The Artful Way To Experience Thai Dining

brought to you by Wang Thai Restaurants

Traditionally, Thai food is eaten with a fork and spoon. Even single-dish meals, such as steamed rice with chicken, are served in bite-sized slices or chunks obviating the need for a knife. It is considered rude in Thai culture to put a fork in ones mouth, therefore the spoon is used to convey food to the mouth.

Ideally, eating Thai food is a communal affair involving two or more people, principally because the greater the number of diners, the greater the number of dishes ordered. Generally speaking, two diners order three dishes in addition to their own individual plates of steamed rice. Three diners order four dishes, and so on. Diners then choose whatever they require from shared dishes and add it to their own rice. Soups are enjoyed concurrently with rice and other dishes, not independently, and spicy dishes are "balanced" by bland dishes to avoid discomfort.

The ideal Thai meal is a harmonious blend of the spicy, the subtle, the sweet and sour, and is meant to be equally satisfying to the eye, nose and palate. A typical meal might include a clear soup, a steamed dish, a fried dish, a hot salad, and a variety of sauces into which food is dipped. This would be followed by sweet desserts or fruits