Fine Thai food at a supermarket: Food Court
A good way to get acquainted with Thai cuisine is a Food Court, for example that of Tesco. The food is of consistent quality, cheap and hygienically prepared.
Not all tourists in Thailand want or dare to eat on the side of the road. They are afraid of spicy food or unsanitary conditions. Understandable in itself, because if you only have three weeks holiday you don't want a large portion of it sitting on the toilet bowl.
For those who want to get acquainted with Thai cuisine in a safe way, a so-called Food Court is a good option. These restaurants are located in the larger supermarkets and department stores such as Tesco Lotus and Big C.
The advantages of eating at a Food Court:
- The prices are favorable, on average about 100 baht per dish.
- You don't have to wait long.
- There is a large choice of different Thai dishes.
- Limited Western dishes are also sometimes available.
- The food is fresh and prepared on site
- The hygienic conditions are good.
The only downside I can think of is that it's a bit clunky. It looks a bit like a large canteen in a barracks. Don't expect flowers on the table, background music, mood lighting and beautiful waitresses. You will have to get your food yourself.
R. MITR SRILACHAI / Shutterstock.com
Guide to Eating at a Food Court
If you are going to eat at a Food Court for the first time, it can give a chaotic impression. Maybe you have no idea how it works, hence a short guide.
You pay with a card
You cannot pay in cash here. There is a central point where you can get a plastic card. A balance is set up here that you can use to pay. Usually 300 baht for two people is enough. You will get the unused balance back when you return the card.
Maak Tween keuze
Walk past the different buffets and make a choice. Most stands specialize in one particular dish, such as Som Tam or Tom Yam. If you don't want the dish to be too spicy, ask for 'Mai Pet'. Wait a few minutes for the dish to be prepared and then pay with your card.
Find a table and cutlery
Walk to a table with your tray and grab your cutlery. You can find the cutlery in a central place. You have a choice of chopsticks, forks and spoons. Knives are not used in Thailand. There is also a container with boiling water. You are supposed to hang your cutlery there for a while so that it is clean.
drink
Water is available for free at some Food Courts. Otherwise, it is certainly for sale, so are other drinks, such as soft drinks. You can also pay by card.
Tip:
In many cases you can get a 'special' for 10 baht extra. A larger portion and more meat or fish in your dish. That is recommended because for the 10 baht you really get a lot more.
Don't forget to return your balance card after dinner.
Enjoy!
Indeed, the food in the food courts of Big C, Tesco Lotus is good and cheap. However, there is a March. Sometimes people are too generous with the flavor enhancer ajinomoto in Thai called sjulot. In the Netherlands, this used to be the case in various Chinese restaurants and was called the Chinese restaurant syndrome. Many people can't stand it, get palpitations, diarrhea or increased blood pressure.
I've always been taught that a pinch of that stuff is more than enough.
In the meantime I know at which stand I can or cannot buy.
Yes, what a terrible product, but in Asia it seems impossible not to come across it.
PHONG SHU RODT is the product (MSG), vetsin or simply Monosodium Glutamate. If you seriously say “phong shu rodt mai” and point to the food, you will usually get an honest answer. Fortunately, you also see more and more Asians who do not want to eat this. If it's in the food and they put it in it, it's always “nid noi” of course 🙂
In short, MSG sends you to an unhealthy lifestyle and affects your nervous system. It is mainly about adding extra because it is also in cheese, mushrooms and even breast milk. Even more succinctly: people naturally want you to get used to more and more of a product and to spend money on that particular delicacy.
So pay attention to E620/627.
At Tesco, in addition to fresh chicken, I now also saw chicken with a better life and without antibiotics, which also makes a difference to health compared to the kilograms of bangers.
There is no scientific study that substantiates the above-mentioned side effects.
On the contrary !
I would rather be concerned about the amount of sugar and salt used in Thai cooking, not to mention pesticides, antibiotics and formalin!
Which does not alter the fact that I can also be found regularly in a food court.
Tasty and kind regards!
Completely agree with you. I am now in Thailand and enjoy lunch at a Food Court almost daily. We'll have dinner elsewhere.
Can also be found there regularly, it's fast, easy and cheap, ideal for a quick lunch no more than that.
