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I have tried. I have tried again. And I will continue to try but there is no other way to put it. I just plain dislike Thai food. Maybe I'm not trying the right stuff but it tastes absolutely terrible.

What am I supposed to do? I force half the plate down and by the end of it am so sick of it that I try and spread it out so it looks like there is less so I don't offend the cook or the servers.

Does anyone else have a specific national cuisine that they just can't stand? Am I alone in my dislike for Thai food? I didn't mind Malay food. Indian is good occasionally. I enjoy the Chinese food that I have had. So it isn't just Asian cuisine that I don't like and I do try.

Luckily in Thailand there are plenty of other cuisines to choose from. Italian and Mexican and simple rice/noodle dishes are saving me but I can't hide it anymore.

You know what? Im starting to dislike Moroccan food. So dont feel bad because at least you're not living in Thailand.
Damnit. Its just Moroccan food can be so heavy and oily. Their immatation of pizza sucks too. So what am I left with? Really just the idea of going mostly vegitarian. But thats a very difficult thing to do here. Uggg. If I have to eat one more heavy tagine I may just....
You know I am dying for some Thai food. You wanna switch me places for a bit?

I first tried Thai food in Paris 9 years ago, and am glad I did. I love it, and it's one of the reasons I'm excited to visit Thailand. As for food I don't like it, probably bugs and brains, but I'm going to try a few of each on the road anyways!

I'm curious about what you are eating and where you are eating...what part of the country and types of restaurants(for example the traveler's restaurants or street food or??) Also what did you like about malay food?
Are you generally an adventurous eater or a meat and potatoes kinda person?

Some of the mom and pop places specialize in one dish but will make the farangs anything...it'd be like going to bagel shop and ordering a burrito, they could make it but is it gonna be good??
I wouldn't feel bad about not liking it (weirdo hehe). As you said, there are alot of other cuisines availiable there...some of it very good.

Maybe it's that hint of fish sauce that's in everything??
good luck

quote:

Originally posted by Joey:
I have tried. I have tried again. And I will continue to try but there is no other way to put it. I just plain dislike Thai food.

Awwww, Joey, that's too bad.

I like lots of Thai food but I must admit, the local buffet run by just-off-the-boat natives here in Foat Wuth scares the hell out of me. So many things that I've put in my mouth there just don't taste like they look like they should taste, do you know what I mean? I'm expecting hot and I get sweet. I'm expecting sweet and I get peanuts, and I find the dissonance very confusing.

What kind of Thai foods have you tried and disliked?

La

I honestly don't know what everything is that I'm eating but it a lot of it is the simple stuff that usually get people into Thai food. Different versions of pad thai and different noodles, maybe one time I'll try it with prawns and the next with pork. I will try some soups and it just never tastes right.

I'm not sure if it is fish sauce, peanut sauce or what. I'm tempted to just start eating bugs off the carts in the street. They actually look good.

I'm not an adventerous eater by any means but I am not afraid to try I just tend to have difficulty picking stuff out. Maybe someone can give me an idea of a dish to try that is not just noodles and some meat.

I'm in Chiang Mai right now and I went to the night market and ate at a hawker stall and it wasn't very good. I can't tell if it wasn't good because I don't like it or if it really wasn't good to someone that actually enjoys Thai.

What?!? You're crazy You know, there will be no chicken nuggets at my wedding...hope you find something you like!

Try Thai desserts! They are absolutely amazing! Mango and sticky rice. Taro balls in coconut cream (they have a really good one at the coffee shop by the tha pae gate- I forget what it's called, but it's pretty western, but the food is AMAZING) . Have some fruit shakes and smoothies, fresh pineapple on the street, so many wonderful things to try. Just go around to the street carts and point at what looks tasty. Try some of the dumplings!

Actually Keppie, you named all the things I have tried that I actually like. Dumplings are delicious. I forgot about hem.

The fruit stuff is a give in, fruit is usually always good and I have been living off banana milk shakes.

I don't think there's a specific cuisine that I don't like, but sometimes I am sensitive to a particular taste.

I definitely don't like dijon mustard - or whatever's in it that distinguishes it from regular old mustard - horseradish? Something with vinegar?

I also now have a thing with coriander. I ate something with too much coriander before I got seriously ill in India, and I just can't stand it now. Luckily it seems uncommon outside India.

I don't know Thai food well but I wonder if there is some sweet taste that maybe you don't go for? You have probably thought of this, but if you can identify what it is you can try to avoid it...

I found quite a variety of tasty stuff from street stalls in Thailand, but it may be difficult to ask for them when ordering. As for other Thai dishes, they were mostly too hot for my delicate Western palate, so that could be the problem.

