
It is general knowledge that Thailand's culinary offering emphasizes on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components and a spicy edge.
Their many culinary influences--from the Indians to the Chinese--have led Thai food to evolve and become a symphony of flavors.
Each ingredient works effortlessly to lure any food lover into its aromatic smell.
Its rich and creamy curries, fragrant sauces, and flavorful snacks are all bound to have you begging for more.
According to Biyahe ni Drew host Drew Arellano, the secret lies in Thai's masterful balance of the five essential flavors--sour, salty, bitter, sweet, and spicy.
Each dish they serve is never dull because it brings a particular kick to your palate.
Did that cause your mouth to water? If you want to know more, we list the four restaurants Drew Arellano tried while visiting the Land of Smiles.
Location: Sathon Tai Road, Bangkok, Thailand
Exterior of Blue Elephant Restaurant in Bangkok / Source: daily.clipping (IG)
Under the helm of master chef Nooro Somany Steppe, this long-running restaurant is a stalwart of the Bangkok culinary scene.
Blue Elephant is brought to life using a traditional colonial style home in Sathon Road with an elegant dining room that fills nightly with out-of-towners and locals for a special occasion.
During his visit, Drew experienced a hands-on cooking class with the master chef and cooked Thai's very own Green Chicken Curry Dish.
Upon tasting the dish, the Kapuso host's eyes lit up and said that the food was “perfect.”
He added, “When they mentioned that we were going to be preparing Green Curry Chicken. I thought you [Chef Steppe] would bring out a green curry powder.
“It's so different because back home, I just pull out yellow curry powder from the cabinet and cook whatever is available. But this one, we started from scratch.”
Location: Sala Thammasop Road, Thawi Watthana District, Bangkok, Thailand
Exterior of Krua Baan Yee Sarnin Bangkok / Source: TripAdvisor.com
Although a bit burdensome to find, this restaurant is highly popular with the locals because of its array of ancient dishes that aren't available in the market.
During his trip, Drew tasted their signature dishes such as the Stir-fried Razor Clams with Spicy Herb, Mackerel with Ma-Dan Soup, Spawn Crab simmered in Coconut Milk, and Deep-fried Sun Fish.
The Krua Baan Yee Sarn is perfect for food connoisseurs who love the thrill of eating spicy food.
“The thing with Thai food is that they complement each other.
“I'm the type of guy who loves to have different kinds of food on my plate. Kahit ano, basta, masarap kakainin ko.
“But this one, it complements everything. Its' sweet, salty, spicy, sour--it just works,” Drew said.
Location: Yaowarat Road, Samphanthawong District, Bangkok
Yaowarat Road at Night / Source: kidzekan (IG)
As mentioned earlier, Thailand's culinary taste stemmed from different influences, and that includes the Chinese.
Yaowarat is Bangkok's Chinatown, where anyone, with a sense of adventure, can get lost among the many market alleys and food stalls available in the area.
Here you can taste the Kuay Jab, a streetside noodle dish made with wide rolled rice noodles mixed with crispy pork belly, pork liver, pork intestines, pork kidney, pork lung, and egg.
Unlike a typical Thai soup, the Kuay Jab is different because of its flavor that is distinctively Chinese.
Location: Bang Kapi, Huai Khwang, Bangkok
Infrared-grilled fish in Celeb E-san / Source: celebesan_ (IG)
Located at one of Thailand's well-loved malls, Celeb E-san offers authentic Northeastern Thai cuisine which stays true to its origins complemented with luxe interiors foodies will enjoy.
According to Drew, they buy their ingredients daily, and their chefs are knowledgeable enough to inspect each item that'll suit each of their dishes.
Once they have sourced their ingredients, the chefs immediately go to work to create their local dishes that cater to the modern palate.
Drew tried their grilled fish that is cooked, not in charcoal, but using infrared.
For someone who isn't a fan of spicy foods like our dear host, this is perfect for you.
There are a plethora of reasons to visit Thailand--its stunning natural scenes, golden beaches, legendary parties--but the most alluring of them all lies in its cuisines which makes it the perfect travel destination for tourists who love to binge on food.
With its reputation for being one of the most delicious food in the world, no wonder every person who visited the country left with a smile in their face and a full stomach.