Michael Barclay wrote a brilliant column for Business Review on the merits of Thai food. He describes how a friend of his had flown to Bucharest, Romania, from Thailand to discover they had plans to eat at a Thai chophouse.

His friend groaned. (He had a reaction similar, I suppose, if we just landed in France and someone booked our first meal at McDonalds.) But that is neither here nor there. What struck me about the article is how Barclay says many Europeans are afraid to cook Thai food because the ingredients confuse them. He then lists some of them.

• Rice, but Thai people only use jasmine rice because it is sweeter and different.
• Ginger, but most Thai dishes call for ‘galangal’ with a deeper flavor.
• Sugar, though most Thai dishes call for palm sugar (closer to brown sugar).
• Tamarind, which is a critical component for adding sweet and sour tastes.
• Basil, which is both sweeter and stronger than European basil.
• Lime leaves, which for Thai people means Kaffir lime leaves.
• Lemongrass, which adds lemon flavoring without the acidic nature of lemon juice.

We've written about Thai ingredients several times. You can find one of my favorite substitution stories here. Some Thai ingredients (like galangal) cannot be substituted.

But now think about it. Thais use hundreds of ingredients, many of which are only known to Thai people. Others, like those above, might be known to the world but are not always readily available, which was one of the reasons my parents owned an Asian market in Las Vegas for so many years (mostly to supply their own restaurant).

But my point is pretty obvious. With so many substitutions going into so many dishes, is it any wonder that most people have never tried authentic Thai food — even if they think they have? When you consider how many Thai restaurants change the ingredients, and then (as Barclay points out) add them without any regard to proportions, it can be disastrous.

The Thai visitor called their adventure right. He said it was good food but more along the lines of what he calls Thai “beach tourist” food, where the restaurants serve you nothing of beauty or quality. It makes me wish we could open a restaurant in Romania. But for now, we're happy with Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is home to the authentic Thai restaurant renown in Thailand.

Our family has been very fortunate and grateful in Las Vegas. When my parents opened Kung Fu Plaza in 1973, Americans only knew to order Americanized Chinese food. But over the years, they have continually expanded the menu to include more Thai than Chinese dishes. And almost all of them are made from authentic recipes handed down by generations.

The greatest compliments we receive from celebrities and royal visitors alike is always the same. We've preserved some Thai recipes better than many chefs in Thailand. For my mother and father, that is the greatest compliment they can bestow on us.

But at the same time, it really made me think. I wonder how many other world travelers visit the United States without ever knowing what Thai food really tastes like because they've only had it at home. I imagine not too many. And, Thai food might not even be their first thought for food while they are visiting America. Maybe we can start working to change that.

Founded in 1973, Kung Fu Plaza is the oldest and most authentic Thai restaurant in Las Vegas. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. for dine in, take out, and delivery. The average entree is under $10 and most patrons order family style.