Bucket List: The Ten Best Meals in Southeast Asia

So you're planning a bucket list trip to Southeast Asia...what do you eat? From curries to street food, Vietnam to Singapore, it's hard to even begin to put the best in order- but here's our try. As we begin our thirteenth year on the continent- and having spent the previous twelve cooking, opening restaurants, and- most of all- eating anything and everything, we decided to finish 2022 with our own submission for the very best foods and eating experiences across Southeast Asia.
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0:00 - Intro
0:36 - Sisig
1:19 - Soto Medan
2:03 - Khao Soi
2:57 - Curry Laksa
3:38 - Banh Mi
4:37 - Kampot Pepper Crab
5:34 - Grilled Meat & Sticky Rice
6:26 - Bun Cha
7:17 - Roti Curry
8:15 - Honorable Mentions
9:24 - Nasi Padang
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Video Credits:
Chicken Adobo
• This Healthy Dinner ha...
SUPER KAKAIBANG BEEF SISIG
• SUPER KAKAIBANG BEEF S...
Filipino Street Food - PORK SISIG
• Filipino Street Food |...
Destinasi Kuliner Medan Soto
• Destinasi Kuliner Meda...
Nyobain Soto
• Nyobain Soto, Sop, dan...
resep asli soto Medan
• resep asli soto Medan ...
RESEP DAN CARA MEMBUAT SOTO MEDAN
• RESEP DAN CARA MEMBUAT...
THAI FOOD HEAVEN in Chiang Mai
• THAI FOOD HEAVEN in Ch...
Khao Soi Noodle Soup - Marion's Kitchen
• The BEST Thai noodle s...
Hmong Village 'Khao Soi'
• Hmong Village 'Khao So...
ตามกินข้าวซอย เมนูรางวัลระดับโลก ที่เชียงใหม่​
• ตามกินข้าวซอย เมนูรางว...
Found Best Khao Soi in Chiang Mai
• Found Best Khao Soi in...
🇲🇾 HIDDEN CURRY LAKSA
• 🇲🇾 HIDDEN CURRY LAKSA,...
My ultimate guide to making laksa
• My ultimate guide to m...
8 best curry laksa in PJ
• 8 best curry laksa in PJ
Street Food in Malaysia
• Street Food in Malaysi...
Traditional Hawker Street Food in Kuala Lumpur
• Traditional Hawker Str...
Best Unknown Penang Curry Laksa & Asam Laksa in Kuala Lumpur!
• Best Unknown Penang Cu...
Vietnamese street food
• 베트남 하노이 반미 최고 맛집! 반미25...
Anthony Bourdain's Favorite Banh Mi
• Anthony Bourdain's Fav...
The BEST Bánh Mì In Vietnam? | Vietnam Hoi An Street Food Tour (Super Cheap!)
• The BEST Bánh Mì In Vi...
Vietnam Street Food- Morning Market (Ho Chi Minh City)
• Vietnam Street Food: M...
8 Amazing Vietnamese Street Food
• 8 Amazing Vietnamese S...
A proper Banh mi & street food tour through Hanoi, Vietnam
• A proper Banh mi & str...
A Night in HANOI Trying the WORLD’s CHEAPEST Beer
• A Night in HANOI Tryin...
ក្តាមឆាម្រេចខ្ចី Stir Fried Kampot Crab with Green Pepper
• KHMER STIRFRY CRAB at ...
KHMER STIRFRY CRAB at KEP Market and KAMPOT PEPPERCORN Farm Tour
• KHMER STIRFRY CRAB at ...
MUST DO Day trip from Kampot - Kep Crab Market
• MUST DO Day trip from ...
Cambodian Food - Kampot Black Pepper Crab
• Cambodian Food - Kampo...
Munch Mango
• Filming Thai Salad wit...
Grilled Mekong River Fish in Laos
• Grilled Mekong River F...
LUANG PRABANG STREET BBQ, หลวงพระบาง สตรีท บาร์บีคิว
• Video
4.7kg!!! ไส้อั่วสูตรล้านนากินกับน้ำพริกหนุ่มทำเองจ๊าดลำ(อร่อยมากๆ)
• 4.7kg!!! ไส้อั่วสูตรล้...
Lao Food at Saeng’s Kitchen
• Jeow Som & Jeow Bee fo...
LAOS- VIENTIANE
• LAOS: VIENTIANE'S nigh...
My First Day in Hanoi Vietnam!
• My First Day in Hanoi ...
Bun Cha Hanoi | Roccbox Recipes | Gozney
• Bun Cha Hanoi | Roccbo...
Best BUN CHA Street Food Stall in Vietnam Hanoi
• Best BUN CHA Street Fo...
Bun Cha(Vietnamese Grilled Pork and Noodle)
• 분짜 / Bun Cha - Korean ...
The Best Bun Cha in Saigon
• The Best Bun Cha in Sa...
VIETNAMESE GRILLED PORK & VERMICELLI
• Cách làm BÚN CHẢ (re...
We tried every type of Roti Canai!
• We tried every type of...
Most Amazing BLACK ROTI in Thailand
• Making Black Roti in a...
FLAKY ROTI AND CURRY IN PHUKET THAILAND
• FLAKY ROTI AND CURRY I...
ULTIMATE Thailand Street Food Tour in Phuket - INSANE KANOM JEEN + BEST THAI ROTI & MASSAMAN CURRY
• ULTIMATE Thailand Stre...
BIKIN BOROS NASI !!
• BIKIN BOROS NASI !! SA...
RAJANYA MASAKAN PADANG DI KOTA MEDAN
• RAJANYA MASAKAN PADANG...
Nasi Padang - AMAZING Indonesian Food - Beef Rendang and Gulai Otak!
• Nasi Padang - AMAZING ...
Indonesian Food in Padang - WORLD'S BEST HALAL RESTAURANT (SPICY!)
• Indonesian Food in Pad...
Trying Best NASI PADANG Restaurant 🇮🇩 INDONESIAN FOOD
• Trying Best NASI PADAN...
BIKIN BOROS NASI !!
• BIKIN BOROS NASI !! SA...
The BEST REMPAH - How to make Rendang Beef
• The BEST REMPAH | How ...
Awesome NASI PADANG in Bali! Beef Rendang
• Awesome NASI PADANG in...
WISATA KULINER KOTA PADANG SUMATERA BARAT‼️
• WISATA KULINER KOTA PA...