Also always handy if you don't quite know what you want to order, so you point out a dish that looks appetizing to you from a photo or from a plastic counterfeit sample dish at one of the many counters.
Disadvantage but also funny that it can often be so noisy, think of the food court in the TescoLotus at the skytrain station On Nut.
Passers-by coming and going from and to the skytrain, 2 widescreen television screens hanging close to each other on 2 different channels with the volume knob on very loud and nearby also the slot machines with noisy video games for the youth plus a little further on someone who verbalizes loudly a microphone is promoting a new article.
A cacophony that doesn't bother the Thai because when they are eating they don't let anything distract them. 😉
Yep, done it many times and I have to say it's good food too and actually quite cozy when you're in between a big Thai family.
That MSG (ajinomoto, fetsin?, pong churot) is in small containers next to the cooking pots and if you point to that white stuff and shake your head no, they will take that into account. i speak enough thai to refuse that stuff and salt and sugar. My stomach is on fire from MSG…. I know people who are allergic to it.
The quality of the food is excellent. You may pay in the big cities with a card with a credit, with me you just buy paper coupons and you can hand them in again.
There are also food courts outside the shopping malls with Lotus, Makro, Big C. You will also find them close to major hospitals and the hospitals have a big finger in the pie with regard to the quality of the food. Nobody is waiting for nursing staff to go to the toilet en masse after lunch…..
Outside those food courts you can also eat safely as a tourist if you pay attention to who is going to eat. People in uniform with stripes on the sleeves, people who can afford an expensive samsonite, feel free to sit down. The worst thing that can happen to you is a meal that is too spicy… You paid a euro for that….
Yes, it's nice to go shopping to big C 1 or 2 times a week...... but first take a nice leisurely stroll through the food court and choose what you're going to eat and a fruit shake and then enjoy. that it feels uncomfortable is somewhat canceled out by the people watching. In addition, it is cheaper to do groceries with a full stomach if you know what I mean.
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`Dear reader
Also at Suvarnabhumi Airport there is 1 on the ground floor behind exit 8
enjoy your meal
Peter Yai
Yep and very nice there leave the suitcases on the cart at the entrance and feel free to eat well I'm quite "fly sick" always skip meals on the outward flight to BKK but once downstairs after my mobile phone card I went there for dinner and we meet there very practical before leaving for the village with my wife's brother less than 50 m from the parking lot
I think the food court of Central (Ploenchit) is a feast. Various stalls, everything to get, excellent quality. Moreover, it all looks a bit slicker than with Lotus, for example. There is a wine bar, and I have my Pad Thai delivered there. To enjoy!
Agree, even the Sushi and other Japanese dishes are fine there. A must for us every visit to BKK.
Japanese food in a food court is usually mediocre quality. They mostly use Thai longcorn rice and the much better Japanese round rice. I have also eaten katsudon (sliced pork cutlet on rice) more often. Tasted quite good, but better in a Japanese restaurant and not too expensive.
I think sushi in a food court is too small. But hey, you get the quality you pay for. However, if you come to Bangkok for the Japanese food, you can get delicious set menus that, if really expensive, might cost 300 or 400 baht (if you eat the delicious unagi - grilled eel).
Hi Sjaak, the Cetral Chidlom, food court we only do for lunch or to have a snack in the air-conditioned. Been to Japan a lot and know how it should be. But can appreciate it in this food court. Incidentally, the Foodland (Took Lae Dee) mentioned elsewhere is definitely worth a visit for a quick or budget bite. There are so many good things to get in Thailand, just try it. If you find something very special, have it written in Thai in your telephone notebook, very easy to order the same elsewhere or next time. Enjoy your meal…. Paul
Also try FOODLAND, you really have to, you'll see... you keep going there.
Slightly more expensive than Food Court but noticeably tastier, more choice, and you will be served.
The atmosphere is also one of a restaurant, not a canteen atmosphere like in Food Court.
Prices are between 55 and 220 THb, averaging around 100 THB.
For a Singa beer 630 cl you pay 95 THB, other beers and wine are also available.
Drinking water (with ice) is served and refilled for free. Western music is also always playing, softly not overwhelmingly loud. Good atmosphere and open kitchen, you can see the chefs at work, also very hygienic!
They are also very flexible in the preparations, closely following your suggestions if desired.
