Tasting street food in Thailand is mandatory for tourists and locals. We have four street food menus that are convenient, accessible, and usually found in community areas, flea markets or just about any road-side curb of any neighborhood. Regardless if it is the ubiquitous grilled meatballs, grilled pork, traditional Isan sausage or grilled squid – you only need a whiff of its charcoal smoke aroma to taste its flavor – you will love it. You may find an opportunity to come visit Thailand again just to experience original street food.
1. Grilled Meatballs
A visit to Thailand without tasting Luk Chin or grilled meatballs on skewers, is considered a mistake of immense proportions! To describe grilled meatballs as a tasty snack is a huge understatement. It is convenient to eat and usually made from pork, beef, chicken, and pork tendons – connoisseurs claim that beef or pork tendons are the best, hands down! Grilled meatballs have the crunchiness of tendons mixed in with meat, which makes chewing pork or beef tendons rather fun if one might say so. Vegetarians can opt for tofu skewers as well. Freshly grilled meatballs served with dipping sauce (each sauce is unique to each street vendor) is a match made in heaven.
2. Grilled Pork Skewers
Grilled pork skewers are usually sold in the morning and eaten with freshly steamed sticky rice. Delicious grilled pork skewers should be eaten while piping hot! After grilling the pork skewers over a charcoal grill, the succulent pork meat – which was marinated in seasonings such as soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar – will deliver a sweet and salty taste infused with garlic, pepper, and coriander roots. Some vendors baste coconut milk over the pork skewers to enhance their soft meat texture and delicious aroma. Pork skewers which use fatty pork, will be soft and enjoyable on your palate.
3. Isan Sausage
Isan sausage or Sai Krok Isan is fermented sausage street food made from a pork and rice mixture. It can be eaten as a snack. This traditional Thai sausage is made from fermented pork, lard, and rice. It is seasoned with various spices and mixed together. It is then stuffed, tied and set aside to dry. Available in both wrapped and sliced form. It is usually round in shape, eaten grilled or fried – accompanied by fresh vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce, bird’s eye chili and ginger to bring out its flavor. Sour, salty and fragrantly savory, are the blended flavors you will experience.
4. Grilled Squid
Fresh grilled squid on a skewer topped with a spicy dipping sauce is so addictive. It is like no other street food that you have tried before. The grilled squid is cut into bite-sized pieces, and you can choose specific parts such as squid tentacles and squid eggs. We recommend trying the chewy stewed squid tentacles, topped with a wonderful dipping sauce made from chili, garlic, and lime juice. But be warned that grilled squid dipping sauce is rather spicy. If you cannot tolerate spicy sauce, then order the squid and a toned-down version of the dipping sauce separately.
Come to visit Thailand and try these street foods. Fly to Thailand with Thai Airways!