[@MYMUKMUK2010]

Adam, you must have a real tough time deciding the top 10 because there are just so many incredible food in South East Asia. 😂 Great video!

[@MhudaPhD]

Nasi Padang with Rendang Original has been chosen many magazine as the best #1 food all over the globe. I absolutely agree with the host and I recomend that this chanel is the best chanel especially for food channel n can be trusted.

[@garethpotter]

YES! To the Kampot pepper crab! Without a doubt, the best meal I’ve ever eaten was at Kep Crab market on New Year’s Day exactly 15 years ago. The Crab The Pepper, as it was named on the menu was cooked by an elderly looking grandmother, baby in one arm, wok in the other and washed down with a can or three of the local 7% stout. Thanks for including this unique and delicious dish 🦀 ❤ 🤤

[@OTRontheroad]

Amazing story and glad this one hit home! I had family living in Kep when I first visited 11 years ago and they brought me to what they considered to be the best of the market stalls- might very well be that same one, sounds familiar.

[@kiawan]

Love the work man. Keep it up!

[@OTRontheroad]

Thanks a lot!

[@davemeyers9425]

Here is my roadmap of what to cook for the next couple of weeks! Thanks for the food insight and history background on these great dishes!

[@yamatonadeshiko567]

What amazed me the most is that you put kinilaw in your honorable mentions. It's a really delicious filipino dish but one of the more unknown ones.

[@user-jn7sg7pn9p]

I have been waiting for Taste A Vision, hopefully with the next 20 years we can taste the same food you are eating, share and enjoy. Great selection of mouth watering delights, most I have heard of some I never have, didnt know about #5, so I have to revisit for that.

[@realceza]

You guys deserve way more subscribers. Doing a better job than most of the SEA shows I see on tv. Please keep it up.

[@OTRontheroad]

Kind words, much appreciated

[@timspare80]

Only discovered this channel today but it's already my favourite food channel....because you dive into the history! 100% agree with nasi Padang as #1, absolutely top shelf grub.

