking local friends or strangers where to get it?)
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