Splash of Thai Brings Flood of Authenticity

December 25, 2009 — that was the night I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand. The plethora of lights, wagons, and palm trees was unlike anything I had ever witnessed. Parked in the center of the Indochina Peninsula in a bastion of humidity, it was the first time in my life I had spent Christmas smothered in sweat as opposed to chills. During the next eight days I ventured not only through the city, but also the villages, as well as down the coast.

My experience was composed of midday swims in the Indian Ocean, haggles with aggressive merchants, competitive muay Thai fights, eccentric flare performances, and exotic animals who were intensively trained to complete tasks which humans are incapable of perfecting.

However, what sticks in my mind the most was that first night. It was the first moment I came into contact with this worldly gem of a city, as well as the first time I experienced an authentic Thai meal. Bangkok was a place I could never fathom, and its food had a taste I could never forget. 

It was a holiday dinner far from western-there was no Christmas ham, nor were we surrounded by carolers, but rather the sights and sounds of the tourist infested Khaosan Road. Nothing, however, could distract me from the spice of this meal which enveloped me with every bite. I stopped at nothing to devour this green curry-a meal composed of chilies, coconut milk, basil leaves and bamboo shoots. It was a conglomeration of spice that did wonders for the palate, as well as the mind; it was a magic served to me from an establishment whose name I unfortunately will never remember for the life of me.

While nothing can replace that traveling and culinary experience, I did find a place that reminds me of it. One does not need to venture to Bangkok’s Khaosan Road, but rather downtown Westfield’s very own South Avenue West. as this establishment is more than appropriately titled, certainly tackles even the most irritating desire for Southeast Asian food.

I had the fortune of experiencing this restaurant just three weeks ago on Christmas night. Merely coincidentally, it was two years from the date I tasted this style of cuisine in its land of origin. This time, the atmosphere was less hectic, as most other families went elsewhere to celebrate this holiday. Despite the date, though, the crowd was larger than I expected.

Regardless, it was still a long shot from the bustling alleys of Bangkok. The weather, mind you, was a bit more frigid than my experience in 2009. For this reason, we ate inside as opposed to posting up between the outdoor night markets.  

Nonetheless, geographical and atmospheric differences did not create a shift in my menu selection, as I once again chose the ever so tempting green curry. Understandably, it is difficult for restaurants in western countries to duplicate the cuisine one can find in Thailand. Splash of Thai, though, came strikingly close.

This meal not only created another positive memory in the Yuletide archives, but also reacquainted me with my first trip to Thailand and, consequentially, a reflection on a previous Christmas. For anyone who craves the familiarity of a Southeast Asian meal, Splash of Thai, notwithstanding its location on a map, breathes authenticity in every way. Having now have eaten Thai food on Christmas in both its motherland and my home state, I can safely say that a holiday dinner doused in coconut curry will always be fine by me.