Living in the 21st century and being burnt on the stake like a medieval witch by your fellow peers? You must be a vegetarian in the western world. The developed world they call it. Is it that developed if your surroundings threat you like this?
Thailand is a mainly Buddhist country and Buddhism preaches vegetarianism, although the followers don't adopt the idea. The first thing you see when going for a bite on the street, is that anything goes. Every animal you can immediately think of will be available on a plate somewhere. But why is it then, that vegetarians are treated as human beings here. People respect your choices. There is a growing number of vegetarians in Bangkok and with this an increasing number in vegetarian restaurants. Even when out on the streets, you can always ask for a customized dish and the streetside chef will be happy to oblige. Even asking if it needs adjusting while you are eating, trying to give you the best culinary experience of the day.
Every vegetarian restaurant I visited here was always full of people, Thai and farang alike. Enjoying an animal-free local or western dinner. That's right, there are different kinds of vegetarian restaurants available, to everyone's taste. My favourite is an all Thai restaurant located in the Ekkamai area of town. It can be hard to find because it is not to be seen from the roadside, but there are enough signs pointing to this refreshing oasis. It looks quite posh and fancy on the inside and makes you grab for your wallet to check if you have enough cash or have to run off to an ATM first. Rest assured, the interior and the prices are very opposite from each other. You can have a great meal here for less than 200 baht. And it gets even better when you have their ten percent discount card. This is a great place to experience Thai cuisine without having to wonder if there is any fish sauce or animal grease in your food. The staff is really nice, although English is not abundant, they do their utmost to please the customers.
My second favourite is in a very touristy part of town, hidden away in a back alley. This open front restaurant only serves Thai dishes and has been doing this for over a decade. Lots of the dishes are the same ones I find in the other eatery, sometimes with a slightly different taste, but they also have their own specialities. Mouthwatering and spicy, just the way Thai food should be. The owner of this restaurant, which by now is already a chain of three, also heads cooking classes in the morning. I have never made it out to these, since it is on the other side of town and they start at 9 AM. Something always seems to come up. Not making any excuses here. Here too the prices are on the very economical side and won't make you file for bankruptcy after a nice lunch.
If, however, once in a while you want a change from Thai food, which is quite understandable, there is an all-vegetarian Italian restaurant in the lower Sukhumvit area. Delicious pastas, mouthwatering calzones and wanting-for-more pizzas all served in an animal-friendly environment. Although the food is very nice, the prices on the menu are less friendly. This is the main difference between a Thai and a farang-owned place. Thais seem to be happy to serve you great food with a great smile, while farangs want to earn money. This is quite understandable, but makes me visit their resto italiano less frequently. However the setting and atmosphere are very nice and so is the staff, always willing to help and explain.
The same area of town is also home to an abundance of Indian vegetarian restaurants. Hindu's are more known to be vegetarian followers of their religion and so there is a wider choice in dishes. The spiciness is also different. An Indian dish will put your mouth on fire while you can still taste the herbs and cheeses used. A Thai dish can sometimes be so hot you don't even remember what you ordered and forgot all about how it should taste. Due to the fact that Indians and Thais don't get along that well, you won't find many Thai people in Indian restaurants. Nonetheless, the food still tasted great and the prices are very humane. Service can sometimes be a bit cold and stiff, but the main reason you came to this place was for the food, right.
Of course there is the possibility your eating companions are not keen on healthy vegetarian food and want to have their daily portion of animal. Then there are like in the west many restaurants that offer a couple of vegetarian dishes. This should keep everyone satisfied. The more famous of these are a couple of Irish pubs scattered all over the city, which try to cater to the needs of westerners, Thais and vegetarians. The oddest place I found was an Australian sports bar which had a whole page of meatless plates on the menu. This looked very unfamiliar to me, especially because all the other Australian eateries I saw were very proud to put an the emphasis on real Australian beef, sirloin steak and kangaroo meat. But this particular place really met my needs. Enjoying a nice lunch while watching rugby on one of the numerous TV screens around the room. Although sometimes the cricket was on and I still haven't got a clue how that game is played. The owner is a very hospitable and friendly Australian, always in for a talk about food or sports. I even got a free vegetarian Cornish pastry and an iced chocolate because my food arrived a little bit late. Farang owned with a Thai spirit, I like it.
I know, these are all restaurants and we are not here to eat out every day. Although that is what everybody does, be it not in restaurants. As I said in the beginning, daily streetfood is part of the Thai culture. I once wanted to cook my own meal and in the end it cost me four times more than what I pay for the same dish on the street. No wonder the sidewalks are full of people every day. I hope you enjoy your next meal, wherever it is and maybe this time you try a dish that hasn't suffered.
Give it a try.