[@OTRontheroad]

Cheers and glad you found us!

[@jonnywas2665]

Kudos for the shout outs to Mr. Bruner and especially Mr. Stotch during this vlog. Once again your channel impresses me. In a couple of years we, those who subscribe and comment now, will be I hope the architects of your 1mil subscriber achievement. Some of the best SEA content out there.

[@OTRontheroad]

Very kind of you as always. Thanks Jonny

[@Tom-bu1tc]

I absolutely love your videos. I am currently in Thailand and the last country on my list in SEA is Cambodia. I have tried all 9 other dishes on your list and to be clear, I don't like crab, but when I go to Cambodia, you may have inspired me to try it. Hopefully I get to see you walking the streets of Bangkok

[@juliandco]

I watched this after I ate a big meal... and it still made me hungry. I can't believe I didn't eat the crab when I was in Kep. That and the Indonesian food... and the Vietnamese, Malaysian, Laotian, and Thai food... They all look soooo delicious.

[@SomeRandomIndvl]

Alright, now I have a list to work on. Thanks.

[@jim.pearsall]

Yummy! 🤤😛😋

[@evadebruijn]

🙏 Will always love the Korean flavors of sesame oil, garlic, ginger, gochugaru, scallions. And Tom Kha. And Thai green curry. ✌️

[@aaadin7257]

promoting soto medan ❤❤❤ something may underrated for most indonesian itself

[@fitfun82]

I loveee nasi padang, rendang n gado2 :D

[@TS-tt1pn]

You have to try Singapore Hawker food! Our version of laksa, chicken rice, noodles etc

[@anasplus4241]

Yes, nasi padang is delicious, you can find in southeast asia especially Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. In US, UK, Netherland and Australia also i ever know.

[@foodhistory1387]

Solid, solid list; so happy that almost all these dishes are readily available in Perth!

[@matthewjanney2399]

the best part about nasi padang is that, depending on how they do it and whats offered, you can eat it for all three meals and have a pretty different plate of food for each meal

[@OTRontheroad]

Have you been?? Always excited when anyone has taken the time to go to Indonesia

[@matthewjanney2399]

@@OTRontheroad not Indonesia, but I've spent 2 weeks in Singapore and nasi padang restaurants are fairly common there(usually in the Malay/muslim heavy neighborhoods), tho I'm sure not at the level they are in Indonesia what I had was really delicious

[@OTRontheroad]

Ah interesting. Yeah I didn’t quite know what to do with Singapore for this list- I added hawker centers into the HM section but that’s just a way to be like “most stuff isn’t from here but the standards are really high”

[@matthewjanney2399]

@@OTRontheroad no, hawker centers are the right pick, nothing is uniquely Singaporean but the rather entertaining level of diversity and local willingness to eat and line up for about anything if it's good

[@miyakiakoki9389]

Sir, I would like you to try ข้าวแช่ or Kao Chae. This Thai set dish is the next level of any kind which is made of cooked rice in ice water and rose or jasmine flowers eaten with a combination of sweetened pork, fried shrimp paste with shallots, fried salted meat, fried paprika stuff with minced pork, fried sweeten white reddish with egg, and combinations of herbal vegetables.

[@OTRontheroad]

Please watch our video in Phetchaburi or the most recent one about the hottest day of the year. Both have a big focus on Khao Chae! Thanks for writing!

[@miyakiakoki9389]

ok

[@arnowillekes7979]

Nasi Padang no. 1!!

[@anrashid47]

I totally concur with your choices !!! You have south east asian DNA in you ah ?? i too am a lover of nasi padang, nasi kerabu, nasi lemak , nasi dagang and nasi kandar .... 👌

[@Marcuszyp]

I think this video is made before trying Burmese cuisine. Could you make the updated version please?

[@cristiangiudici175]

Very good but not up there

[@MC-kp9gu]

Burmese cuisine cannot fight la

[@bugbo6003]

น่ากินมากๆ อาหารของบางประเทศได่ลองแล้วและเป็นสิ่งที่ต้องหากินทุกครั้งที่ไป

[@MARYandTheCAT]

I comment before watching. Sure that my country. Thailand will be on the list

[@OTRontheroad]

It's hard not to put too much Thai stuff on the list- I live here and keep finding amazing food constantly. But I have to try to be fair and objective.

