Anyone else slightly annoyed at the obsession with "eating" in Bangkok?

i get it. the food obsession can be a bit much. but honestly, the street food scene here is legit for a reason. the recycled oil thing is a real issue at some stalls tho, especially around khaosan where they're frying everything in the same vat for days. i've had better luck at the places that specialize in one thing like that khao man gai stall on sukhumvit soi 38 that's been there forever.

cooking at home in bangkok is kinda a flex anyway cause most condos have tiny kitchens with weak gas stoves. you're prob making better decisions for your gut than the people hitting up yaowarat every night. i do both - cook during the week, eat out on weekends. balance.

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The "food is a religion" crowd is exhausting, I agree. I've lived here six years and the pressure to treat every meal like a pilgrimage gets old fast. What bugs me more is how they act like cooking at home is some kind of character flaw when half those stalls are using MSG and oil that's been through three rounds of frying already.

There's a middle ground people miss. I buy fresh curry paste from the women at Or Tor Kor market and throw together a quick gaeng keow wan at home in twenty minutes. Costs about 40 baht a portion and I know exactly what's in it. Plus my kitchen has a proper hood fan, which is rare enough in this city that I'm not giving it up.

You're not wrong about the stomach problems either. The people who brag about eating street food five times a day are the same ones carrying Imodium in their bag. I'll take a home cooked meal over that nonsense any day.

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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