Made in China

This Northern Thai staple, commonly doused in a creamy and spicy broth, and served with chicken, actually has Chinese origins. The history of this soupy dish can be traced back to the Muslim-Chinese tribes, called Hui or Chin Haw, that lived in the Yunnan province of Southern China. These peoples regularly frequented Northern Thailand for trade. According to Siriluck Bangsud and Ponlawat Arom in Delicacies in Lanna (Ocha in Lanna), when the Kuomintang party led by Chiang Kai-chek was exiled to Taiwan from China as the party was defeated by the Communist party in the Chinese civil war in 1949, some of the Kuomintang supporters including the Chin Haw migrated to the north of Thailand to escape conviction. Some of them who could not return to their motherland settled down in the north and started business, which includes khao soy restaurant. The original khao soy recipe is similar to Yunannese papa soy — the white noodle dish with light broth. The recipe was later adapted to appease the Thai palate with the addition of coconut milk.

Try it here:
Eats Payao, 5/4 Yenakat Road, 09 2393 1609. Open daily 12:00-23:55
Kruajiangmai, 125/24 Soi Thonglor 7, 09 9196 2464. Open daily 11:00-23:00
Hom Duan, 31 Soi Sukhumvit 63, 08 50378916. Open Mon-Sat 9:00-21:00

It may be one of Thailand’s national dishes, but pad thai has strong Chinese accents. According to a number of sources, including respected historian Sujit Wongthet, it used to be called kuay teaw pad (stir-fried noodles), which sounds—and also looks—similar to the Chinese Malay delicacy char kway teow. This hearty dish came into existence during World War II, when the country was governed by Pleak Phibunsongkhram and the Thai economy was experiencing a downfall. In order to decrease the consumption of rice in the country, the prime minister turned to noodles as an everyday staple, and came up with a campaign that encouraged Thai people to ditch rice for the stringy alternative. Patriotism and anti-Chinese sentiments prevented the people from fully adopting Chinese noodles, and instead had them putting a Thai flair into the dish. As a result, the name was changed to kuay teaw pad Thai to make it sound more local. The way the meats and vegetables are cooked in the dish are supposedly similar to how the people in Guangdong cook their stir-fried noodles, but the Thai used their own noodles, the most popular being noodles from Chantaburi (hence the name “Chan noodles”), and concocted their own sauce made from local ingredients such as tamarind paste, palm sugar and fish sauce.

Try it here:
Baan Padthai, 21-23 Soi Charoenkrung 44, 0 2060 5553.
Open daily 11:00-23:00,
Thipsamai, 313 Mahachai Road, 0 2226 6666.
Open daily 17:00-1:00
Pad Tai Fai Ta Lu, 115/5 Dinso Road, 08 9811 1888.
Open daily 10:00-21:00

Those addictively chewy tapioca pearls, plus creamy and sweet milk tea are the two components that helped bubble tea conquer Thailand, as well as the rest of the world. Bangkok’s shopping malls or business centers are chock-full of these bubble tea stores serving their take of the milky delight, including Taiwaneseborn chains like Koi Thé, Coco and The Alley. (Even Belgian-born chocolate brand Godiva has a bubble tea-inspired chocolate drink at its Bangkok branches.) There is much debate on the origins of bubble tea, but one of the most promising theories refers to its beginning in the ’80s at Chun Shui Tang Teahouse in Taichung, Taiwan. The owner of the tea shop was inspired by how coffee was served cold in Japan and wanted to serve tea in the same way. By accident, Lin Hsui Hui, who was then the product development manager, poured fen yuan (Taiwanese tapioca pudding) into her iced tea, instigating one of those “eureka” culinary moments. Since then, the bubble tea has become a drink iconic of Taiwan.

In Bangkok, it’s easy to come across old-school restaurants that churn out dishes with both Western and Chinese
influences. Beef stew, in particular, is a popular serve in shophouse restaurants, especially those that claim to specialize in Hainanese-style cuisine. The history of these restaurants can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th century, when Hainanese migrants settled in Bangkok.
Some worked in the hotel business and later became cooks in European-style restaurants, where they altered some
Western recipes to suit the Thai palate. The beef stew was
modified with an injection of Chinese spices like star anise,
and chickpea for extra nuttiness.

Try it here:
Sutathip, 338-342 Chakkapadhipong Road, Wat Saket, 0 2282 4313. Open Tue-Sun
9:00-16:00
Agave (Fu Mui Kee 2), 61/127 Soi Rama 9-Soi 7, 0 2248 2150. Open daily 11:00-
21:00