Thai restaurants offer a variety of flavorful dishes that combine flavors like spicy, sweet, bitter, and sour. Vegetable- and noodle-based dishes -- such as
yum salads, which are rich with vegetables -- and steamed foods are among good choices; others, such as curries prepared with coconut milk or deep-fried foods, are less preferable. Here is a quick guide to dishes to choose and avoid at Thai restaurants:
Good Choices:
- yam or yum salad (vegetables and noodles)
- larb (meat-based salad)
- nam pla (as a sauce or dressing)
- soup (e.g. tom yum koong or tom yum kai)
- steamed dumplings
- seafood-based dishes (e.g. steamed mussels)
Choose Less Often:
- curries
- spring rolls
- satay
- peanut sauce or dressing
- fried fish
- sweet and sour sauce
