Hi - we're going to Phuket for a week in July, and we're living it up this time, staying around the Laguna resorts probably.
Question - what is the situation with MSG (monosodium glutemate) at these places? My wife is allergic. We asked the Sheraton and they said they used it!!! We figured we'd ask the best... as low end places would be more likely to use it.
I think the local name is "ajiomoto" so we can ask street vendors if they use it.
But I'd really like to know your experiences. Are there resorts where they do NOT use any MSG? We stayed at a SHangri La in Sabah without MSG and it was brilliant. WHat are the chances for local restaurants and street food?
Thanks!
aussiedan
1
daniel415
MSG's very common in Thai restaurants, and in street food. But most Thai people understand that lots of people are sensitive to it, so they'll readily leave it out.
Ajinomoto is a brand name... the Thai generic word is "chuu rot," (rot rhymes with goat or note, not hot or pot) or "flavor boost." People generally know what you're talking about if you ask them not to put it in -- "yaa sai chuu rot," or "mai sai chuu rot," generally means people won't dip into the MSG.
2
jashuang99
MSG is very widely used in Asian cooking. You'd better off eat at the resort and ask the chef not to use any MSG in your dishes. Street vendors' English is quite limited in some area.
3
Loki_UT
good luck, it's used everywhere in everything. best bet is to find a restaurant that never uses it and eat there. because most of the time when you ask not to have it, you get it anyway. not necessarily on purpose, just habitual hand action. make 200 meals a day, grab the same shaker and pour 200 times a day, oops, that one wasn't supposed to get it, oh well. doesn't effect me, but ex used to have symtoms before leaving restaurant and always asked not to put in, in thai. at least i saved a lot of tips. muscles sore, no tip.
4
mukluksdecrux
if your significant other is unlucky enough to be one of the one in a million who is actually allergic to MSG, go to the FAQ section here and find the printable allergies script, authored by Anil. And if she is truly allergic, she'd better stay away from fish sauce, soy sauce, meat, tomatoes, cheese, etc. all of which have high levels of free glutamates and would give her a bad reaction.
5
aussiedan
Thanks for the advice.
Yes she avoids soy and other sauces etc due to reactions.
Might be tricky. We had no problems at the ShangriLa in Kota Kinibalu (Malaysia), they said "no msg" and she ate there happily with no issues.
6
aussiedan
"best bet is to find a restaurant that never uses it and eat there"
I agree. So where would I find one?? Any recommendations?
7
mozzies
<blockquote>Quote
<hr>they said "no msg" and she ate there happily with no issues.<hr></blockquote>good continue lying to her then..
8
anonymous
<blockquote>Quote
<hr>So where would I find one?? Any recommendations? <hr></blockquote>I just went to one (in Phuket) this weekend. Mind you, if you are staying at Laguna it would be about an hours drive -
Friendship Beach, Phuket
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