BANGKOK – A plate of neu nam mon hoy was relieved to survive an entire meal without being savagely critiqued by a group of foodies at a recently opened Thai restaurant.
As the conversation turned from one dish to another, the humble Thai dish at the edge of the table was certain that the dinner party of six self-proclaimed connoisseurs of Thai cuisine would eventually launch a series of scathing remarks against it.
While the tom yum koong was praised as “a brilliant balance of hot and sour”, the green curry was not so lucky. Featuring carrots and “way too much coconut milk”, it was labeled a “terrible tragedy”.
A 35-minute debate then ensued on where to find the best green curry in Bangkok. The group concluded that it was served not in the capital, but 45 minutes outside of Bangkok in a small shophouse in Samut Prakan.
While the neu nam mon hoy at times felt left out of the conversation, it was happy overall to be consumed in complete anonymity.
“I feel I did well,” the dish reported later. “I wasn’t singled out for praise but I guess I should be flattered just to be eaten by these people. One of the bloggers even took my picture.”
