There are two primary differences between fast-food Thai and authentic Thai food that make the taste and texture noticeable. Want to know how to spot them? Below are the two biggest differences between good Thai food and exceptional, authentic Thai food!
The Noodles!
There are a variety of different types of Thai noodles, and each has a different name. There are Guay Tiew Naam, Phad Thai, Ba Mee Hang, and Phad Woon Sen noodles, for example. And, each noodle is made from different ingredients. There are rice noodles, mung bean noodles, and egg noodles, to name a few.
A good Thai restaurant is going to offer at least four different types of noodles. A Thai restaurant is going to offer at least four different types of hand-made noodles.
The difference between mass-manufactured noodles and hand-made noodles is noticeable from both the look and texture as well as the taste! The noodles are the foundation of any great Thai plate.
The Sauces
As there are with Thai noodles, there are two types of Thai sauces. There are good tasting mass-produced Thai sauces and there are great tasting homemade sauces! Pad Thai sauce is something every decent Thai restaurant should be making itself. It’s easy to make and is the staple sauce. But, there is also garlic, lime, and chili dipping sauce, dried chilli dipping sauce, spicy sweet and sour relish, fish sauce with hot chilies, and sweet peanut sauce just to name a few!
If a Thai restaurant has three to six homemade sauces, you can bet that you’re going to love the flavor of the food!
Again, there is a place in the world for average Thai food. Some of it still tastes great. But, if you want the best tasting Thai food available, you have to go authentic.
The next time you go out for Thai, ask the staff if the noodles and sauces are authentic!