Most Thai restaurants in Pattaya have menus translated into English, but the descriptions are often misleading or missing key context. Here is what is actually behind the most common dish names - including the Thai script in case you are ordering somewhere old-school.
Pad Thai ผัดไทย
Stir-fried rice noodles with egg, tamarind, fish sauce, peanuts, lime. The famous one.
Tom Yum Goong ต้มยำกุ้ง
Hot-and-sour shrimp soup with lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, chili. Iconic Thai flavor.
Tom Kha Gai ต้มข่าไก่
Coconut milk soup with chicken, galangal, lemongrass - milder cousin of tom yum.
Som Tam ส้มตำ
Spicy green papaya salad pounded with chili, lime, fish sauce. Northeastern (Isaan).
Khao Pad ข้าวผัด
Thai fried rice - egg, garlic, soy, your choice of protein. Comfort food staple.
Pad Krapow ผัดกะเพรา
Stir-fried minced meat with holy basil and chili. The most-ordered Thai workday lunch.
Massaman Curry แกงมัสมั่น
Mild, sweet, peanutty curry with potato - Muslim-influenced, family-friendly.
Green Curry แกงเขียวหวาน
Coconut curry with green chili paste, Thai eggplant, basil - sweet-spicy.
Red Curry แกงเผ็ด
Coconut curry with red chili paste - generally hotter than green.
Panang Curry แกงพะแนง
Thick, peanut-rich curry, mild heat. Often with beef or chicken.
Khao Soi ข้าวซอย
Northern Thai coconut-curry noodle soup, topped with crispy noodles.
Boat Noodles ก็วยเตียวเรือ
Dark, intensely flavored beef or pork noodle soup. Small bowls - eat several.
Pad See Ew ผัดซีอิู
Wide flat rice noodles stir-fried with dark soy, egg, Chinese broccoli - sweet, smoky.
Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) ผัดขี้เมา
Wide noodles stir-fried with chili and basil - much spicier than pad see ew.
Larb ลาบ
Spicy minced meat salad with lime, fish sauce, mint, toasted rice powder. Isaan classic.
Gaeng Som แกงส้ม
Sour orange curry with vegetables and fish - Southern Thai, very tangy.
Pla Rad Prik ปลาราดพริก
Whole crispy fried fish topped with sweet-and-spicy chili sauce.
Hor Mok ห่อหมก
Steamed curry custard with fish, served in banana leaf cups.
Khanom Jeen Nam Ya ขนมจีนน้ำยา
Cold rice noodles with hot fish-curry sauce and raw vegetables.
Mango Sticky Rice ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง
Sweet sticky rice with ripe mango and coconut cream. The dessert.
Roti โรตี
Pan-fried flatbread, sweet (banana, condensed milk) or savory.
Cha Yen ชาเย็น
Thai iced tea - orange, sweet, with condensed milk.
Singha / Chang / Leo
The big three Thai beers. Singha is "premium," Chang is stronger, Leo is the cheap one.
Phad Phak ผัดผัก
Stir-fried vegetables with garlic - the simple veggie order.
Yam ยำ
Spicy "salad" - could be glass noodles (yam woon sen), seafood, or anything mixed with lime/chili/fish sauce.
Khao Mun Gai ข้าวมันไก่
Hainanese chicken rice - poached chicken with rice cooked in chicken fat. Thai-Chinese staple.
Khao Kha Moo ข้าวขาหมู
Slow-braised pork leg over rice - rich, dark, comforting.
Moo Ping หมูปิ้ง
Grilled pork skewers - quintessential Thai street food.
Sai Krok Isan ไส้กรอก อีสาน
Northeastern fermented sausage - sour, garlicky, distinctive.
Khao Niaow Mamuang
Same as mango sticky rice - the Thai name spelled differently.
Now go eat
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Best Thai restaurants in Pattaya →