[@i-am-your-conscience]

Talking about Sisig and the Philippines.. Do you guys plan to visit there also? Would be great. If you need a few ideas and places, I can send you some stuff

[@LongcastShorts]

Nasi kapau is 🔥.

[@mamashinecalma2165]

Thank you for adding Sisig in your list🥰...but our Kapampangan Sisig doesn't have egg or mayonnaise....it's just a simple dish of grilled pork ears/cheeks, liver (optional), calamansi(native citrus),red onions,chilies(optional) ,and salt/pepper ...traditionally not served on a hot plate 😊

[@OTRontheroad]

True- and it’s awesome. But I do love the comfort food version....haha it might not be the original but I still love it.

[@gastromacho2]

Nasi padang is famous in Singapore and Malaysia but the original is ....well from Padang in Sumatra Indonesia

[@kayflip2233]

Good list. I'm Southeast Asian (American) but trust your opinion. I think some of the stuff was lost in translation to some people here.

[@tarjei99]

A top ten with a top ten. Interesting concept! Should't the honourable mentions be the top ten list????

[@munawaralias8980]

It's Mission Impossible. Trying to list top 10 food in SEA. Appreciate the attempt though.

[@xuedalong]

nasi padang. Correct choice.

[@HansWurst-bx3pg]

Kampot

[@higashirinchiah1013]

Looking at your palate preference, I wonder if Nasi Kandar, Penang will make into your new list 😅

[@OTRontheroad]

Haha it’s so hard to narrow down a list like this but you clearly do know my palate well! Honestly I need to get back to Penang. Haven’t been since 2014. Way overdue.

[@higashirinchiah1013]

@@OTRontheroad the food ethnology of Malaysian cuisine sucks. Some traditional dishes are slowly disappearing too except those with strong tourism value. Hope one day you will be able explore these foods and immortalize in stories in your channel🤞

[@OTRontheroad]

@@higashirinchiah1013 The new video coming up on Tuesday actually covers Khao Yam and the Malaysian equivalent- Nasi Kerabu, and goes deep into the Kelantan Sultanate. Hope you enjoy and I love your comment- I'll do my best!

[@theauthor3259]

Hawker center, Singapore?? Is that food or location 🤔

[@krusher181]

No Thai curries? Good list

[@jamesgreen5431]

Heard a lot about the Kampot pepper but have never found it. If so good wonder why so rare

[@OTRontheroad]

I'm writing this without looking it up, so I might be wrong, but to my knowledge it's more or less the same pepper plant you'd find anywhere- it's the climate, soil, and growing conditions that make it so flavorful. I don't think it would taste the same if the exact same plant were to be cultivated in California (for example)

[@jamesgreen5431]

@@OTRontheroad Very likely but still can't imagine why someone isn't marketing it. Heck I don't see any item in the Asian markets made in Cambodia. Even what is used for prahok is from Thailand

[@myominoo904]

Perhaps he has never tried Myanmar food like Shan noodles, Mohinga and many other diverse traditonal dishes.

[@jokedog]

Dang, Vietnamese and Thai national dish didn't even made the honorable mention. "Pho is for amateur". This list is savage, but I like it.

[@tend8076]

Pad Thai and Pho, am I right?

[@rikiyaaragaki]

​@@tend8076it's just normal, because of the hype, national dish like pho, pad thai, nasi goreng have a lot of variety and a cheap copycat, the authenticity is lost

[@fl0cu]

3:15 Laksa might be awesome but is certainly not a curry! You should go to Penang and eat the classic Laksa there. Might be in for a surprise, but very likely a good one! But really, you have to visit, Penang is like the food capital of the world. Maybe make a Laksa episode. As far as I know, in Singapore they are confused about it ;) P.S. Love the Bun Cha!

[@khust2993]

Actually, traditional sisig doesn't have mayonnaise. Kapampangans are quite chauvinistic as an ethnic group, so they really hate it when people add mayonnaise to a dish that originated from them. Personally, I find it weird that some people add mayonnaise as well even though I'm not Kapampangan, it's not a traditional ingredient in any cuisine in the Philippines.

