Thai Raid

In America, Thai dishes are being toned down. The Thai government wants to step in to stop it.

A A A Comments (0) By Robb Walsh Thursday, Mar 28 2002

But Dr. Foo is somewhat skeptical that the Thai government's ambitious plans will ever be realized. Goanpot Asvinvichit is no longer at his post in the commerce department, she says. And the aftermath of September 11 has had a chilling effect on the private-sector investments this project would require.

Nevertheless, when I asked the Houston Thai consulate about the program, it relayed an e-mail message from the Thai department of export promotion indicating that the plan is still under way. Global Thai Restaurant Co., Ltd., the company in charge of opening the restaurants and training the chefs, is expected to launch the project by the third quarter of 2002. If it succeeds, countries all over the world may start planning their own culinary interventions.

Troy Fields

Blue Orchid's hot beef salad may taste fine to the Western palate, but it's not traditional Thai.

Details

The Future of Fusion: Second in a five-part series 281-870-8636. Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Bangkok hot beef salad: $6.95
Pad Thai: $9.50
Thai hot curry shrimp: $9.95
Thai curry pork: $8.95

More About

"The Future of Fusion" looked at five Houston fusion cuisines in an attempt to understand what the foods say about the cultures that created them. The complete series can be found online and will be presented at an academic panel titled "Global Food? Fusion, Creolization and Hybridity in Culinary Culture" at the annual meeting of the American Studies Association in Houston this November.