Hunting for the perfect Pad Thai

Posted by Sukhumwit Steve on August 12th, 2011 filed in Dining and wining

Pad Thai is a popular Thai dish that is served in most regions of the country. It consists of rice noodles fried with egg, dried shrimps and sauces and is served with crushed peanuts, chilli powder, bean sprouts, spring onions and a slice of lemon.

The version served by street vendors and in food markets usually only has dried shrimps, whereas diners choosing it from a sit-down restaurant menu can usually opt to have it served with fresh prawns, albeit it a slightly higher cost. Some cooks wrap their creation in an envelope made out of a thin omelette before serving.

Street hawkers do not usually advertise their offerings in English. Pad Thai is usually fried in a large Asian style Wok and is the only advertisement shown. Although the dish is widely available in Bangkok, with several places on Khaosan Road offering their interpretation of the classic Thai dish, not all of the vendors and cafés serve a Pad Thai that will keep diners coming back again and again.

One restaurant near the Golden Mount in Bangkok is called Thip Samai Pat Thai. This unassuming eatery opened for business in the 1960s and has built up a loyal clientele. People staying on Khaosan Road can walk to the Thip Samai and sample Pad Thai the way it should be cooked.