[@OTRontheroad]

Yes, you're completely right about this. I should have pointed this out.

[@leestephenfitzpatrick6373]

Beef Rendang best curry in the world, but not sure how pad krapow moo sap didn't make the top ten, one of the only dishes you'll find in every province, but without the moo in the 3 far south ones. Hung lay a northern pork belly Thai dish, absolutely banging. Satay kambing in Indonesia, possibly the best satay ever. I thought Indonesian food was the bomb, until I visited Thailand.

[@OTRontheroad]

That’s a good take. Appreciate the opinion. Strictly subjective and pad kapao is a solid standby and something I eat a lot, but wouldn’t put it near my top 10....but Hang Le...man. Every time I have it I remember how much I love it. Good call.

[@coffeemug3009]

No specific Singapore food? 🇸🇬😬

[@Tarnrop]

Chilli crab! 😋

[@SikeChan-mh9dn]

khao soi is myanmar food

[@OTRontheroad]

Not really. It's part of the ethnic group that stretches from Yunnan in China, to Shan State Myanmar, to Northwest Thailand. All three have their own versions- though I will say that the more time goes by the more I do prefer the Myanmar version of Ohn No Khao Swe.

[@MARYandTheCAT]

Grilled meat and sticky rice are actually thai

[@OTRontheroad]

it's Mekong food- it's an area that's been part of a bunch of different kingdoms throughout history, it's kind of ethnically mixed. Some of the cooking styles of meat are Thai, sticky rice is very much historically Lao. But the point in the video is that there's slight differences in how it's presented today. Thanks so much for watching and commenting and would love to hear what would be on your list!

[@kayflip2233]

Don't try to battle this guy with Southeast Asian food history origins. 🤣 Is this the first video of his you watched?

[@OTRontheroad]

@@kayflip2233 Ha! Thanks- though there's always stuff to learn.

[@lxxdbxxl]

I love the food content of your channel. However, it'd be great if you could do a low-cut on your narrative voice. It has many plosive sounds like 'p' 'b' attacking the mic. I use headphones so I hear it a lot. Though, your videos enjoy me a lot; :)

[@OTRontheroad]

This is one of the last ones we did before we started using a pop filter for audio. Everything after mid-January should sound at least a good bit better. Cheers!

[@lxxdbxxl]

I saw you mentioned herb sausage in Laos. Your understanding on E-San Thai and Laos shares a food culture along the border. Those shares between Laos and Northern Thai, too. The herb sausages are also widely eaten in Northern Thai as well. You may see the sausage selling in Chiangmai but I would recommend sausage as well as Laab Kua (Northern Laab) and Loo (raw beef spicy salad) from Phrae instead. In the past, they used buffalo meat but it rarely can be seen now. For me, Kao Soi from Mae Hong Son is the best. It also shares a food culture with Tai Yai. The difference is they use black sweet soy sauce as another seasoning that can't be found in Chiangmai. Another Northern Thai dish I recommend would be Nam Ngiew (with rice noodles; ka nom jean or sen guay tiew.) from Chiang Rai. Each sub-area of Chiang Rai also has differences in cooking Nam Ngiew. In some areas, they put pork blood into the soup. Some put fermented grilled beans, depending on the recipe, and share cultures from Tai Yai, Tai Lue, Mon, Myanmar, or even Southern Chinese.

[@bjird7278]

Laksa is not from malaysia 😂

[@tomster95]

Thai?

[@bjird7278]

@@tomster95 chinese

[@ThuTa-fq8qh]

No Myanmar?

[@OTRontheroad]

I’m sure there will be some things that would probably make the new list next year.

[@Iychoenk]

Indomie .....? 😢

[@andalusia4862]

It's not Khao Soi.It's ''Khout Swe'' ''ခေါက်ဆွဲ'' and when did Khout Swe become Thai food? Because the name itself is burmese.😦

[@OTRontheroad]

I’ve explained several times here in the comments- watch the rest of our channel for videos on food history. We are very clear on the origins of dishes and the complex influences. This video is simply about the form these dishes take TODAY.

