Thai food and flavours
What is Thai food?
Thai food is the cooking of Thailand, with dishes combining salty, sweet, sour, savoury and spicy flavours in different ways. Our menu includes coconut curries, tamarind-based Pad Thai, soy-seasoned noodles, aromatic soups and chilli-and-lime salads.
The ingredients distinguish the dishes. Coconut milk gives many curries their sauce; lime is part of Tom Kha and papaya salad; lemongrass and galangal appear in the soup menu. Thai basil and holy basil are used in different preparations. Food is not defined by chilli alone. The guides to Thai ingredients and authenticity and how Thai food is cooked look at ingredients and preparation in more detail.
Menu categories at a glance
| Category | Examples at Charm Thai Cafe |
|---|---|
| Classic curries | Green, red, yellow, Massaman, Panang and jungle |
| Noodles | Pad Thai, Pad See Eew, Pad Kee Mao and Laad Naah |
| Broth and curry noodles | Light/dark noodle soup and separate Khao Soi |
| Stir-fries | Pad Kra Pao, cashew nut and oyster sauce |
| Soups | Tom Yum and Tom Kha |
| Salads | Papaya salad and spicy cucumber salad |
| Rice | Special, chicken, pork, prawn and egg fried rice |
| Starters | Spring rolls, fish cakes, satay and moneybags |
Classic curries and stir-fries include jasmine rice. Khao Soi has its own curry noodle listing, choices and prices. Use the full menu for the available version of each dish.
The Thai menu-reading guide explains ingredient checks, and the Thai spice-level guide covers heat requests. Browse all the Thai food articles for other preparation questions.
Choosing a curry
Green curry has coconut milk, green paste, bamboo shoots and Thai basil. Red curry uses red paste, coconut milk and bamboo shoots. Yellow curry has potato, cauliflower and onion. Jungle curry has mixed vegetables and Thai herbs without coconut milk. The Thai curry ingredient comparison explains the differences, while the jungle curry guide covers the non-coconut style.
Massaman has potatoes and onion in coconut sauce. Its paste contains roasted peanuts, although no whole peanuts are added; the dish still contains peanuts. Standard paste can contain shrimp paste, so vegan preparation needs suitable ingredients. Panang has thick coconut sauce, green beans and shredded kaffir lime leaves; do not infer its allergens from the colour or photograph.
Which Thai curries are mild?
Yellow curry and Massaman are described as mild on our menu. Yellow has potatoes, cauliflower and onion; Massaman has potatoes and onion, with roasted peanuts in its paste. Use the six-style curry guide to compare them, then tell us your preferred heat before cooking begins.
For green curry paste, a home recipe and cooking questions, read our green curry ingredient guide.
For dried-chilli paste, recipe variations and home cooking, read our red curry ingredient guide.
Our yellow curry recipe and paste guide explains creamy kaeng kari and its difference from southern sour yellow curry.
Our massaman curry recipe and paste guide explains warm spices, tamarind and home-cooking methods.
Stir-fried, gravy and broth noodles
Pad Thai uses rice noodles with tamarind-based sauce, egg and vegetables. Pad See Eew has wide noodles and dark soya sauce; Pad Kee Mao has fresh chilli, Thai basil and vegetables. Laad Naah serves wide noodles with savoury gravy.
Light and dark noodle soup are broth bowls. The dark base contains gluten and cannot be offered gluten-free here. Khao Soi has curry noodles, a crispy noodle topping, lime and red onion. The noodle guide compares these preparations.
For noodle preparation, sauce ingredients and cooking questions, use our Pad Thai FAQ. Read the separate history of Pad Thai for its origins and cultural development.
How the chilli ratings work
Is Thai food spicy?
Some dishes are marked hotter than others. The menu's chilli ratings describe traditional heat, and we turn it down by default. Tell us what you enjoy; ask which parts of the dish can be adjusted before ordering.
What Thai food is good for picky eaters?
