Bangkok street food
 

Come on, you know you really want to try it! Go ahead and take the plunge: http://tinyurl.com/l2c9w3

I can almost smell it! Yum!

I went to Bangkok intending to try street food, but couldn't see how the vendors with little carts and no water could possibly produce hygienic food, especially anything on a plate eaten with a spoon. I am generally adventurous, but didn't feel the risk was worth taking, even though I loved Thai food. What rules do other travellers apply?

Look for very busy stalls with a high turnover and high proportion of locals eating. Look for food that is cooked in front of you and served immediately. I tend to avoid seafood in cities away from the sea.
I have very rarely experienced problems eating street food anywhere around the world. I wish the same could be said of 5* hotels where I have been taken very ill (usually with seafood). At least you can see what is going on on the street whereas the same cannot be said of the kitchens in most hotels. As a student, I worked in a number of hotel kitchens and believe me, you really wouldn't like to know what goes on in some of them!
IMHO the best and most authentic thai food is to be found on the streets and in small hole in the wall type restaurants although I feel others are certain to disagree.

We never eat in hotels. First, the "Down and Out in Paris and London" factor, second, the food is usually mediocre, and third, the other diners are the type of people who eat in hotels. On the other hand, I have been very very sick after street food in Mexico.

Crellston, I completely agree with you -- I like to see what they are doing and how they do it. Often the minor details, like how they wipe their implements or the way they scrape the grill are good indicators of how they treat all of the other ingredients of their commerce.

If you want to get food poisoning in Bkk, a good way is to eat at a lot of hotel western buffets.

If you apply normally held Western concepts of "hygiene" to the way food is handled especially with street food, not only will you get the wrong end of the stick about it, you will also lose out on eating some of the best food in Thailand.
What you really have to do is think how you actually get food poisoning.

Hotel buffets are off our list , even here at home. Bob once saw chicken sitting out in the heat and sun outside the Shangri-la in BKK for about an hour. Five star is no garuntee for food safty. There is better food to be had at the small local resturants. We tend to avoid street food for the reasons stated above. If you are on vacation for a limited number of days, the inside of a toilet bowl is NOT the scenic view you came for. As always, commonsence prevails.

the thing that continues to bother me is where is the refridgeration of this food (mostly the raw meats) while it is sitting outside in 85 degree weather for long periods...

Stay away from Som Tum on the street or any markets. The regular stuff can get contaminated with raw crab- mess you up!!

<i>the thing that continues to bother me is where is the refridgeration of this food (mostly the raw meats) while it is sitting outside in 85 degree weather for long periods...</i>

It would have to be covered with bacteria to begin with for that to be a problem. And even if filthy flies have been walking all over it, don't forget that one of the things that cooking does is to sterilize things.

Nevertheless, I know that there is no way to reassure people who are afraid to eat this food. It can be perfectly good, but if you are afraid that you will get sick from eating it, YOU WILL GET SICK. I have seen this time and time again, the power of psychosomatics, not just in Bangkok, but everywhere in the world. I have known one or two people whom, if you say 'did I see a trace of pink in that pork?' (or chicken) will vomit for the entire night, even if 50 other people ate the same food with no ill effects.

So if you are afraid of it and cannot open your mind to the idea that maybe it might be all right, yes you must avoid it and eat exclusively authorized insipid items instead.

Haha, Kerouac. I remember seeing some imbecilic lady freaking out because she thought the the tofu in her pad thai was pork, despite multiple assurances from the staff.

I love food stalls in Yawarat at nite.
My favors are shark fins soup chiu chow style, fish maw, salt fish in tin foil, barbeque jumbo shrimps, crabs, a bowl of birds nest soup as dessert.
Buy a durian at the street corner and finish it before going back to the hotel.

I confess that although I had eaten durian ice cream before, I had never actually eaten a durian, although I was very much familiar with how they look and of course their, errr, special aroma.

But one day when I was returning to my hotel in Phnom Penh, all of the staff were sprawled in the lobby having a durian party. Just the way they were sprawled, made me remember two things that I had read about durians:

1. Men prefer eating a durian to having sex.
2. If a house catches on fire, the residents will not leave unless they have finished eating the durian.

