Som tam, Thailand’s popular green papaya salad, was ranked 5th among Lonely Planet's top 500 food experiences. Som tam’s traditional ingredients include shredded green raw papaya, long beans, garlic cloves, chilis, tomatoes, roasted peanuts, dried shrimp, lime juice and fish sauce.
The top ten foodie choices were:
- Pintxos, small slices of bread piled with a mixture of ingredients and fastened with a toothpick, usually served in bars as snacks to pair with beer or red wine (San Sebastián, Spain).
- Curry laksa, a spicy coconut-based noodle soup topped with shredded chicken, shrimp, fried tofu, and bean sprouts (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia).
- Sushi (Tokyo, Japan).
- Beef brisket (Texas, USA).
- Som tum salad (Bangkok, Thailand).
- Smørrebrød, an open sandwich consisting of one or more slices of bread topped with fried eggs and sometimes cheese or meat (Copenhagen, Denmark).
- Crayfish (Kaikoura, New Zealand).
- Bibimbap, a warm dish comprised of steamed rice, sautéed and seasoned vegetables, chili paste, soy sauce, and soybean paste (Seoul, South Korea)
- Pizza margherita (Naples, Italy)
- Dim sum, bite-sized dished, savoury or sweet, cooked in different ways and served in small steamer baskets or plates (Hong Kong).