Only in Thailand

In this new series of posts, "Only in Thailand", I want to share some of the strange and interesting dishes that are available from the big western restaurant chains that you might not expect. You probably know that McDonald's has a different sort of menu in each country, to appeal to local tastes. But it's not just them! Most restaurants that you've probably heard of have special menu items too! I want to share some of those with you today, and if it's interesting, I'll try to write more of this sort of post.

Zabb on Ice from KFC

KFC Zabb on Ice

You know how you can add sea salt to chocolate and it brings out all of the flavors? Or how you can sometimes combine dark chocolate and hot chili peppers together for a surprisingly nice taste? This takes that to the next (and very Thai) level!

The Zabb on Ice is a limited-edition snack from KFC Thailand. It's soft serve ice cream served in a chocolate waffle cone and dipped into a chocolate shell. So far so good. Then the chocolate shell is sprinkled with "zabb" powder, a seasoning used on the KFC Zabb Chicken Pop (spicy popcorn chicken).

It's weird... who would ever think to combine dark chocolate and spicy chicken powder? But it somehow works. Something about the spicy, salty, and savory powder actually enhances the dark chocolate. It's probably not something I'll buy again and again, but I had to try it once.

 

Durian and Cheese Pizza from The Pizza Company

 

Durian Pizza from Pizza Co.

Durian, the "King of Fruits", is known for its... unforgettable smell. It's so stinky, in fact, that the fruit is banned from the subway and most public places in Bangkok. When I saw that the Pizza Company (my favorite pizza delivery) was offering a new durian and cheese pizza, I had to try it!

I could smell it as soon as I greeted the delivery guy at the door, even though the pizza was inside its box and still zipped up inside the delivery bag.

Durian actually tastes really good - it's rich and creamy - and it goes well with soft and salty cheese. The pizza was too rich to eat much of it though, so I had to save some for the next day. Since it's weirdly sweet, I think it actually tasted even better cold the next day (but then again, I think that all pizza tastes best cold).

 

"Chiffle" from KFC

 

the KFC "Chiffle"

I'm from the south, so I can understand the appeal of chicken and waffles! I've never carried that thought over to a waffle cone, though! The new Chiffle from KFC Thailand consists of a waffle cone stuffed with popcorn chicken and drizzled in a spicy sauce.

When I think of chicken and waffles, I imagine the waffle to be soft and covered in sweet maple syrup. That kind of sweet taste wouldn't be so popular in Thailand, though. Here, chicken needs to be savory, and, if possible, spicy.

The cone and fried chicken was a little dry, but not bad. Serving in a cone didn't really add much to the chicken. Anyway, it's easy to eat without making a mess.