[@Iceyfire12]

Khao Soi has been established as Thai food since tourists came to Thailand! It’s always been a Northern Thai cusinese regardless if it’s origin is Thai Thailand brought it on the Global Food Map! Thailand has existed since the 1200s and fought its way to existence!

[@andalusia4862]

@@Iceyfire12 So u brought it to Global food map and than it become ur food.Marvellous!!!.U bought a watch and one of ur friend borrow ur watch and then show it to other people and say"This is mine I bought it" so that watch become ur friend's?

[@andalusia4862]

@@OTRontheroad Alittle explanation for u Khout-folding,Swe-stretching.The process of making noodle.✌️

[@mantrile]

Too much curry on your list…

[@chanmyae1436]

No.8 Khao Soi is Burmese cuisine. Even the name " Khao Soi " is Burmese name. That cuisine is called as " Ohh Noh Khao Soi" which means Coconut noodle. Noodle is called "Khao Soi" in Burmese. Only Thai just update our food and sells it like their product. OMG Thai always steals our culture and food. Please , don't spread wrong info to the world.

[@OTRontheroad]

Please read the other responses I’ve made in this thread- LOTS of the food on this list originally descend from other places, that’s not the point of this list. That’s what we investigate in all of other (non-holiday top 10 personal opinion) videos

[@chaiburana]

We didn't steal it, the Yunnanese influence already existed in the northern part of what's considered to be Thailand long before it was merged with Thailand. That's why a part of the northern region of Thailand which used to be "Larnna Kingdom" shared many cultural heritages with some group of Burmese since historically we both traded and mixed with the Yunannese. It's not because the modern Thai "stole" it, rather there are more groups of Thai people than you think, and you should know it considering you're Burmese. Aside from the origin of the name (which btw Khao Soi means noodle, too. It's literally translated to "thinly cut rice"), Khao Soi is not as strongly related to either Burma or Thailand as nations as how it's rooted to Yunannese/Muslim influence observably by how both dishes are prominent in regions with strong Yunnannese influence. Ohn no khao swè is even called "Khao Soi Islam" in some parts of northern Thailand which, by the way, is a different dish from Khao soi, sharing only some ingredients. Every source in Thai will tell you that the original dish, in whatever form it came in, was introduced to the northern Thai by the Yunannese, and no Thai has ever claimed to invented the dish.

[@OTRontheroad]

@@chaiburana This is a very well informed point of view. It's a lot more complicated than what you wrote, but there's some good truth in there, too.

[@thiri2699]

No it's called " Khout Swel" it's just very similar but still we don't call it Khao Soi. What are you on about ? No Burmese calls noodles Soi (sounds like Soy which is how it's pronounced in this video). It's Thai way to say it but not Burmese.

[@gbunag3]

Please..no mayonnaise on the sisig that is the bastardized version. That's like pouring ketchup on prosciutto. The original version from Pampanga also doesn't use egg but that is a bit more acceptable to me than mayonnaise.

[@MARYandTheCAT]

And roti are not traditionary thai we just copy them. Sad to see you mess up many menu

[@OTRontheroad]

I think you're missing the meaning of the video. This is not about history- this is about how they're served now. Sorry if that wasn't clear for you. Obviously roti isn't originally Thai. To explain the actual origin of these dishes would take WAY longer than bulletpoints in a video like this (which is....the entire point of this channel, and the reason why our normal history videos are like half an hour long). The point of this video is how things are served NOW and what are the best things to try if you come to Southeast Asia today. These dishes- things like roti & curry- might be found in a lot of countries, including places with a longer history than in Thailand, but TODAY's version in southern Thailand is our preference. Again, I think this was very clear in the video but sorry if any confusion for you!

[@MARYandTheCAT]

@@OTRontheroad ok. Understood.

[@OTRontheroad]

I'd invite you to please watch some of our (non top 10) normal videos- we are literally obsessed with food history and I think if that's something interesting for you, you'd enjoy these. Our primary content is all about trying to uncover the true history of different foods, mostly Thai foods.

[@axianskin]

In your honourable mentions, you listed Hawker Centre in Singapore! Hawker Centre is a public food hall for street food, not a dish ! How dare you!!! lol For this faux pas, I refuse to subscribe to this channel 😮