CULTURE OF THAILAND & FOOD

A common ritual in Thailand is to remove shoes before entering a restaurant or house, and to sit cross-legged on the floor to enjoy a meal. Dining tables are mostly used by the very wealthy and are even then close to the floor and usually made from teak. 

Once a meal has been eaten, generally the host of the dinner will pay the bill. So if you’re in Thailand, and are invited to a special meal, it usually will be covered by the person hosting the dinner.

Eating out in Thailand is a social affair, a time to gather with friends and family. Individuals will usually order one dish and will share the meals between the group.

A typical Thai dining experience will include four different flavours all consumed together, salty, spicy, sweet and sour.

The interest in Thai food culture has increased worldwide and is now a popular cuisine to eat in the

Western world, with dishes such as Thai green curry and fried rice and noodles populating many menus.

However, as many travellers to Thailand will be able to vouch for, the native Thai food will taste very different

to recipes adapted for Western palates, where the presence of Chilli is often pared down and restaurants

often divide their menus into starters, mains and desserts, which is uncommon in Thailand.

RICE

Thailand is the world's largest exporter of rice, and it is the staple part of a Thai diet. Rice is by no means just a food source in Thai culture, but is also associated with particular gods and traditions, differing in certain regions.

TOM YUM GOONG(SPICY SHRIMP SOUP)

The quintessential Thai aroma! A bold, refreshing blend of fragrant lemongrass, chilli, galangal, lime leaves, shallots, lime juice and fish sauce shapes this classic soup, giving it its legendary herbal kick. Succulent fresh prawns and straw mushrooms lend it body. A versatile dish that can fit within virtually any meal, the distinctive smell reminds you of exotic perfume, while it's invigorating sour-spicy-hot taste just screams 'Thailand'!

TOM KHA GAI(CHICKEN IN COCONUT SOUP)

A mild, tamer twist on Tom Yum, this iconic soup infuses fiery chilies, thinly sliced young galangal, crushed shallots, stalks of lemongrass and tender strips of chicken. However unlike its more watery cousin, lashings of coconut milk soften its spicy blow. Topped off with fresh lime leaves, it's a sweet-smelling concoction.

PAD THAI (THAI STYLE FRIED NOODLES)

From Cape Town to Khao San Road, the default international Thai dish! Dropped in a searing hot wok, fistfuls of small, thin or wide noodles (you choose) do a steamy minute-long dance alongside crunchy beansprouts, onion and egg, before disembarking for the nearest plate. A truly interactive eating experience, half its fun (and flavour) lies in then using a quartet of accompanying condiments - fish sauce, sugar, chilli powder and finely ground peanuts - to wake it from its slumbers.

PAD PAK BOONG (STIR FRIED MORNING GLORY)

Found all across Southeast Asia, the leafy plant with hollow green stems and thin fragile leaves forms the main component of this super easy favourite. Cloves of garlic and birds eye chilies join it in a wok alongside oyster sauce, fish sauce and black fermented bean. A few lazy stirs, until the leaves are shrunk and soft, and it's done! The result is an alluring favourite with an unobtrusive flavour, a staple for those who love their Thai food but not spice induced sweats.

KAI PAD MED MA MUANG (CHICKEN WITH CASHEW NUTS)

Pardon the pun, but tourists go nuts for this stir fried dish. Perhaps it's the wildly contrasting textures of a dish that saut's chicken alongside roasted cashews, sweet soy sauce, onions, chilies, pepper, carrot and mushrooms.

POR PEER

Throughout the streets of the main cities, you find little stalls around and for a quick mid-day or late night appetizer, nothing beats a spring roll — draped in sweet chili sauce of course.

(SPRING ROLLS)

KUAY TEOW MOO DAENG(RED PORK NOODLE SOUP)

This red pork noodle soup is sadly only found in Thailand. It’s street food (i.e. not found in restaurants) and because of the way they make the broth, you’ll never find it outside of Thailand. The broth sits for a long time. This dish consists of noodles, a potent and flavorful broth (made from boiled pork bones and onions), sprouts, bok choy, and slices of red pork. You can eat it a few ways, one of which is with a little fish sauce (sour), a few spoonfuls of sugar (sweet), and a small amount of chili.

(THAI OMLETTE)

KAI JEOW

This Thai omlette is the breakfast of choice for many. It’s egg mixed with fish sauce and chilies, cooked in oil, served atop white rice and slathered in sweet chili sauce. You may have never imagined egg, rice, and sweet chili sauce would work but it does. It’s the breakfast of champions.

(STIR FRIED WITH BASIL AND CHILIES)

PAD KRA PAO

Minced pork or chicken stir fried with basil, chilies and served over rice. This dish is a Thai favorite for those looking for something with a little kick. It's a common dish best served from the night markets and street stalls where they tend to mince and chop the meat a little finer than in restaurants.

lebuaRestaurants

SIROCCOTHE WORLD’S HIGHESTOUTDOOR RESTAURANT

Located on the 63rd floor of The Dome at lebua, Sirocco is the world's highest al fresco restaurant and one of Bangkok's most coveted dining choices that never fails to leave one mesmerized. Quality Mediterranean fare with ingredients meticulously flown in from the world's best markets.

BREEZE

Sumptuous Asian seafood with a breath of fresh air: Located on the 51st and 52nd floors of Tower Club at lebua, Breeze’s chic, elegant surroundings and unrivalled hospitality are complemented by stunning views of Bangkok and the River of Kings.  Innovative designs offer a choice of indoor and outdoor dining spaces, accessed over a 25 meter neon lit Sky Bridge. Food has always played an integral part in history, and at Breeze the past ascends to the present with a sumptuous menu of contemporary Asian cuisine that focuses on fine aesthetics and the healthiest, most flavorsome and fresh ingredients. 

AUTHENTIC ASIAN CUISINE,PROGRESSIVELY PRESENTED

MEZZALUNAMODERN INNOVATIVE CUISINE

A lunar halo of windows fringes the outer edge, giving one a panoramic view of the city and the Chao Phraya river. Mezzaluna is lebua’s signature fine dining restaurant serving modern innovative culinary. Our chefs create modern and innovative dishes by using carefully selected products which are enhanced by state-of-the art cooking techniques and focus on using seasonal products to provide the best quality of each season. The ingredients are also imported from different countries and adding the outstanding fresh produce from the farms of Thailand’s royal projects. Chefs’ seasonally-inspired menus are re-designed on a daily basis.