Anyway, they offered me several pieces, and I ate them. OMG! I had never tasted anything like it, although I don't think it would be appropriate to post my description of the flavor here, because it would contain some references that are not acceptable to all readers.

enjoy your fly eggs and meats that are starting to turn from 80+ degree heat

Ha, didn't you have any biology classes in school? Do you think that fly eggs hatch in 30 minutes?

(Not that I would care, since they would be cooked.)

i did not in fact have biology... but in that heat lots could hatch quickly...

my main point is that if you are on vacation you don't want to be laid up with stomach problems for even 5 minutes...time is too valuable...

you eat and enjoy and i will refrain and continue to not eat street food and in 12 trips to bkk i have never been ill at all but have managed to have fantastic tasting food...

Cat1234- Why not avoid Thailand completely and just go straight to China?

Thailand and street food are synonymous, absolutely inseparable.

Thailand and hygiene are synonymous, absolutely inseparable. I’ve never seen people scrub so hard and so much. http://www.flickr.com/photos/traveltv/3932930930/

My memories of Thailand’s hygiene goes back to 1977, and being amazed watching the street vendors scrubbing the #$%& out of the pots alongside the curbs.


Ask us and we'd say, "Why go to Thailand if not for the street food".

What? You think we go there for the 90F plus life threatening heat? We tolerate the heat to get to the food, the street food.

OK, I'm overstating (actually, NOT one itsy bit) but think about it, the ubiquitous street food in Thailand is not exactly "cheap".

If you consider 10-15 Bhat for ONE delicious marinated pork satay (you have to buy two or more) and then sticky rice or 25 Bhat for Som tam then… beginning to get the idea? You could easily end up spending more than one "local" restaurant dish (noodles not included).

Remember Anthony Bourdain and the Muay Thai chicken? Street food’s got huge "cred".

If this Som Tam handle is any reference, this lady been working the street for a while and this small plate was 25 Bhat. http://www.flickr.com/photos/traveltv/3907887685/



And the street food market is somewhat complex. If the price for a pork satay is 5 Bhat, it will be smaller and not marinated and people understand that.

And what about the “street food restaurants”?

Indoor restaurants that have seating and thankfully, fans, but prepare, cook and sell the food as if they were working out of a cart?

I've often wondered how the meat can sit in the hot sun during the day, probably a scientist can explain it, because it works and sure tastes good.

Waters easy, they lug it around in huge tubs or cut deals with people in the area.

Mango7, Different strokes 4 different folks, what's wrong with it? what's wrong with you?

Ok let me add a few points to the discussion:
1) Locals eat and don't get sick- well their systems are used to the bacteria- tourist stomachs are not.
2) Where do these stall owners go to the bathroom to do their business and do you think they have hot water to wash their hands afterwards?
3) Do they have hot water to wash their utensils?
4) Yes of course you can get sick at restaurants and hotels- that applies anywhere in the world even at home where ever home is but do you really think your chances are better with a street stall for all the issues mentioned above?
5) Bob makes the best point- do you want to roll the dice on your vacation by taking a chance on these places?

Hot water is such a miracle. That's why no American ever gets sick.

Have you ever looked at the food poisoning statistics for the various countries of the world, BillT?

http://www.cureresearch.com/f/food_p...ts-country.htm

you cannot win either argument... those of us who play it safe and those of you who roll the dice...

personally i'll stick with bill and continue to eat in places where i feel they have the best hygiene and that is not on the streets, although i am sure many street places are perfectly ok...

its sort of like the argument of people who want to see the "real thailand"... i never know what that is....it all seems like the real thailand to me, whether it be a nana club on soi 4, sukhumvit, soi cowboy, or the wilds of an national park in the far reaches of the country....ITS ALL THE REAL THAILAND... i love the most touristy areas just as much as i love the most far flung quiet area.... its all thailand today and that is why we love it and return over and over----trip 13 is only 7 weeks away...

rhkkmk: You've taken 12 trip to Thailand and have never, ever eaten street food? How about the "street food restaurant" type thing I mentioned above?

