Qvod cibvs est aliis, aliis est wenenum

For various reasons I have avoided Thai Food for the past decade or so. I’ve always known it was an unfair prejudice, but given the choice I’ve always favoured the anything-but-Thai option.

Sydney is positively brimming over with Thai food. Of course the city’s a cornucopia of regional cuisines and the ubiquity of Thai food does not imply a restriction. However, on the evening of my arrival, in the spirit of new-slates and adventure I decided to cast off my inhibitions and sat down in a restaurant with “Bangkok” in the title. Big Mistake. Huge.

I ordered a pork dish and it tasted fine. I’d go so far as to say I enjoyed it and I do recall leaving a tip. An hour later, in the failing light of my first evening in Sydney the pallor of my face drained like a vanishing sunset. My ruddy, Irish visage faded to grey as my stomach churned. It was to be 36 hours of gastric unpleasantness before I was comfortable being more than 3 minutes from the nearest public convenience.

I’ll give Thai food one last chance - a decade or so from now.