Eating My Way Through Southeast Asia

Pineapple fried rice topped with duck curry.

If you’re like me and you have only ever traveled around America and Europe, then it’s likely that you have never tried authentic Southeast Asian cuisine. Before traveling to Southeast Asia, I didn’t have a clue as to what traditional Laotian or Cambodian cuisine was, and whenever I go out for Thai food, I end up ordering fried rice or pad Thai (yes, I’m basic and proud of it).

Well, after returning from a two-week trip to these countries, I can say that each of them have such distinct flavors. Scroll down to read some questions I had about the food in Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, and what I found out.

How different is American pad Thai vs. Thai pad Thai?

Pad Thai from Mango Tree in Bangkok.

If I’m being honest, I only had pad Thai once during my trip, AND it was from a chain restaurant called Mango Tree. So, I don’t think I’m qualified to speak to the differences between the two based on my experience. What I will say is that the pad Thai I had at Mango Tree was delicious, and I learned that if you don’t ask for your dish to be mildly spicy, then you can expect a whole lot of SPICE! Learn from my mistakes, and make sure your waiter knows your spice tolerance.

Is eating bugs common?

One of the fried tarantulas.

Bamboo worms

I’m sure you have seen pictures or videos of tourists eating scorpions on a stick or something similar during their travels in Southeast Asia. In big cities, this seemed to be more of a tourist attraction than something that locals traditionally eat. When I traveled outside of the big cities into more rural areas though, I met local people who do eat creepy crawlies. In parts of Southeast Asia, locals need to use every resource they have available to them including bugs, which are a great source of protein. When I was in Laos, locals invited my group to try fried tarantula and cooked bamboo worms. Surprisingly the spider tasted okay because it was covered in garlic, but the bamboo worms weren’t my favorite (they look like crunchy chips, but they weren’t).

What’s for dessert?

Dragon fruit

Coconut cake (front) and carrot cake (back) from Joma Bakery in Luang Prabang.

I have a major sweet tooth, so I was extremely curious as to what locals typically enjoy for dessert. The answer is short and sweet—fruit. After almost every meal, we were served mangos, dragon fruit, pineapples, and more. There were a few meals where we also had the option of ordering ice cream or cake for dessert.

What’s for breakfast?

Condensed milk, coffee, and donut holes

Again, my experience is different than an authentic experience. I was very fortunate that my company sent me on this trip, and they put me up in modern hotels that typically served American breakfast options. But, there was one morning where the group I was with went to grab breakfast at a local cafe in Luang Prabang. We were served baskets of these spheres of sweet dough that reminded me of large donut holes, except these weren’t dense at all but rather extremely airy. We also got black coffee with a side of condensed milk, which we used as sweetener. Pro-tip: You can also use the condensed milk as a glaze on your donut holes.

Should I be worried about getting sick from street food?

A local woman prepares roti sai mai, or Thai cotton candy, in a local market.

I think no matter where you’re traveling to, it’s always good to err on the side of caution. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be adventurous and refrain from trying local foods, but I would recommend checking the CDC’s website to see if there are any vaccinations you should get to prevent foodborne illnesses. I also recommend going to a travel clinic to see what they suggest as well. Before I left for my trip, I got Hep A and typhoid vaccines so that I could eat everything without having to worry about getting sick.

Does durian really smell that bad?

Durian and Oreo Blizzard

If you don’t know what durian is, it’s considered to be the world’s smelliest fruit. I was asking my guide more about it because I was dying to try it, and he was telling me that it is banned from some public areas around Bangkok because the smell is so potent. Well, I couldn’t find it at any of the markets I went to with my group … BUT lucky (or unlucky) for me, the airport had a Dairy Queen that served DURIAN BLIZZARDS! Wild! The ice cream didn’t have an obvious durian flavor, but every time I went to put a spoonful in my mouth, I got a strong whiff of socks. So yes, I can confirm that durian smells terrible! And for anybody wondering, the woman at Dairy Queen did serve my Blizzard upside down.

Now, I want to hear from you. What was your favorite thing that you ate when you traveled to Southeast Asia? Or, if you’re planning a trip there, which foods are you most looking forward to trying? Let me know in the comment section below!