Joanna James
Pattaya is a multicultural place which attracts as many locals as well as tourists. Here are 5 main mouth water delicacies you must get your hands on when you're on holiday in Pattaya.
Locals love Som Tum, or more commonly known as Green Papaya Salad. This delicious dish is a combination of garlic, green beans, cherry tomatoes, shredded raw papaya and chilli. It is added with a combination of sour, sweet and spicy flavours. Some of the usual additions include crab meat, peanuts or dry shrimp. Since this dish is so popular, you'll be able to find it at many street side carts or at some of the best restaurants in Pattaya. Som Tum can be eaten as it is, or with sticky rice, and is usually the most favoured way to enjoy the salad as it mops up the sauce and evens out the different flavours from the salad.
Tom Yum Goong is so famous amongst locals that it's said to be the national dish of Thailand. Also known as Spicy Shrimp Soup, it combines a mixture of chilli, lime leaves, lemongrass, shallots, galangal and fish sauce which creates a sour, spicy, herby soup. Fresh prawns and mushrooms are also added to the dish. Goong actually translates to shrimp. This delectable dish is a must try when you're in Pattaya. Many restaurants in the city such as the ones at AVANI Pattaya Resort & Spa will probably serve up a piping hot serving of this dish!
Popularly served as a lunch or dinner dish, Pad Krapow Moo Saap is dish containing fresh basil and pork and is a dish full of spice and Thai flavours. Heavy on basil and coated with minced pork, green beans and fresh chilli, this stir fry dish is served on a warm bed of soft steamed rice and usually accompanied with a friend egg decorated on top. The basil used in the creation of this scrumptious dish is different from the usual Italian herb you're probably used to. The basil is slightly spicy and has small, narrow leaves, which creates the exotic Thai flavours.
Also known as Salt Crusted Grilled Fish with Lemongrass, this dish is another popular item in Thailand. A whole cooked fish that's marinated with a bunch of lemongrass sticks – well more like the sticks are stuffed in to the fish's mouth and then grilled to perfection. The pale white colour of the fish is derived from the thick crust of salt that's usually coated on the fish, and keeps the flesh of the fish soft and moist instead of drying it out too much. The lemongrass infused the fish with its flavours, giving it a tangy and lemony flavour. Usually served for dinner, this meal can either be accompanied with a bowl of steamed rice, or eaten plain, after its been drizzled with a seafood dipping sauce.
A common dish served around the country, Pad Thai is a concoction of a variety of flavours and spices that's created to leave you craving more! Made with noodles, eggs, onions and meat – usually shrimp and bean sprouts, this dish is served with a variety of condiments like chilli powder, sugar, fish sauce and ground peanuts.
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