THE smorgasbord of flavours and pleasures that greets any traveller visiting Southeast Asian is one of the biggest draws to this dynamic region. Whether it’s supping noodles from a Bangkok market stall, devouring a plateful of rotis on a Penang street corner or, more surprisingly, nibbling on buttery croissants in the Laos capital, Vientiane, the more adventurous visitor can certainly embark on an epicurean journey of some proportions.
Street food in Thailand (© Andrew Spooner)
Start with the region’s street food and you’ll begin to get an idea of how the locals live and eat. And while, at first, chowing down with a new culture in such a public setting can be a little daunting, a few simple techniques can take you a long way.
Look for the busiest places – the humblest back street eateries can be packed to the rafters, queues forming with eager diners. Even if you don’t know what they are serving, get in line and you’re sure to find something tasty.
Don’t be shy – lift up pot lids, poke about a bit, ask questions. Most Asian budget places are used to this and it can be a great way to communicate with the locals. You can also order the food exactly to your specification – this kind of noodle, with that kind of meat and can you please put the soup and noodles in separate bowls.
Keep testing and tasting – if you’re in a food market it’s fun to just buy up several small dishes even if you’re unsure what you’re getting. Most of it is so cheap that it’s not going to break the bank.
Go seasonal and local – there’s a very good reason why most Thais won’t eat mangoes out of season. That’s because the ones on offer in-season are so spectacularly good that the year round varieties are just poor imitations. If you’re in a fresh produce market keep an eye out for what’s piled high.
Our picks here are not definitive – for example, it almost impossible to say what is the best of the best in a city like Bangkok. But they should hopefully provide a starting point for any culinary expedition.
Malaysia – Georgetown, Penang
The jewel in the Southeast Asia’s culinary crown is often considered to be the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Georgetown, Penang Island where the beautifully preserved shophouses, chai stalls and vibrant markets create the definitive exotic backdrop.
Roit canai – a delicious flaky flatbread – is the essential food item in Georgetown. Stop off at Sup Hameed (48 Jln Penang ) where you can eat it with a variety of soups and curries. They are famous for their bull’s penis soup, “Sup Torpedo Lembu” – rather amusingly one Lonely Planet guide incorrectly refers to this as “squid.” They also serve up several Malay nasi lemak bungkus – small pockets of coconut rice mixed with anchovies, peanuts and chilli paste wrapped up in neat banana leaves and left on the table – which you can find everywhere in Georgetown.
For North Indian food Kapitan (49 Lebuh Chulia), set on a street corner in Little India, is a Georgetown legend with fantastic set menus, tandoori meats, chais and nan breads.
Thailand – Bangkok
The great thing about the Thai capital is that the chance for good food endlessly proliferates throughout the back streets and sois – all you have to do is walk outside of your hotel’s front door. Yet, if you want the full authentic Thai experience the first trick is get as far away from the tourist spots as possible. Start at Chok Chai Si night market on Lad Phrao Rd (Lad Phrao metro and short taxi ride or buses 8, 92, 44 – 6pm to 10pm. There’s also a daytime fresh produce market here), which is justifiably famous with locals. Look out for spicy clam soups and excellent moo krob – crispy pork belly – being served from the street stalls here. Huay Khwang market (a short walk from Huay Khwang metro) is also a great place to browse for great street-eats – come in the evening, after dark until late. For amazing handmade Yunnan noodles head to Smile restaurant (Suthisan metro, 302/38 Suthisan Vinijchai Rd) – the beef noodle soup is astonishing. The most popular street food in Bangkok hails from Isaan – Thailand’s vast Northeastern region. Som tam (spicy green papaya salad), various larbs (spicy minced pork/chicken with roasted rice and mint), grilled meats and sticky rice can be found literally everywhere. If you’re a som tam virgin the Som Tam Noir restaurant (Siam Sq. skytrain, Siam Sq. soi 4) is a good place to lose your cherry – book a table if you don’t want to queue. The grilled beef with nam jim jaew – a chilli sauce mixed with lime and salty fish sauce – is awesome.
Street food on the sois of Bangkok, Thailand. Pic: AP.
Laos – Vientiane
If you’ve visited Thailand it’s likely you’ve already encountered some form of Lao cuisine – Isaan food (see above) is very closely related. But what you most certainly won’t have come across in Thailand is some of the most affordable French fare in Southeast Asia.
Vientiane, the sleepy Laos capital has some excellent and, given the quality, very reasonable French eateries. One of the best is Le Silapa (17/1 Sihom Rd); the set lunch is a great bargain, serving up everything from goats cheese stuffed aubergines through to excellent rosemary and garlic enhanced lamb – the wine list is pretty good too. For superb croissants, coffee – Laotian coffee is regarded as some of the finest on earth - and pastries Le Croissant d’Or (Khoummane Rd) is essential but to sample authentic local flavours try the family-run Nang Khambang (97/2 Khoun Boulom Rd). The food here can be seriously challenging and spicy but makes for a perfect intro to Lao food. If you want to dine with a conscience, Makphet is a non-profit restaurant that helps raise money for street kids and also serves up premier Lao grub.
Macau
When it comes to food, the ex-Portuguese enclave of Macau is one of Asia’s best kept secrets. Here, in this miniscule Chinese city-state, Cantonese and the far-flung flavours of Portugal’s former colonies in Asia, Africa and India combine to create the unique Macanese cuisine.
Quintessential Portuguese egg-custard tarts, Pasties de Nata, are available everywhere – Lord Stow’s Bakery on Coloane island is superb– while more complete, and pricier, Macanese dining can be had at Henri’s Galley restaurant (Avenida da Republica), where you’ll find an incredible African Chicken in the shape of an entire bird slow-roasted in paprika, chilli, coconut, peanuts and garlic. Nam Heng (opposite the Sofitel on Rua das Lorchas) offers tasty plates of steamed siu long bao, a scrumptious pork meat and soup-filled dumpling, and the side-streets off of nearby Rua de Calderia are packed with budget Cantonese eateries offering noodles, dim sum and sweet pork buns.
Andrew Spooner is the co-author of Footprint books’ Southeast Asia Handbook
