Price of Thai Food in England & Vice Versa

Restaurants, food, beverage, hawkers, and local markets and suppliers. This is the place for discussion on Hua Hin's culinary options.
Post Reply
HHTel
Hero
Hero
Posts: 10807
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 7:44 pm

Price of Thai Food in England & Vice Versa

Post by HHTel »

Have you seen the price of Thai food in the UK? Works both ways!
User avatar
caller
Hero
Hero
Posts: 10957
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2005 6:05 pm
Location: Hua Hin

Re: British minister visits Thailand for trade talks

Post by caller »

HHTel wrote: Wed Apr 04, 2018 2:40 pm Have you seen the price of Thai food in the UK? Works both ways!
But in the UK 95% of the ingredients for Thai food are homegrown! Time Out in it's annual restaurant guide for London, always started the Thai section by saying the cost of Thai food is inexcusable or words to that effect! Mind you that was a while ago.

In any case, my other half alwayd preferred to cook her own as 1. she hated the prices in Thai restaurants and 2. with the exception of one or two places, she didn't rate the food much. I bet there must be a good few Brits who ate somtam made from Swede!
Talk is cheap
handdrummer
Addict
Addict
Posts: 5389
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:58 am

Re: British minister visits Thailand for trade talks

Post by handdrummer »

HHTel wrote: Wed Apr 04, 2018 2:40 pm Have you seen the price of Thai food in the UK? Works both ways!
No. I haven't been in England for several years and would never consider eating Thai food there.
oakdale160
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 4657
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 9:51 pm

Re: Price of Thai Food in England & Vice Versa

Post by oakdale160 »

When visiting Toronto, I asked that friends where to get good Thai food, they all said the same thing--"At my house" sadly they didn't follow up with an invitation. One night it started to pour with rain and we found outside a Thai restaurant, so reluctantly went in --the food was wonderful, not too expensive and the servings so big that we took the remainders home for another meal. I asked to speak to the cook and she turned out to be Malaysian. As I had ordered Penang curry, that made sense.
User avatar
Khundon1975
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 3462
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:05 am
Location: Boo, I'm behind you.

Re: Price of Thai Food in England & Vice Versa

Post by Khundon1975 »

There are 3 Thai restaurants in a town near us, all selling the usual Thai dishes, which are fine.
However, all these restaurants will, if given prior notice, lay on a spread of real Thai dishes.
Every time we go, the wife rings them and arranges her own menu of food dishes that she wants them to serve us and our guests.
They are more than happy to do it, just ask.

The wife gets a lot of her stuff from a Chinese wholesaler in Poole, all be it, more costly, but that’s the same for a lot of imported foods in the UK.
Also, there are websites here where she orders from and it comes direct from Thailand and it gets flown in twice weekly. Ideal for fresh herbs and those items that aren’t available in UK shops.
:thumb:
I've lost my mind and I am making no effort to find it.
Takiap
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 3550
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2006 1:55 pm
Location: Bo Fai

Re: British minister visits Thailand for trade talks

Post by Takiap »

caller wrote: Wed Apr 04, 2018 9:45 pm
HHTel wrote: Wed Apr 04, 2018 2:40 pm Have you seen the price of Thai food in the UK? Works both ways!
But in the UK 95% of the ingredients for Thai food are homegrown! Time Out in it's annual restaurant guide for London, always started the Thai section by saying the cost of Thai food is inexcusable or words to that effect! Mind you that was a while ago.

In any case, my other half alwayd preferred to cook her own as 1. she hated the prices in Thai restaurants and 2. with the exception of one or two places, she didn't rate the food much. I bet there must be a good few Brits who ate somtam made from Swede!

At the Royal Thai Restaurant in Abereen, you could order Somtam ans it was made with unripe papaya as it is here, but it was of course somtam Thai rather than somtam Isaan. In all fairness, UK restaurants cannot dare to make authentic somtam Isaan due to health and safety regulations concerning the pla ra that is used in it.

Only a slightly different note, eating Thai food in the UK cost several times more than what it costs me to eat Farang food in Thailand so personally I don't think those of us who live here have much reason to complain.


:cheers:
Don't try to impress me with your manner of dress cos a monkey himself is a monkey no less - cold fact
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 44954
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: British minister visits Thailand for trade talks

Post by Big Boy »

caller wrote: Wed Apr 04, 2018 9:45 pm I bet there must be a good few Brits who ate somtam made from Swede!
In all my years of living in the UK with Mrs BB, I never saw her, or any of her friends use Swede for Somtam. I saw them use carrot, cucumber, mango and on special occasions, even papaya. Carrot and cucumber were the usual suspects though.

I've just asked her, and in fact, she did use swede as well. Sacrilege - swede is too precious.
Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
User avatar
404cameljockey
Ace
Ace
Posts: 1780
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2016 5:14 am

Re: Price of Thai Food in England & Vice Versa

Post by 404cameljockey »

I'd love to contribute re pla ra, but I'm the one that will get called out for being off topic. I might start another thread later.
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 44954
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: Price of Thai Food in England & Vice Versa

Post by Big Boy »

404cameljockey wrote: Fri Apr 06, 2018 8:03 am I'd love to contribute re pla ra,
In the early days in the UK, Mrs BB used to buy a Philippine brand because it was a lot cheaper.

It then became tradition for whoever was travelling to Thailand to bring back a big sweet jar full of the stuff. Mrs BB used to wrap the jar in layer after layer of cling film to prevent leakage. In 20+ years of this ritual, we only had one mishap - a megga leakage en-route to Hua Hin from Isaan. I remember walking into the hotel dragging my bag, thinking what a smelly hotel.
Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
User avatar
caller
Hero
Hero
Posts: 10957
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2005 6:05 pm
Location: Hua Hin

Re: British minister visits Thailand for trade talks

Post by caller »

Takiap wrote: Fri Apr 06, 2018 7:20 amAt the Royal Thai Restaurant in Abereen, you could order Somtam ans it was made with unripe papaya as it is here, but it was of course somtam Thai rather than somtam Isaan. In all fairness, UK restaurants cannot dare to make authentic somtam Isaan due to health and safety regulations concerning the pla ra that is used in it.
When I talked of Swede as an alterntive, I wasn't referring to restaurants, but home made, so to speak. The price of Papaya was extortionate in the UK and not always available. A good Indian corner shop would sell them for half the price of Thai shops, but again, they' weren't always available, so the Thai ladies would do what Thais excel at - make do with somethig else!
Talk is cheap
User avatar
Khundon1975
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 3462
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:05 am
Location: Boo, I'm behind you.

Re: Price of Thai Food in England & Vice Versa

Post by Khundon1975 »

The weekly market in a local town sells Pappaya, but you have to get there around 7am, otherwise they are all gone. The wife also get Moolie (that big white carrot shaped thing) and she also gets some fresh herbs from there.
Availability of ingredients for Thai dishes has got a lot better here in the UK, but prices are high, due to the fact they have to be imported.
That’s life. :wink:
I've lost my mind and I am making no effort to find it.
Post Reply