Korean Job Discussion Forums

[in_seoul_2003]

i used to eat at thai orchid once in a while. some of the food was great--spicy beef lime salad. some of it, however, was terrible--overcooked, bland, not at all like in thailand.

and the argument that they are all thai chefs doesn't really hold up since they may be slightly customizing--bastardizing is more like it--their food for a korean market. judging by korean food, i wouldn't doubt that they dumbed down the quality. afterall, it's not like any korean is going to tell the diffrerence. and they are koreans afterall so they are going to call another country's food 'greasy' no matter what.

at any rate, for those who care, they are now re-located in lotte department store and apkujeong. from the koreatimes.



Goong Pad Nam Makham Piek
By Kim Se-jeong
Staff Reporter

Now, those who have a hunger for authentic Thai food in Korea can find it in restaurants with a ``Thai Select'' logo on their windows or walls.

The Thai Embassy in Seoul last Tuesday announced three ``Thai Select'' restaurants, all located in Seoul, and granted the logo.

The logo is a certificate of authenticity approved by the Thai government.

Sala Thai in Jamsil, and two Thai Orchids _ one at the Lotte Department Store and the other ready to open in Apgujeong-dong, Seoul, in December _ were selected.

Khao Pad Sabparod
Thai Select is the Thai government's effort to promote its cuisine around the world, and the Thai Ambassador Vasin Teeravechyan expressed hopes that the program will contribute to the Thai cuisine promotion in Korea.

The program began three years ago and has certified nearly 800 Thai restaurants around the world.

The selection process was executed by the Thai Select Committee consisting of Thai diplomats with the chairing ambassador, and the committee reviewed local restaurant applicants on sanity, ingredients, chefs, taste, interior and customer services.

The three awardees use ingredients and other appliances imported directly from Thailand, and have chefs and assistant chefs with over one-year Thai cuisine experience.

It took one and a half years to set up, said Aphirak Paepuang, minister counselor of the office of commercial affairs at the embassy, and nine restaurants were initial applicants.

Paepuang, also a member of the committee, encouraged more local Thai restaurants to continue to bid for the Thai Select as benefits for those certified restaurants are immense.

The certified restaurants will receive assistance from the embassy; their names will be listed in tour guidebooks for Thai people who visit Korea; and they will be invited to the annual Thai Food Exhibition (Thai FEX) in Thailand.

Thai food is no longer unfamiliar to Korean people, Park Dong-shick, CEO of the Thai Orchid at Lotte Department Store, said. Thai spice and seasoning are pleasing to Korean tongues.

The Thailand Embassy follows the the Italian Embassy who has publicly announced certified local restaurants in Korea for authentic cuisine of their countries.

The Italian Embassy published an Italian restaurant guidebook in September.

[email protected]

[seoulsister]

Fantastic! Anyone know the location of the Apkujeong branch?

[venus]

Never had bad Thai food in the Itaewon branch myself. Possibly less likely to cater for 'fusion style' Korean taste there...

Suki Thai is great too, the honey pork dish is lush.

[Underwaterbob]

I would do anything for a 200원 phad thai vendor anywhere in this city. (Chungju, HAHAHAHAAA)

[Troll_Bait]

This thread should have a link to the original story.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/special_view.asp?newsIdx=14355&categoryCode=176