Southern Thailand is full of islands and is known for its amazing beaches so there is plenty of seafood available. Of course, chicken and pork are very popular as well and most menus offer a choice of chicken, seafood or pork and occasionally beef. Some of the islands, like Koh Lanta, have a large Muslim population and many of the restaurants do not serve pork products, however there are still plenty of other options. Most foods are grilled, steamed or cooked on a wok, searing in their flavor at high heats. Noodles and rice are very common accompaniments and if a dish is not noodles based, it is usually ordered with rice. The food has a definite kick, but is not overly spicy. Green onions, peppers, crushed peanuts and lime juice often garnish a dish. Many dishes come with fresh vegetables used as garnish, these are meant to be garnish and not part of the dish, but we often ate them anyway- anything for a few more veggies! There is a definite risk of getting sick involved with eating fresh fruits or veggies, but we are going to be in Thailand for a while, so we figured we might as well get our systems used the the new bacteria. Restaurants generally have ketchup on the table and a few more unique condiments: crushed red pepper, fish sauce with chopped peppers and garlic, peppers in vinegar and sugar. Fish sauce is commonly used as a flavoring agent in food as is coconut, ginger or galangal, garlic and lemongrass which makes for incredibly fragrant and flavorful dishes.
Looking for Something a bit Healthier?
Check out the local markets for fresh fruits and vegetables. If you are only there for a few days or are worried about getting sick, opt for fruit that has a peel and you won’t have to worry. One thing I really loved about Thailand were the portion sizes, they were the right size, just enough to satisfy me but not so big that I was totally stuffed if I ate the whole dish. If you like spicy, this is the place! The dishes tend to be lighter dishes with emphasis on seafood, eggs, tofu and poultry for protein. Pork and “crispy pork” (deep fried to a crispy, calorie/fat dense texture) are included on many menus- while the crispy pork is delicious, opting for grilled or wok fried pork is the healthier option. Stay on the lookout for the abundant fresh fish and chicken options. Pad Thai is, of course, very popular but beware, the oyster and fish sauce used in it are very sodium heavy, so if you are salt sensitive stay away or only eat it occasionally. We found plenty of vegetarian and veggie heavy dishes from stir-fried kale and morning glory to salads with fresh or stir fried veggies and shrimp to vegetarian curries loaded with fresh veggies. There are plenty of great street foods from steamed corn to fresh squeezed juice that make light, healthy snacks.
Must Try:
Pad Thai– one of the cheaper meals we found, it cost us just upwards of a dollar to try a good sized portion and it came loaded with shrimp, green onions, basil, bean sprouts and a fresh lime. We were careful about where we went and found a market stall that was crowded with tourists and locals alike and it turned out to be excellent and neither of us got sick.
Stir-fried Kale and/or Morning Glory– crunchy and tender at the same time, I am so in love with eating my greens like this!
Green Papaya Salad– bright and citrusy with a hint of sweetness and just the right amount of heat this salad is my new favorite thing. Featuring green papaya, shredded carrots, tomatoes, green beans and a dressing of lime juice, ginger, a touch of fish sauce this salad is refreshing and satisfying.
Sugar Palm Cakes– not nearly as sweet as the name implies, these lightly sweetened steamed cakes are both dense and flavorful. They come sprinkled with fresh, unsweetened coconut and taste out of this world!
Penang Curry– A little sweet, a little spicy, a little coconutty and a lot of awesome! Menus here tend to have upwards of four or five different kinds of curry, but this was by far my favorite kind!
Something New– visit the market and you will be amazed by the variety of foods available. There were tons of completely foreign foods and I have no idea what most of it was- there were even a variety of fruits and vegetables that I had never seen before! We stopped at one stand that was packed where we got to try 2 dishes with rice for 50 baht (about $1.75) and we both dug in, trying something new. Everything we had was fantastic, even if I am still unsure what it was!
Krabi Town Walking Street Night Market (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 5:00pm-10:00pm)- Tons of good food from street vendors. At less than a dollar (usually) it is a great place to get adventurous and sample lots of new Thai food- get a skewer of something grilled, sweet treats, noodle dishes, drinks and more in this market. Once you’re full, check out the karaoke on the main stage, the stalls selling clothing, art and souvenirs or watch some of the talented kids break-dance in the street. I can all but guarantee you will have a great time!
Roi Thai Cooking Class– interactive, educational and tons of fun, check out Roi Thai cooking classes so you can take a taste of Thailand home with you. They have classes 3 times a day everyday with different menus daily giving you plenty of chances to visit and learn to Cooke dactyl what you want. I loved this class and if you get a chance- go!!
Restaurants to Try:
Maybe not always the most authentic, but we still enjoyed the food!
