Thai food is known for being hot & spicy with a balance of five fundamental flavors in each dish: spicy hot, sour, sweet, & salty sometimes bitter (optional).
Thai cuisine would be more accurately described as regional flavors corresponding to the four main regions of the country: Northern, Northeastern (or Isan), Central, and Southern; each cuisine sharing similar foods or derived from those of neighboring countries.
Central and Southern regions use a wide variety of leaves including kaffir lime leaves (bai makrut, Thai ใบมะกรูด. The unique flavor of kaffir lime leaves appear in nearly every Thai soup (tom yam kung pictured on the right) or curry from those areas. It is frequently combined with lemon grass, garlic, galangal, turmeric, and/or fingerroot (krachai) and blended together with liberal amounts of various chilies to make curry paste.
Fresh Thai basil adds the unique fragrance in certain dishes such as Green curry. Other typical ingredients include the small green Thai eggplants, tamarind, palm and coconut sugars, lime juice, and coconut milk.
Vietnamese food can be essentially divided into three types of cuisine, each pertaining to a specific region. Many of Vietnam's most famous dishes (such as phở and bánh cuốn) have their birthplace in northern Vietnam. Being the cradle of its civilization the North's cuisine is more traditional in the use of spices and fresh ingredients.
Historically, southern Chinese immigrants and French colonists have influenced the cuisine of South Vietnam. As a region of more diversity, southern dishes cater to sweet flavors and the use of a wider variety of herbs.
Central Vietnam cuisine is quite different from the food of both the Northern and Southern regions in its use of many small side dishes. Compared to its counterparts, its cuisine is less spicy.
Exotic meats such as dog, snake, soft-shell turtle, and domestic goat are enjoyed almost exclusively while consuming alcoholic beverages, and are generally eaten on special occasions. Vietnamese & Thai Restaurants in Qingdao: