The Spicy Side of LIfe -- Khao Soy (Dec 8)

Might not look like much but it was sooooooooooo good (and spicy!)

According to Thais, this dish, Khao Soy, is the "most iconic, beloved, and fussed over item on the Northern Thai menu."  Khao Soy is a rich curry soup which is made with flat noodles and topped with a frizz of crispy noodles.  You can order it with chicken, beef, or pork, and is ordinarilly one of the many street-served dishes in Thailand.  Our tour guide took us to a local restaurant (we were the only fair skinned people in the crowded lunch room that day) and ordered for us.  He got it in the not-spicy version, knowing we could add some chili sauce at the table.  But remember that we are in Thailand....  here was Elise's initial response:

Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, Grandma decided to jump in with both feet (some of you might not know she is just 5 weeks out from gall bladder surgery and has had a tender stomach on this trip) -- everything is goes down well with a little Singha (Thai beer):

Papa wipes the sweat from his brow...

Singha helps everything (well, from this culinary point of view)

But just for your information, Coke does not help the heat like beer does.  Just after the happy picture was taken below, we ordered a round of water to help cool the kids down...

A real treat to get their OWN coke, served in a bottle, with a straw AND Thai writing....

And when you dine with the locals, you need to be ready to look in the kitchen (AFTER you eat):



Their restaurant is their home:

All in all, for many of us, this was one of our favorite meals we have eaten in Thailand -- and we LOVE their food.  And get this -- we paid a whopping $1 per person for the food!