Dear Editor,
Regarding Eric Bahrt’s mail asking why restaurants do not continue serving vegetarian dishes all year around and that “it doesn’t make sense to stop selling the very food that bring in customers”, here’s my two satang’s worth.
I believe restaurants know what they are doing; they are there to make business.
First of all, you have to understand the Thai diet, which is rice, pork, beef, chicken, fish and mega tons of chilies. Vegetables are generally either mixed into the meat dish or used as garnish or eaten raw with nam priks.
So, although vegetables are a plenty here, they are not the main character of the dishes. That’s why small eatery chefs are not very creative in making vegetarian foods and some don’t like to even be bothered with it. Amazingly, I find more creative and appetizing vegetarian dishes in Europe.
The reason you see a lot of Thai and Chinese customers go for vegetarian food during the festival is just that. It’s the festival, the “Je” Fest.
The history of these practices goes back a long time, citing few different beliefs. Check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Emperor_Gods_ Festival
Chinese vegetarians or “Je” are a bit different from vegan-tarians or “Mangsawirat”, because even garlic, onion and a few other herbs with strong smell are forbidden to “Je” eaters.
Many Thai and Chinese observe this period of meat abstinence out of tradition, belief, respect for the deities, and some for health reasons. Personally I find the Fest foods too be too starchy and oily to be healthy.
So no, generally people here are not that crazy about a dish without meat in it, that’s why you see a lot of “meat wanna-looklike’s” and “meat wanna-tastelike’s” during the Chinese Veg Fest. This imitation is aimed at pleasing those who find it hard to eat food without getting the meat texture.
Once the fest is over, not that many Thai or Chinese customers will ask for vegetarian dishes in restaurants. That is why it’s taken off the menu, simple as that.
There are, however, more veggie restaurants around nowadays than say about 10 years ago. There’s one near the South Pattaya/Third Road intersection, one near Luk Dod, and one next to the Pattaya – Bangkok bus terminal.
Also, you can always ask for improvisation in any friendly and accommodating restaurant. Tom yam gung without gung, or pad kraphao pak ruam, and no gai, or gaeng ped mangsawirat.
Bon appetite.
Veggie Delight
