Sunday, January 22, 2012

Calator in Thailanda 11. Ce am mancat la Chang Mai? / Traveller in Thailand 11. What Have We Eaten in Chang Mai?


Don’t expect me to tell you about odd or funy food! We were in Chang Mai for only one and a half day, so it was no time for experiments. 

We had lunch and dinner at the guesthouse, in the first day. In the second day, lunch was served in the Old Town, in a beautiful, serene garden, which reminded me on a lemon orchard were we ate in Acharavi, in Northern Corfu.

In Thailand I learned that chicken meat is “gai” and pork is “moo”, noodles are “pad thai”. The rice is compulsory, steamed or fried. Sometime they add a clear soup, tasteless in my opinion, to be eaten with the rest of the food. Chicken meat and pork are served with rice or noodles, only the spices are different, to give a strong taste. A lot of fresh fruit drinks (because it is warm enough) and local beers, among which we preffered Chang.

The one-course lunch/dinner for 3 persons and non-alcholic drinks costed between 290-360 bht or
12.4$/9 euro. A tip of 10-20 bht was welcomed. About the street food I will tell you in another post.

Sa nu va asteptati sa va vorbesc despre ciudatenii la capitolul mancare! In Chang Mai am luat micul dejun la pensiune, inclus in costul cazarii, pranzul pe unde ne-am nimerit la ora la care ni s-a facut foame (adica intre doua temple) si cina prima tot la restaurantul pensiunii si a doua, in apropierea pietei de noapte. N-am stat decat o zi si jumatate in Chang Mai asa ca nu am avut timp sa experimentam.

Micul dejun, cel obisnuit, cu paine prajita, oua ochiuri, gem, suc, ceai/cafea si fructe. Primul pranz, imediat dupa ce am ajuns, l-am luat pe mica terasa a pensiunii si a fost si primul contact cu mancarea thailandeza (daca nu pun la socoteala cina dintr-un restaurant thailandez, luata la San Francisco, cu 16 ani in urma). Acum am invatat ca in thai, carnea de pui se numeste "gai" si cea de porc "mo", iar taiteii "pad thai". Am mai scris, mie mi se pare destul de asemanatoare mancarea thailandeza cu cea chinezeasca si nu ma refer la ce se mananca prin restaurantele specifice din Europa.

Pui cu usturoi si sos de chili (gai tod kratiem), pui cu taitei thai (pad thai gai), porc cu usturoi si chili (moo graprao) si pui cu vinete si busuioc dulce ( pad ma khua) au fost mancarurile servite acolo, insotite de o bere Chang. Orice fel de mancare are alaturi, obligatoriu, orezul fiert sau prajit.
 gai tod kratiem
 pad thai gai
 moo graprao
 pad ma khua
Momente placute am petrecut servind pranzul intr-o gradina plina de flori si pasarele, doar cu cativa clienti, in Orasul Vechi, in apropierea templului Wat Prasingh. Gradina mi-a amintit de o livada de lamai si leandri, la Acharavi, in nordul insulei Corfu, unde am pranzit acum cativa ani. Aceeasi atmosfera senina, plina de pace si incantare.

Carnea de pui este servita cam peste tot in aceleasi combinatii cu orez sau taitei, difera doar mirodeniile folosite, care o fac mai picanta sau nu. In acest loc ni s-a servit si cate un bol cu o supa clara, fara vreun gust special, care se mananca in acelasi timp cu restul mancarii. Sucurile de kiwi si mere ne-au racorit. Trei persoane, 290 bht.
A doua seara, cand am vizitat piata de noapte, am ales sa mancam in apropierea ei la un mic restaurant de unde ne zambea de pe pereti...Elvis Priesley. Era clar ca acolo, in jurul pietei, multe restaurante se acomodau gustului si interesului turistilor occidentali. Din nou pui, de data asta dulce-acrisor sau cu taitei si suc de rosii, insotite de fresh-uri de kiwi si ananas. Trei persoane, 360 bht (12.4$/9 euro).
 sweet&sour
Ce se poate manca la piata de noapte, va voi arata mai tarziu, in alta postare.

18 comments:

magda said...

Very nice foods!!!
And wonderful photos!
Have a nice week!

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, magda, you too!

VP said...

Nice pictures, but not exactly my favorite kind of food. I am a bit spoiled living here in Tuscany!

Traveling Hawk said...

Yes, you are, VP! I eat also only some of those.

joo said...

Looks really tasty. I tried Thai food in Amsterdam and it was fantastic, so I can imagine that in Thailand is even better:)

Traveling Hawk said...

Joo, usually what we eat in Europe or in the States as Asiatic food has nothing to do with the real one. It is made to meet the European taste. The same goes for European food, eaten in Asia. It is made for the Asian taste, so it has nothing in common with the real European food. A chef has nothing to do here. He will have to use the ingredients common for the continent. But I liked some of the food, or , better said, I ate only what I think I would like:)

Kumiko said...

These dishes are really appetizing.They're my favorite kind of foods.
Thank you for sharing wonderful photos.

Doug Hickok said...

You know how to make a wonderful presentation! The food looks delicious! Elvis in Thailand is a funny twist :^)

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, Kumiko. I put here only food we like and ate.

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, Doug! In a certain way, making presentations is my job (I teach students how to do them:))

Helma said...

Traveling Hi Hawk,

that food looks quite appetizing. And if you've learned how inieider chicken in Thai green drink that says :-) I think something less good looking, but it will certainly have been nice. Your photos are very inviting at least about.

Greetings, Helma

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, Helma!

Randy said...

The food looks amazing!

Traveling Hawk said...

It was also good, Randy:)

RIZALENIO said...

I love Thai food esp pad thai. Maybe I can't live without rice. I got hungry looking at those photos...and those drinks, they look to-die-for. :)

Traveling Hawk said...

Oho, those drinks were yummy, Rizalenio! Thanks for the comment.

Liliana said...

Ah, da, Phad Thai! Yummi. Personal, iubesc mancarea thailandeza, desi nu sunt o cunoscatoare inca. Din ce am incercat, pe unde am putut, thai cuisine a fost best of the best.

Traveling Hawk said...

Mie imi plac anumite lucruri si tind sa le mananc doar pe acelea, Liliana. In plus, dupa cum am spus, nu vad mari diferente intre mancarea thai si sea chinezeasca.