Just asking because as you know so well, street food is everywhere and you've been to Thailand so many times.

12 trips is pretty impressive, really. That's a huge number.

Do you live in Malaysia? Sorry joking. Boston is a long trip to Thailand, I'll be you could write a book about jet lag.

Sorry, I did not do any research... From Boston, do you fly to Europe or suffer through the extra hours to Tokyo?

What routes and airlines have you taken?

All things are local, but, even right here in the states, if you hang out at the Four Seasons, Peninsula and Waldorf Astoria your getting a thin slice of the states, that few locals or anyone ever experience.

A thin slice that, while never replicated, is often duplicated in major cities around the world.

NOTE:
Not saying this applies to you, rhkkmk.. just saying my opinion... generally.

I'm a Thai and I take precaution over what I eat, especially street food. Myself and many others do occasionally spend a night or two at the hospital from food poisoning and most of the time it was from street food.

The advice given by the regulars here should be heeded and one should always use good judgment in determining if the street food vendor is practicing proper cooking and hygiene. Another thing to watch out for is the reusing of cooking oil which I believe is a carcinogen.

Do enjoy street food but use good judgment and don't blame anyone if you end up with the runs!

FYI karenmike,

I've taken rhkkmk out for street food before, to a well known vendor, and they thoroughly enjoyed the food.

This has been an interesting discussion for me as a Thai food beginner. I can't imagine street food is actually very different from what you eat in the small bars and cafes, and we thought Kinnaree (the spicier dishes) was excellent. Back in the UK, Thai restaurant offerings are pretty disappointing.

most of my trips have been on northwest going west....but the best trip we ever did was on air france going east....i did thai only once from nyc going west and that was good...shortly i will try singapore going east through frankfurt...

the place hanuman took me to was a unique restaurant...personally i would not consider it street food and certainly the food items were not your usual street food..

i would not drink drinks out of plastic bags, even though i think they may be ok if they don't have ice cubes...

i did eat a coconut tart at the floating market, but honestly i was not thrilled to do so....it tasted very good, but i was concerned about the oil it was cooked in...

we are all different...this is just my way of insuring that i can enjoy each moment of my trip.....add to that my wife is a nurse...

One could say that all events in life have a 50-50 chance of happening. They either happen or they don't.


rhklmk, thanks for sharing and your honesty. You are an experienced traveler and I admire that you know what works for you.

In our case, drinking Pepsi out of a bouncing bag full of ice is enough to get us on an airplane.

Despite frequent efforts, we’ve never been able to duplicate that perfect diluted Pepsi flavor here in the states. Maybe it’s the heat, the sounds and the smells in Thailand or that we can’t tie a rubber band to a plastic bag properly… Oh, I know the problem… you’ll never find us drinking “regular” sugar colas in the states – Oh boy, got to love the perks when traveling.

NOTE:
Ice in Thailand is made with filter water. After scrubbing the pots to a mirror shine, Thais have more than enough sense not to put tap water into their bodies.

Besides, the air we breathe over a two week trip is the scary part.





On the face of it, it’s seems reasonable that people are afraid to eat Thai street food because they consider something that comes from the street to be of lower quality and/or not as hygienic as “building food”.

NOTE:
The above has to be true, because if peopled believed that street food was of higher quality, how could they possible pass up that meal? Higher quality but gets me sick? That does not compute!




But in reality, people are not eating street food because it’s not a common practice in their country, it’s not what they are used to, what they see and participate in everyday, therefore, not eating street food speaks more to the way people travel (for example: a mild case of xenophobia it you will) than actual facts.

When travelers don’t take part in something that is so quintessentially a part of a country, so essentially a part of all segments of Thai life, and so ubiquitous in nature... that is...


Simply put: Not eating street food in Thailand is basically missing out on the heart of the country – or should I say stomach?




We all know that Thais are great cooks.

Imagine this... People in Italy, France and Spain, dragging the best cooks in their families out on to the street and having them cook popular dishes for you, because that’s what’s happening in Thailand, home cooked meals on the street.

One dish, all or nothing.

Even though Thais are great cooks, you can be sure, with street food stalls plopped down shoulder to shoulder everywhere, that cooks face a challenge for business and personal satisfaction, to know that that people like your food “best”. So, in a situation like that, we all win. Yummy!


Having written ALL that… We’d have to say, “building food” is quite good also.




NOTE:
Yes, much of Thai street food is the “usual” eclectic fare (although the flavors vary widely). Nevertheless, if you look hard enough, especially outside Bangkok, you’ll find some special dishes. Get there early, because they run out fast.

If the street food is not as "tasty" it usually sells a bit cheaper. Not that it’s “dirty” food, but, prepared with less ingredients or TLC (time). There is a market for this “cheaper” street food, because not everyone has the “big bucks” but everybody eats some of their meals off the street.

Many times have I had Thai iced tea or other sweet drinks out of a plastic bag when in Thailand. You're really missing out, Bob!

This is way over the top, but bear with me, this took some effort. We did a “thing” comparing street food to “building food” at Port Blair, Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands, India.
http://maps.google.com/maps/mm?hl=en...,17.885742&z=6


NOT Thailand, but... we made several points, claiming that street food was “safer” because street vendors sell only one item, prepare it simply and when it’s gone, they go home with nothing left to store.

The photos below are video grabs and we can’t find the street food part now, but one highlight of the street food “Samosa Man” was using fresh oil each day, something I think this restaurant did not do.


Nice looking “building restaurant” in Port Blair, Andaman Islands, India
http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelt...7622419715956/

With delicious food
http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelt...7622419715956/

Delicious food that came out of this kitchen
http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelt...7622419715956/

With a large menu, "building restaurants" have to store food.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelt...7622419715956/

Cutting Board
http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelt...7622419715956/

Kitchen Prep Table
http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelt...7622419715956/

Shrimp Cleaning
http://www.flickr.com/photos/traveltv/3938188613/

Shrimp Tandoori
http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelt...7622419715956/

Shrimp Floor Corner
http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelt...7622419715956/

Despite these horrid photos, we ate at this restaurant several times. The food was GREAT!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelt...7622419715956/

i believe you.....but street food is not the "real thailand"...the real thailand is royal thai food, eaten only by the royal family...so there you are, again i am missing out...

i'll continue to take a pass...

be my guest, eat and enjoy---i'm sure the taste is fantastic, but don't forget your kleenex...

I'm confused by your first paragraph, Bob. Are u serious, lol?

Great photos, karenmike! I know all about those kinds of restaurants and it's best not to see the kitchen. I agree that street food is much more hygenic compared to establishments like that -- where I would eat as well without hesitation.

I don't believe you

If you think about how you actually get food poisoning you will be a lot less fearful of street-food.

Food poisoning is a general term that usually refers to bacterial or viral contamination of food resulting in both upper and lower gastrointenstinal symptoms. It is caused by lapses in sanitation, often related to hand-washing by food handlers. The most common bacterial "food poisoning" is caused by e. coli. Given this info, it should be clear that having sanitary toilet and hand-washing facilities are important in preventing this type of food poisoning.

Another type of food poisoning is caused by growth of bacteria in foods that have not been kept at temperature that retard bacterial growth (not properly chilled) or kill bacteria (not properly cooked). This is a especially a problem in buffet situations.

One should also consider other food and water bourne illnesses, in particular Hep A and typhoid.

Since the Bangkok street food is mostly served hot off the grill after being cooked in front of you, bacterial contamination is a low risk.

I'm with Bob- but I understand others who would like to enjoy the street food- its just that I don't like to take that chance on my vacation. For those I say - enjoy but make sure you have your Pepto Bismal ready.... just in case!

Errr... I don't think that Pepto Bismol is meant for food poisoning. It is for people who have found the street food so good that they couldn't stop stuffing themselves with it.

Don't block it just let it flow out!