It's possible that a specific flavouring agent offends you. Could be the fish sauce, but then I thought that is also present in Malay food (what I didn't like about Laksa was the generous use of dried fish in it). Or it could be lemon grass/lime leaves--they are tricky to avoid.

Ouch, Kate, it's sad if a bad experience puts you off a particular food item. Coriander goes into a lot of stuff (my Moroccan mates use it by the handful). In my case, it's squid--which is sad as I used to enjoy it.

I think with your injuries and new climate your system is just a little off kilter. Probably time for some more beer and pizza reviews. I am sure that will straighten you out.
Hmmmmm.......pepperoni
Hmmmmmm.......beer

Oh! I didn't make the connection that you're the guy that got all scraped up...that can be the worst being sick or injured so far from home when you have to go out and forage for food and things and all you want to do is hang out in your pj's and eat bowls of cereal at home(or is that just me?) hope you are healing quickly.

I have big love for Chiang Mai. I shall now bombard you with some favorite spots to eat:
The Blue Diamond/The Breakfast Club...killer avocado sandwiches, breakfasts and their som tam(green papaya salad) was great and refreshing-not fishy at all. We showed up here nearly everyday for breakfast.
It's in the walled partof the city moon muang#9 area

Might give the soup Khao Soi a try. Once we discovered this regional dish we could'nt get enough. Yellow curry-ish broth with some chicken and wheat noodle like fettucini. There are lots of little stands serving it at lunchtime...One of the richest tasting ones we had was at AUM Just a few doors down from Canyon Coffee that Keppie mentioned near tha phae gate. Across the canal from there there is Aroon Rai known for khao soi too.

Down the street a bit further from AUM is Jeruselem Falafel for some hummus and baba ghanoush and good fries...seems like it was a little better a few years ago but the mediterranean flavors are a welcome relief.

Mikes Hamburgers...i think this place is modeled after In & Out burgers from CA..real milkshakes, onion rings mmm, chili, etc...run by a californian i think...down from the Starbucks(yikes) across from the Tha Phae gate along the canal a block or two.

Chiang Mai is loaded with good food even the simple bbq chicken and glob of sticky rice or the honey chicken....

In the afternoons when school is letting out,near the schools in the walled part, the streets are lined with vendors selling cheap eats of all sorts of snacks ...a favorite place to graze-getting giggled at by the school children. There is a lady selling wontons with some of the best homemade sauce ever-hot or mild!

Ok I'll stop now can you tell I like food? When i wasn't eating my way through the city I enjoyed the cool air up at Doi Suthep temple quite a relief ffrom the heat.
Take care, Kate

I love Thai food (even though I'm a spice wimp), but I've never been too keen on Mexican food. Of course, that's the kind of Mexican that's in restaurants/dives up here, not actually in Mexico. So, it's likely I'm not getting real Mexican food. But whatever it is, it's not high on my list... I can usually find one thing on a menu that's okay, which is good, because it's a pretty common cuisine around here, and the husband loves it!

I don't know. I love Thai food IN Thailand. I'm not real big on the noodles, or sweet things/chili sauce, but just about everything else is great. I do like and ask for everything "Thai spicy" though. Overall, my favorites are the stir-frys with rice, and the soups. I also find that the more green leafy stuff is in it, the better I like it.

I'm leaving tomorrow after 9 days, and I have eaten nothing but Thai food in that time. Mmmm.

I absolutely love Thai food. I would go to Thailand just for the food.

I hated most Mongolian food, because it's always the same (i.e. mutton) and they don't use any spices. But you'd probably have to look hard to find someone who does like Mongolian food. I thought the food in Ireland was pretty bad too, though maybe that's because we could only afford to eat at the cheapest places.

Hmm, I'm in Thailand right now, and haven't even lost weight on the small portions because I'm eating everything in sight. But I don't like German food. The bread and noodles are great--it's the stewy type stuff that leaves me wondering--got milk?

I always thought that Thai food was one of those things that "everyone loves."

Joey, you are a brave guy to come on here and admit how weird you are. We sympathize.

I'm not sure if I have an entire national cuisine that I dislike. Perhaps Tibetan, but that's a bit unfair given the relative lack of natural resources they have to work with.

Hi,
I saw your post. I'm thinking it has something to do with the fish sauce or coconut or the oil. Why don't you try some of their noodle soups. You can try stuff like papaya salad and grilled meats. Vietnamese noodle soups(pho) shouldn't be hard to find either and they are not greasy.

I too really thought, no, was convinced that everyone loved Thai food! I can't wait to go back even if it were simply for the food. I love thai food, love it! Sorry Joey but you are different. No good Pad Thai, no Thom Yum Guy (sp), curry?, garlic chicken, pineapple fried rice, etc etc etc...I just love soo much of it. And I always found some good imatation of our food over there. Anyway bro, hope your dietary experience improves.