Unfortunately, they are not so frequent for the time being. The management is said to be Japanese.
If you have the opportunity, highly recommended.
Foodland is 100% Thai.
http://www.foodland.co.th/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=66&lang=en
If you want a beer I would recommend a draft beer in a MUG 50 Baht for half a liter in an ice cold glass. A complete breakfast, including a cup of coffee, also costs only 05.30 Baht between 09.00:56 and XNUMX:XNUMX am.
Yes, Foodland. You join the kitchen and you get your fried eggs in the shape of a heart. I walked in once by chance and I think it's a pity that they don't have a branch in the Netherlands.
go to foodland at least once a week … and found there for very cheap prices very good food and beer often paid for 2 no more than 250 baht any inconvenience will take place but recommended
And not entirely unimportant, 24 open. You can possibly get your own steak in the store and have it prepared by the cook!!
Is fairly often at Foodland on the Pattaya klang.
Am very satisfied with it.
I also had good experiences at the Tesco Lotus in Chiang Mai, good food for little money. Plenty of choice. So just try!
Well, we have been eating like this in the big shops for several years, also at the center festival in pattaya downstairs.
There is a super good food court in Terminal 21 (Asoke) in Bangkok. There is also a vegetarian with a wide choice of dishes, highly recommended. The prices are subsidized I think because it is cheaper than the Central Plaza food courts. Dishes are 25-30-35 baht in Terminal 21. It's also a bit cozier and you have a nice view if you can get a seat by the windows. Very busy during the meal hours, nowadays almost always very busy.
I'm actually curious if there are any good food courts in Hua Hin. I find food on the market there often mediocre and that is putting it mildly
Just read on, there are the names… great food on Soi 88, the food court that is open in the evening.
Indeed tasty, cheap but still I eat along the street. Also tasty, cheap, you are among the Thai where they are still spoken and it is not a factory like all these food courts from lotus, big C and many others
Especially the Food Courts are full of Thai people and only a few Westerners. The Thais – myself, by the way – always enjoy it there to the fullest. It's still a good place for lunch.
The power of Thai food lies in the fact that it is freshly prepared and then consumed.
Thai food does not lend itself to a buffet like in Food court. It is kept warm in chaving dishes or heated up in a microwave. For the real enthusiast, this is really a lot less tasty than a restaurant where food is actually cooked and served.
There are many food courts. We like to use on the sixth floor of the Fashion Mall. In addition, on the third floor of the Indra Mall (almost opposite Bayioke Sky hotel) you also have a cheap and tasty. I have an intestinal disease so I really have to be careful, but in a food court I eat without worries!
Unfortunately, there is no food court in the city (with 40 thousand+ inhabitants) where I live. When I am elsewhere I always pay a visit to such a food court. Hygienic, tasty and an extensive choice.
I hardly know a place that doesn't have a food court. In Hua Hin there are a few. Two in Market Village (the old one on the ground floor before Tesco and a newer one in the basement. Plenty of choice and good portions.
The new Blu Port also has a food court, not so big and a bit more "fancy" with large plates and smaller portions. The choice is not that big.
However, the best food court as far as I know is in Soi 88, which opens in the evening… an international kitchen, there is something for everyone. My favorite (because I only go there once every few months) is the Indian corner with tasty Samosas, Palak Paneer, Chicken Tikka, Naan and many more.
If anyone knows of any other Foodcourts in Hua Hin I would love to know…
The worst food court I've visited is in Kanchanaburi, the old shopping mall, not far from the bus station… you really get depressed there.
The food court at Tesco, on the other hand, is fine again, but it is slightly further from the center.
The food court at Suvarnabhumi airport is ok with reasonable prices. Only very noisy when there are a few groups of Chinese… there is a small area at the end on the right where you can get coffee and where you sit much more quietly. You can also bring your food there and sit a lot quieter.
In Bangkok? Almost every shopping mall has a food court.
We sometimes eat in MBK's food court. When we were sitting there a year ago, I suddenly saw a familiar face. It was an old colleague of mine whom I had not seen for four years. Wasn't he just on holiday in Bangkok for a day or three! What a coincidence that we met there.
The nice thing was that we used to spend a lot of time together in Bangkok… that made it even more unique.
In my hometown of Narathiwat, there was a large food court until 2011. Unfortunately, a heavy car bomb has put an end to it. Now there is nothing left in the wide area. Fortunately, there are still many restaurants and eateries and even some with international cuisine.
Food courts are just one of the many reasons I'm coming to Thailand for good this fall. Everywhere I've been in Thailand I look for a place to stay near a food court.
And as Sjaak says, the food court in Hua Hin soi 88 is absolutely amazing! See the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3zvL7Z0M-c Sometimes nice live music and very tasty and very cheap dishes such as the Pad Thai for only 35 BAHT and a Big Chang for 55 BAHT.
I used to live in BKK for 6 months and regularly visited the Tesco food court at On Nut, I thought it was not too bad with the crowds and noise there…
I often book a bus to Hua Hin with some leeway in between so that I can first relax at the airport at… the food court.
I'm not a collector but I have quite a few fooducourt tickets 😀
I like eating at the Foodland but I don't really like the food at Foodcourts Tesco, Big C. Rather eat on the street if you want to eat really cheap, you have to know where.
Food coerts at kad ferang outled, down the road chaing mai ,hang dong i find the best here around chaing mai
I've eaten there before, nice place.
Kad Farang, pronounced 'kat farang' means Farang Market. 'Kaat' is market in the northern dialect.
Also next to Tops Market in Centralplaza Khon Kaen very good, including a luxury pastry bakery where you can get delicious mini cakes, and then of course coffee from Starbucks.
If you are Thai and like Thai food, the said food court in Khon Kaen on the bottom floor is good. As a Westerner you have nothing to choose from there, rather take the food court on the 3rd floor where the other restaurants are also located. And yes, there is only 1 food court in Thailand that is really good and that is the one in Terminal in Bangkok: an abundance of delicious dishes for really low prices. Read Barbara's earlier response, popular year in year out so that says it all. Even the Terminal in Korat is disappointing if you know the food court of Terminal in Bangkok.
What is the difference between a Thai and a non-Thai who like Thai food?
The food courts in the various department stores, often in the basement or basement, are perfect for a tasty Thai meal for reasonable prices in a clean environment. Only downside: The atmosphere may not be that nice (canteen feeling) but for the daily meal that doesn't matter to me.
Eating at an iod stall along the road is of course more fun (and tastier?) but the food court is simply a handy, cheap and safe alternative for the traveler who does not want to eat Western food all holiday (back in NL you can do that too…) and various want to experience Thai food.
Dear Rob, I've been around Thailand for a while and you have Thai food for Thai and Thai food for non-Thai. For example, with Thai food for Thais, think of the undefinable beret noodles or the 9 out of 10 times spoiled SomTam that is eaten with greed every time followed by the inevitable…well, let's stick to the food. And so there are a series of dishes that I am sure are unappetizing for 9 out of 10 non-Thai people and often unhealthy.
In Thailand I eat Thai, why Dutch (or Western) I can eat this all year round in NL. Incidentally, in Indonesia, Japan, China, etc. always the local cuisine, that is the charm of travelling. At least for me it is. Bon appetit and make your choice, but don't be afraid of unfamiliar flavours/preparations. Enjoying new things is simply much more intense than repeating the familiar. Gr. Paul
Paul, I used to do that too. And when I moved to Thailand I couldn't understand why so many people craved food from their own country. But if you live here for a few years, you'll understand why that is… it is. I liked Thai food and also today I had a great meal (my wife made it), but I also like to eat Indonesian and actually from all those countries you mentioned. As long as you have that option, you also like to eat Thai.. but if you only or mainly eat Thai, it will soon get boring. I like to eat Japanese, Indian, Indonesian, Chinese, Brazilian, Mexican, Arabic and so on. But this is also the beauty here in Thailand: you get almost everything. Even in the better Foodcourts, the food is not limited to Thai.
Indeed, after a while the charm of the food courts and “stalls” wears off. Just like Thai food in general. My weekly schedule is 4 x Thai, 3 x something else. I make an exception for Central Chidlom – that food court has atmosphere and quality.
