The beauty of Thai food is that over the centuries, the Thais adapted elements of foreign cuisines to reflect their own tastes, culture and locally available ingredients, creating a unique, lively, flavorful balance of spicy, sour, sweet, and salty flavors.

NOTE: While the characteristic of Thai food is typically “spicy,” most dishes can be prepared with mild, medium or high degree of spiciness. Be sure to ask your server when you order!

Thai food is known for its plentiful use of fresh herbs, spices, and nam pla--a bold, aromatic fish sauce. All Thai dishes use these to varying degrees. (NOTE: Pad Thai Restaurant’s vegetarian dishes are the exception—they are true vegetarian dishes and do NOT use fish sauce, but without the loss of ANY authentic flavor.)  Typical spices and herbs include lemongrass, Thai basil, turmeric, cumin, galangal (a relative of ginger), kaffir lime, and chillies. Other commonly used ingredients are tamarind, peanuts and coconut milk.  

Thai cuisine is also known for its curries--meat, fish or vegetable dishes in a spiced sauce which uses ingredients such as chili peppers, Kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal and coconut milk. Curries are distinguished by their color--red curries use red chilis, while green curries use green chilis. Yellow curries are more similar to Indian curries, with their use of turmeric and cumin. 

Sweet-smelling jasmine rice is native to Thailand and is served with flavorful curries, stir-frys and other dishes, typically flavored with chillies, Kaffir lime and lemongrass. Noodles are popular as well but usually come as a single dish, such as the classic Pad Thai (literally, “Thai Noodles”). Most dishes come with your choice of chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu.

 A TREAT FOR YOUR PALATE, AND GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH!
One of the reasons Thai food has become so popular in the United States is that besides being wonderfully flavorful--it’s also beneficial to your health!

• Coriander, lemongrass, kaffir lime, basil, turmeric and ginger have been used for centuries to aid digestion. Maybe that’s why Thais have a much lower rate of digestive tract cancers than people in other parts of the world.
• Lemongrass is antibacterial, good for circulation, reduces fevers, eases headaches, soothes anxiety and boosts the immune system--no wonder it was once considered a sacred herb! In ancient China it was used as a cure for the common cold and flu. If you want to find out why, try our delicious, spicy Tom Yum Goong soup the next time you have the sniffles! Click here to read about what anti-cancer researchers are saying about the healing properties of this amazing soup.

• Turmeric contains curcumin, a well-known anti-inflammatory agent that’s beneficial for arthritis symptoms and heart conditions, is antibacterial, and has been shown to fight skin and breast cancer in animal studies. Add turmeric to your diet by eating our delicious Golden Pumpkin (pumpkin is loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants too!) or other dishes made with yellow curry.

• Kaffir lime trees grow in almost every family’s backyard in rural Thailand, providing a fruit that helps purify the blood, clear the mind, and even ward off evil spirits! The leaf of the kaffir lime is reputed to be able to clear the mind and cleanse the body, which is why many upscale spas now offer treatments that incorporate it. To experience its unique flavor, be sure to try our Panang Curry which features kaffir lime leaf as a key flavor and aromatic.

• Chillis, which give Thai food its traditional spiciness, contain capsicum, a highly beneficial and well-researched natural ingredient that can help the respiratory system, blood pressure, insulin and glucose levels, pain, and many other ailments. Studies show that chilis can actually help you sleep better, too!  So the next time you have trouble sleeping, take home or call for delivery of one of our fabulous

  curry dishes!

• Other typical Thai spices, such as coriander and galangal, have powerful antioxidants that help fight inflammation and protect the body from free radical damage.

• Coconut milk, which has gotten a bad rap for its oil and fat content, is actually good for you: it helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL) while promoting good cholesterol (HDL), boosts your immune system, and provides valuable fatty acids which most people in the West are lacking. For a healthy, delicious way to experience coconut milk, try our Masaman Curry.