Krabi:
Nong Joke– we visited Nong Joke on the advice of fellow food blogger Mark Wiens and it lived up to every expectation we had! We had grilled prawns in tamarind sauce which was sweet and sour and completely unique (I may have scooped up the last dredges of that epic sauce and eaten it like a soup. And I don’t regret it for a second). The prawns were large and plentiful and there were bell peppers, onions and green onions swimming around in that wonderful sauce. To top it all off, there were crispy fried onions on the top. Phenomenal. We also had the Stir fried Chinese kale with salted pork and it was another excellent choice. It was salty and sweet and had the perfect amount of spice (plus the addition of two hot peppers on top to do with as you pleased. I added them to the kale.) the pork was tender and crunchy and full of flavor. While none of the meals we have had in Krabi have been bad, this meal stands out as one of the best yet!
Chapita– A little more expensive, but the portions are much bigger than at other places we visited. Of course, expensive is relative, with two dinners we spent about $8. I tried the penang curry on the advice of the waiter and it was absolutely wonderful with hints of lemon grass and loaded with freshly stir fried veggies. Nick had the pineapple coconut curry with chicken and it was a nice blend of sweet, spicy and savory. They also had a variety of reasonable priced western food from cheeseburgers to pasta and pizza and a large selection of beer and blended fruit drinks. All in all it was fabulous and I highly recommend it.
Anchalee– A beautiful restaurant set in an open air garden. It’s not just a beautiful setting, the food is also incredible! We ordered shrimp in shrimp paste with veggies and green curry and we ordered them both spicy. The waiter who took our order laughed at us but brought it spicy anyway. Oh boy, was it ever spicy! It was fantastic but almost brought tears to our eyes. It came out with a lovely display of fresh vegetables which we decided to chance (with no ill effects) and another spicy sauce. The presentation was fantastic, the service was attentive and friendly and the food was amazing.
Klang Muang Food Court– This small open air restaurant gets some awesome breezes, which helps keep the temperature reasonable. The food is fantastic and we went for lunch several times, and tried many different things on the menu. We both liked all the noodle dishes we had and the stir-fried kale and morning glory with crispy pork was outstanding!
Ao Nang:
Royal India (Indian Food, Thai Food)- located in Ao Nang we visited while we were at the beach. A little more expensive then we would have liked (we each ordered a lunch dish and rice and it came out to about $10- a fortune in this part of the world, but it is a touristy beach resort) but the food was good and had a pleasant but not overwhelming spice. Nick loved his stir-fried curry with chicken which had a creamy, slightly sweet coconut curry and said it was the best thing he had ordered in a long time. I liked but didn’t love my chili curry with chicken. It was very salty. Overall it was good, and the stir-fried curry with chicken was excellent.
Koh Lanta:
Sonya’s– we ate here three nights in a row (I loved their stir fried tofu with garlic and fresh ginger!) and saw several other families eating here over and over again! Their prices were good, and their portions were large! We asked for spicy meals a few times but were disappointed by the lack of heat. However, the flavor overall was excellent! They even had a baby food on the menu of egg, rice and vegetables- it is the only place u have ever seen that! It was a roadside cafe near Klong Khong beach that had a great ambiance, even a few hammocks of lounging in and was well shaded during those hot days. Definitely recommended!
Roi Thai– not just a cooking school, this restaurant specialized in traditional Thai foods, had a great beachside location in Klong Nin and had been awarded a clean restaurant certification by the government. Don’t have time to sit down for lunch? They have a great selection of to go options that are ready quickly. They really have it all here and iit’s all good!
Green Chili– we actually stayed in the bungalows attached to the Green Chili Restaurant and so we found ourselves visiting the resturant out of convenience, but it actually turned out to be quite good. They have a papaya salad that is absolutely amazing, although their Thai style noodles and Pad Thai are also excellent! The owners are super friendly, the food is good and the views are stunning at this beachside restaurant at Klong Khong beach.
Other Notes:
Asia has different bacteria from the US and Europe, not better, not worse, just different and it can take a few days for your body to adapt to the new bacteria. I recommend picking up some yogurt at the Tesco or another grocery store to keep your gut flora healthy and to help prevent getting sick.
Hygiene standards are a little different as well, just peek into any stall or restaurant kitchen. We purchased a bag of 50 pairs of disposable chopsticks at the Tesco Lotus for just over $1 which we use when the silverware is questionable. (Don’t feel comfortable with chopsticks? No problem, most places here provide forks and spoons instead of chopsticks anyway). If you are really concerned, look for the clean restaurant designation that the government gives, it is usually proudly displayed in the window.
Be vigilant if you have any allergies. Many of the outdoor restaurant/food carts we ate at had one big wok which everything was cooked in.
We started our journey in Thailand a little afraid of the spiciness of the food. However, during our time in Krabi we often found ourselves adding chili pepper to the dish to increase the spice. Nothing we tried was outrageously spicy on its own unless we asked for it to be, so don’t let the fear of foods being too spicy hold you back.