Is Food from Street Vendors Safe?

[jxxxl]

First, I think the guys who live here, in partular the long-timers, can handle bugs much better than tourists.

 

Second, most street is safe but you should use some common sense. I mostly eat noodle soup or BBQ meat which I think is pretty safe cause it's served hot. I wouldn't eat cockles or those pickled black crabs they put in som tam.

 

You gotta figure if you live here, you're gonna get the shits once in a while. You shouldn't let it get in the way of some cheap and tasty grub.

[Flashermac]

Not even the tamale man outside of Van Nuys High???

 

 

[Chlp]

Safe, yes. I've eaten at the street stalls both when coming as a tourist and as a resident. Didn't get sick once.

 

The other question is, do you get good food at the food stalls. Now, I know that many will disagree with me, but I say it's shit. Some claim that you can only get authentic Thai food from the street vendors. Well, that's where you get authentic shit food.

 

Let me elaborate.

 

The Thais eat it because it only costs 25 or 30 Baht. Thais will eat free food that is so grose that just walking nearby makes my stomach turn. Unfortunately, I have to walk near one of these kitchens every day. Just breathing the deadly fumes coming out of there makes me wanna puke.

 

An observation about Thai restaurants. There are several types, and I don't know how their are classified, but I'll try.

 

At the bottom of the barrel there are the street vendors. Features dirty dishes and low quality meat of which you often only get bones and skin. Well, what do you expect for 25 Baht ($0.60)?

 

Next are the "hole in the wall restaurant." Just one step above the street vendors in terms of both price (30-50 Baht) and food quality. But, at least, they have running water and inspire a little bit more hope of getting a clean plate.

 

Right above that are "nice" open-air restaurants. This is where I prefer to eat these days. Cost is around 50-70 Baht per entre (excluding seafood); the surroundings, plates, and utensils are generally clean. The food portions are a bit more generous and if you order, say, duck curry you actually get a piece of duck meat you can eat.

 

One step above that are air-conditioned Thai restaurants. Price are about 100 Baht or more per entre. Generally, the food is no better or worse than it is at the less expensive open air restaurance. However, airconditioning is a concern for many. Also, there a few of these restaurants with truly oustanding food, without an appreciable price difference.

 

OK, I'm putting on an azbestos suit in anticipation of the flames from the authentic-street-stall-Thai-food crowd...

 

PS: Actually, there are several exceptions to what I said about the street vendors. I've never gotten decent kwai thiaw or pad thai anywhere other than street stalls...

[Guest]

 

"PS: Actually, there are several exceptions to what I said about the street vendors. I've never gotten decent kwai thiaw or pad thai anywhere other than street stalls..."

 

 

Try Fra Pattaya just off Walking St on

Pattaya Tai. They have, or used to, a kuaytiaw cart in the restaurant street side. I always stopped there mid-afternoon for a "fix" of noodles while walking off the previous nights debauchery.

[Guest]

Wouldn't be so affirmative... been eating out of street vendors daily during quite a while... Lao delicacies like Khung ten, Nam tok or Lap Naeua and moo and Paet, Somtam poo pralaa and prolly some more insanity I don't want to remember. Remember though having stomach discomfort about an hour every day at the time, and regulary (once a month??) a serious diarreah. Would be very wary of sellers having their meat hanging by the roadway without even a decent cover plus they don't cook it much.

 

Nowadays will only eat occasionally on the street and only thai food but still have stomach upset regulary while in Thailand.

[OCgringo]

Van Nuys High ?

 

wrong side of town,

 

now the Roach Coaches do have some pretty good Mexican food,

Rolling Resterants that travel to your workplaces , construction sites eyc

 

OC

[EasySt]

Chlp said:

Safe, yes. I've eaten at the street stalls both when coming as a tourist and as a resident. Didn't get sick once.

 

The other question is, do you get good food at the food stalls. Now, I know that many will disagree with me, but I say it's shit. Some claim that you can only get authentic Thai food from the street vendors. Well, that's where you get authentic shit food.

 

Let me elaborate.

 

The Thais eat it because it only costs 25 or 30 Baht. Thais will eat free food that is so grose that just walking nearby makes my stomach turn. Unfortunately, I have to walk near one of these kitchens every day. Just breathing the deadly fumes coming out of there makes me wanna puke.

 

 

Perhaps you have not heard the stories of rich Thais at fancy dinner parties with baked salmon, caviar....etc. all getting excited about a wonderful new food stall someone found at which point they all get into their Mercedes and drive wherever to try it out.

 

I have not witnessed this myself but I believe it. Kind of blows holes in the whole "it's generally just cheap lower quality Thai food" theory. That is if you believe the stories like I do.

[chilli13]

street food takes the full range from awfull grub to absofuckinglutely delirious mmmmmmm tasty stuff that may cost more than expected.

one have not lived untill tried at least one good & bad one

[Flashermac]

I actually went to Birmingham High. Back then we didn't have any Hispanics. I think nowadays they don't have any Anglos there. ::

[Lusty]

If its one thing she really misses about home its "fast food on footpath"