Street food dos and don’ts

Years of dining under flyovers on busy roads has given Tom Vandenberghe and Eva Verplaetse, authors of ‘Bangkok street food, cooking and travelling in Thailand’ a rare insight into South-East Asian street food.

I interviewed Tom recently for a story in  Tiger Tales

Tom also shared his street food dos and don’ts which makes a great list for any traveller.

• Do choose a street vendor based on the buzz around the place. Local people queuing up means the dishes are sold regularly and quickly, plus ingredients are usually fresh.

• Don’t eat from a food stall where the cook has dirty hands or fingernails or where fish or meat is stored unrefrigerated.

• Do look at the cook, check how they handle the food and how they preserve and store their ingredients. 

• Don’t forget to avoid ice. There is no label on ice, and no way to judge the freshness or determine its origins.”

• Do choose vegetables or fruit that have been peeled.  Select fresh fruits and vegetables in preference to older ones and take your time to pick the most shining, bright ingredients.

• Don’t eat at a street stall unless you are completely happy with the food on offer and the way it is prepared.

Do you have any other great tips for finding great food on the street?