I think maybe True Thai needs a truck like this one. Yes, that's a portable grill sticking out of the back of that truck!I have often thought about how much fun it would be to honor my street vendor relatives by getting a permit to sell satay and egg rolls on Nicollet Mall with a tuk tuk, but it seems that getting a tuk tuk to obey U.S. emissions standards is even harder than getting a license to sell street food in Minneapolis.
Ever since Prasomphol women first came to Thailand from Vietnam, we have sold food in the streets. Great grandmother Mai sold fried bananas, and my mom and aunts all sold different food items at different times.
Do you want to know a secret? A lot of True Thai's menu items got their start as Thai street food! Maybe you can guess which ones but if not, here's a list:
- #2 Fried Egg Rolls — Golden Kingdom Style
- #3 True Thai Vegetable Fried Egg Rolls
- #6 Satay (on a stick!)
- #9 Royal Thai Fish (or Shrimp) Cakes
- #11 Fried Chicken Wings
- #12 Thai-riffic Fried Tofu
- #16 Bangkok Crispy Sweet Beef
- #17 Wonton Soup
- #22 Aromatic Rice Noodle Soup
- #24 Green Papaya Salad
- #25 Southern Thai Bean-Thread Rice Vermicelli Salad
- #26 Laab
- #27 Fiery Beef Salad
- #33 Sweet Green Curry
- #38 Wok-fried Green Chilis & Fresh Sweet Basil
- #53 The Ultimate Pad Thai
- #54 Drunkard's Noodles
- #55 Pad See Yew
- #56 Rad Na Delight
- #58 Classic Thai Fried Rice
- #63 Holy Basil Fried Rice
So if you want your True Thai to be even more authentic, get some of these items the next time you order take out and then eat them in your backyard.
Hmm. [looks outside] Maybe this experiment should wait until next June. Snow is not part of the authentic Thai experience!