Explain the ingredients and textures you like or avoid. Yellow curry, Massaman, Pad Thai, Pad See Eew and fried rice are possible starting points, subject to your preferences and ingredient requirements. A mild dish is not an allergy-safe dish.
Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free preparation
Is Thai food good for vegans and vegetarians?
Our menu has dedicated vegan choices. Request suitable pastes, sauces and seasonings with tofu or vegetables. Ordinary fish and oyster sauces are animal-derived. Vegetarian Pad Thai and Pad See Eew include egg; vegan preparation omits it. Use the vegan guide.
Which Thai dishes are naturally gluten free?
Rice or rice noodles alone do not establish the finished dish's suitability. Check the sauces, pastes, seasonings and preparation. Pad Kra Pao and dark noodle soup contain gluten in their bases and cannot be offered gluten-free at Charm Thai Cafe.
Wheat, nuts, seafood, egg and other allergens are handled in our shared kitchen. We cannot guarantee freedom from cross-contact. Tell us separately about an allergy or coeliac disease and read the gluten-free guidance before choosing. For plant-based choices, read which Thai dishes can be vegan.
Starters before the main meal
Chicken and vegetarian spring rolls, fish cakes and pork moneybags are identified as made in-house on the menu. Satay has chicken or pork skewers with homemade peanut sauce. Spring roll wrappers contain wheat, fish cakes contain fish and satay sauce contains peanuts. The starter guide compares the fillings and preparation.
Your first order and questions for the team
What should I order at a Thai restaurant for the first time?
Choose a dish by the sauce, ingredients and chilli level you enjoy. Use Start Here for a shortlist, then ask about the preparation you need. You can order separate mains or choose dishes to share after checking everyone's requirements.
What is the tastiest Thai food?
That depends on your taste. Compare tangy Pad Thai, coconut curries, soy-seasoned Pad See Eew, basil-led Pad Kra Pao and dark noodle soup by their ingredients rather than one universal favourite.
Can we choose different dishes and chilli levels?
Yes. Each person can choose their dish and request a preferred chilli level. Tell us the dish, protein and preparation for each meal before cooking starts. Ask what can be adjusted in a paste or sauce, and check everyone's requirements before sharing.
Ask about the exact dish, protein and preparation, not just whether the cuisine suits a requirement. If you're ordering for several people, name each meal and its requests separately.
More ways to choose your meal
For the holy basil stir-fry, our Pad Kra Pao guide covers the herb, recipe variations and documented history. To choose a restaurant version, see Pad Kra Pao in Doncaster.
Which Thai stir-fries can I choose?
Our menu includes ginger, garlic and black pepper, sweet and sour, oyster sauce and cashew nut stir-fries. Choose ginger for shredded ginger with peppers and spring onion, or sweet and sour for pineapple, cucumber, peppers, onion and tomato. Cashew nut stir-fry has roasted cashews, dried chilli, spring onion and peppers in dark soy sauce. These main courses include jasmine rice.
What is the difference between fried rice and Pad Thai?
Fried rice is a rice dish; Pad Thai uses rice noodles in a sweet, tangy tamarind sauce. Our menu lists special, chicken, pork, prawn and egg fried rice. Standard Pad Thai includes egg and vegetables. Choose the base and sauce you prefer, then check the complete preparation for your dietary requirements.
What are Thai salads like?
Our papaya salad has green papaya, tomato, green beans, lime, chilli and peanuts. Laab combines minced pork or chicken with red onion, coriander, roasted rice, lime and chilli. Nam Tok uses sliced pork or beef with herbs, roasted rice and chilli. Check the dressing and preparation for the dish you choose.
For the full noodle comparison, use our Thai noodle guide. The curry menu guide helps you choose between the six classic styles.
Eating and visiting
What is the etiquette for eating Thai food?
At Charm Thai Cafe there is no formal rule. Use the cutlery you prefer, and decide whether to share dishes or order your own main. Check dietary requirements before sharing.
For a visit, our restaurant guide has booking and access details. For collection, phone your dishes and preparation requests through and agree a pickup time. The Charm Thai Cafe restaurant page brings together the menu and ways to eat here.