Thailand’s cuisine needs no introduction, but certain dishes have become favorites among Western tourists and expats. It’s a running joke that Westerners cannot eat spicy food, and if you compare their eating habits with the Thais (who are able to eat outrageously spicy food), it’s hard to deny. In this article, we have compiled a list of five dishes that are known to be the top Thai food favorites among Westerners.
1. Cashew Chicken (Gai Pad Med Ma Muang)
To Westerners, this dish tastes especially familiar. The food is technically “foreign,” but the ingredients are nothing new. This dish has cashew nuts, chicken, onions, and bell peppers, all under a savory, soy-based sauce. One of the reasons it’s so popular is that it’s not spicy at all!
2. Pad Thai
Pad Thai is the national dish of Thailand. Not necessarily because the locals are obsessed with it, but because of a crisis that happened in World War II. Long story short, the government promoted Pad Thai because there were rice shortages. Since the dish is noodle-based and doesn’t use rice, it was promoted as a nationalistic way to help the country during hard times.
To be honest, locals prefer dishes like papaya salad (som tam) much more, but pad Thai is the top noodle dish among Westerners; none of the others even come close.
In addition to noodles, it has tamarind sauce, bean sprouts, tofu, peanuts, chicken or shrimp, lime, and more. It’s an interesting combination of sweet, sour, and savory. Also, it’s not spicy in the least.
3. Fried Pork (Moo Tod)
This is another basic dish, and it’s just what it sounds like. It’s often served crispy along with a spicy dipping sauce and sticky rice. You typically find this dish at Isaan restaurants, one of the many regional cuisines in Thailand.
4. Thai Spring Rolls (Poh Pia Tod)
Thai spring rolls are similar to Chinese spring rolls, which Westerners are generally familiar with. They are crispy and filled with vegetables, glass noodles, and sometimes meat. Thai spring rolls tend to be smaller than Chinese ones, but they have a slightly different flavor because of the herbs inside, like Thai basil and cilantro.
5. Mango Sticky Rice (Khao Niew Mamuang)
Finally, for dessert, mango sticky rice has got to be the top choice among Westerners. It’s simple, but delicious. The dish is composed of sticky rice (glutinous rice), fresh mango, and coconut sauce poured over it lightly. Sometimes mung beans are sprinkled over it to give it a crunch.
Best Thai Foods for Westerners: The Bottom Line
These five dishes (which are mostly non-spicy) represent the favorites of Westerners when they visit Thailand. As we mentioned earlier, most of these dishes are familiar to Westerners, which is why they’re so popular. So whether you’re a traveler in for a quick stop, or an expat settling into life here, these dishes should be added to your list of must-tries before you go.
hey adam, just read about the pad thai and its backstory. never knew it came about cuz of a crisis. kinda cool how food history is so tied to what’s happened in the world. makes me wanna try it even more now. it’s awesome finding out the stories behind what we eat.
So true, SammyJ! The origins of Pad Thai are fascinating. If you’re into cooking, you should try making it at home. It’s a fun way to connect with the culture and history of Thailand. There are lots of recipes out there that can help you recreate it authentically.
Totally! Pad Thai’s got such a cool story. Makes enjoying it even better. Gotta love how food brings history to the table. Now I’m craving some, haha.