Honestly… I still go to a food court once or twice a week, maybe even less. But it is more and more difficult for me after living in Thailand for 6 years to find something that still interests me (meals I mean). Most dishes consist of some kind of meat (usually pork or chicken), a sauce and rice. Vegetables are minimal. Even if you are looking for a noodle dish, it will consist of at least 70% noodles, 25% meat and 5% vegetables (these are rough estimates).
And then also: if vegetables are used, I wonder what nutritional value they have.
Fortunately, there are alternatives in these food courts and you can also eat salads in the meantime. (Market Village, Hua Hin).
I prefer to eat at home. Can then make what I want and think is healthy for me.
Highly recommended is the foodcoart in Terminal 21. Super cheap and really good. You don't expect it in a luxury shopping mall. After I already got to know the foodcoart in Terminal 21 in Bangkok, I visited Terminal 2 Pattaya 21 times last week. Simply great. Rice with 3 dishes for 39 baht and really tasty.
Just two short comments.
At a number of stalls you can take a whole plate of short-cooked vegetables with you.
Because they are cooked briefly, the nutritional value remains high.
You can also often order Phad Phak dishes that largely consist of vegetables.
That the Som Tam is spoiled 9 times out of 10 is your nose deceiving you. My wife and children have eaten this dish many hundreds of times in the last 25 years and have never gotten sick from it.
Mvg Dick.
For some time now you have had a food court in avenue near Mac Donald on second road, here you pay cash at the shop where you get the food.
I eat there regularly and the food is good, the price is between 40 and 120 baht. Open until 9 pm.
the food is ready within minutes, at the shops you will also find cutlery and various seasonings such as vinegar, sugar, fish sauce, dried pepper, etc.
really recommended.
Do you like it because it's cheap because I like real Thai food better in the small Thai restaurants (also cheap by the way)
and Roland 95 Baht for a 630 ml singha in a food court is expensive when I pay only 95 Baht here around Chiang Mai in a real restaurant
I really liked the food court of the emporium in bangkok. Much better than that of teso lotus.
The food court on the top floor of Terminal 21 Pattaya (Pier 21) is super nice and very cheap. Wonderful shopping mall by the way. The only problem is the too powerful air conditioning that is so contrasting with the temperature outside that it is no longer healthy.
The pandemic has many nasty side effects. Fortunately, not many people are (officially) sick here in Thailand, but people also keep their distance in the food courts. It was a bit unfortunate in the beginning - even as a couple you were not allowed to sit opposite each other, but separated by a sign.. fortunately that no longer applies. But I still like that you don't have to sit at the table with strangers anymore. Keep a nice distance.
Meanwhile, our visits to food courts have gone from twice a week to maybe once and sometimes not even that.
You don't come across many holidaymakers at the moment…. how is that possible?
The food in Food Courts is perfectly prepared with fresh herbs.
But the quality of the fish, meat, chicken or shrimp is downright poor.
Everything just tastes like water. If you get it at the Supermarket, the water just drips off.
In the Netherlands I always bought my meat dry from the Turkish butcher, the meat shrank little when baking.
Foodland here is quite good and Indian business is top notch, you can taste that you are eating real beef or lamb.
But the food also costs more than 200bht per serving.
I can only agree with you about the food court. They also use refrigerators and often different cutting boards. As it should. I have been a restaurant chef for 35 years and I was really shocked by the street food scene. 1 word for it: Extremely dangerous. And I'm not exaggerating. Very often that is just Russian roulette. A slice of a tree trunk on which vegetables as well as raw and cooked chicken are cut/chopped all day long. If you're lucky, they'll occasionally wipe it with a rancid cloth. My wife has no problems whatsoever. Yes, it is Thai. But a coli bacterium is not biased. Watch out again! I have been in hospital for food poisoning and have been on the toilet at home for at least six months. Almost wanted to put the toilet. Six months ago I decided that I wouldn't get anything from those stalls anymore. Meat at the lotus, lying on the ice and eating out in a restaurant that has a real kitchen with refrigeration. McDonald's is also fine. Just watch out very carefully. It could be your last meal. Serious
I have traveled through Asia for 40 years and have now lived there for 20 years. Always eaten street food.
The only time I got sick was from eating at a 'star' restaurant.
Do not let them get to you.
I have been visiting Thailand every year for 32 years and have only suffered food poisoning once that made me vomit at night. Presumably due to sea food.