Bangkok restaurants
 

hey everybody, after reading a whole bunch of posts (and Bobs restaurant list- thanks Bob!) I was interested in trying Baan Khanitha as one of our dinners in Bangkok... however, I recently read a review somewhere (forget where... all becoming fuzzy) that the spices are "toned down for Western tastes, but they'll make it spicy upon request"...

My question is - how would I ask for the dishes to be served in traditional Bangkok style? I don't want to say "make it spicy" and then have them make it spicier than they would for native Thai people, but I also don't want something toned down for the tourists... my fiancee and I can tolerate spicy food (we love it actually), but really, are interested in comparing thai food in Thailand with the thai food we get in NYC... so we're looking for the real deal!!!

Thanks so much for all responses!! Ken

we find their items to be appropriately spiced....they have a new location on sathorn rd.....do not go to the one on ruan rudee near the american embassy...the one in the former egyption embassy....they are rude and it is terrible....go to soi 23 sukhumvit or sahtorn...

tongue thia near the oriental has excellent spicy food as well and is less expensive...

i should add that many rest. in bkk tone things down for westerners...you can always add spice at the table..

All of the food in Bangkok is really Thai food. ;-)

Ask for the level of spice that you like, and, as Bob says, they will be glad to bring condiments to add spice if you'd like.

Thanks for the responses... I guess I"m thinking about it from the perspective of a fine french restaurant - where there are no salt/pepper shakers on the table... the chef would be insulted if one "enhanced" a dish at the table because it is supposedly perfect exactly the way it comes out of the kitchen...

I guess it is common in Thai cuisine for people to adjust the spices to their tastes, beit natives, tourists or otherwise...

I guess my real question was how to order to get an authentic experience - or as authentic as possible without bringing a native to the table with us!

Thanks again.. Ken

As bob says, you can add spice or fresh chilis when the food comes to the table or if you would prefer the food to be cooked less for tourist tastes - say "aow pet nid noi", (nid noi means 'a little', 'pet' means spicy - so a little more spicy). If you are a die hard chili fan, say "aow pet pet". However in my experience, unless you are off the tourist path in quite a rural area where they take what you say at face value, even if you say aow pet pet it generally is still tamed down for western tastes (just not to the extent it normally is). When I was sitting down to eat in the night market in Chiang Mai a thai family took pity on me eating on my own and adopted me and ordered lots of dishes for me to try - ooo now that was pet pet pet.

For anyone who does not want spice, say "mai aow pet".