BANGKOK, April 5 — "Aroi mai?” That’s a question you’re likely to hear wherever you go in Bangkok — "Is it delicious?”

Given what a food haven Bangkok is, the best way to answer seems to be "Aroi” ("It’s delicious”) or even "Aroi mak mak!” ("Very, very delicious!”).

Thanks to the wide range of different regional cuisines from north to south, it’s near impossible to cover them all but the fun is in trying to taste (and devour) as much as you can. Your belly may not appreciate your gluttony but your tastebuds will sing.

Before you embark on this gustatory challenge, there are no better words of encouragement than "Gin hai aroi na!” (basically the Thai version of "Bon appétit!”) as you navigate the harmonious balance of flavours — sweet, sour, spicy, salty and bitter — that Thai cuisine is known for.

The easiest way to begin is by perusing the roadside stalls and markets for something easy to snack on: from oh so fragrant gai tod (fried chicken) and moo grob (crispy pork) to more adventurous fare such as fried ant eggs (khai mot) and silkworms (non mai).

'Tom kloang pla' (a spicy soup of deep-fried smoked fish and Thai herbs) (left). The most famous Isan dish is 'som tum' or green papaya salad (right).

You might spot steamers filled with banana-leaf packets of a fish, coconut milk and curry mousse called hor mok that has been likened to a Thai soufflé.

With apologies to the French, this is an unfair comparison: no soufflé ever tasted so ambrosial.

Of course, as with most South-east Asian nations, single-dish meals of noodles or rice are the favoured option for time-starved workers and students.

Besides pad Thai (that quintessential Thai dish of stir-fried rice noodles that every visitor recognises), there are one-plate staples like pad see iw, a stir-fried noodle dish using a mix of see iw khao (light soy sauce) and see iw dam (dark soy sauce) and ratna, deep-fried mi krop (thin, curly egg noodles) encased in an omelette and slathered with cornstarch-thickened gravy.

Those who prefer rice would love pad krapao moo or rice with stir-fried minced pork and Thai basil; it’s a classic, especially when topped with a perfectly fried egg.

If you can’t live without your chicken, try the Thai take on Hainanese chicken rice. Known as khao man gai, the familiar offering of boiled chicken, rice cooked in chicken stock and a bowl of clear chicken broth is elevated with a fiery dip of sliced prik kee noo (bird’s eye chillies) in a sweet soy sauce.

Another way to explore Bangkok’s diverse dining scene is to go deep into a specific region’s cuisine. One of my favourites is the food of the Isan region in the north-east, where seafood is abundant and sticky rice is eaten with every meal.

The most famous Isan dish is som tum or green papaya salad. Others include laab moo (spicy minced pork salad), pla pao (charcoal grilled fish encased in rock salt and flour paste) and sai krok Isan (Isan sausages, sour from the fermentation of sticky rice and pork).

'Kaeng phet pet yang' or roast duck curry, served here with discs of star fruit (left). Perhaps the ultimate Thai dessert: 'khao niao mamuang' or mango with sticky rice (right).

No Thai meal is complete without a soup or a curry. Indeed, a universal favourite, tom yum goong is nearly synonymous with Thai cuisine. Not a fan of prawns? Try the tom kha gai (chicken coconut soup) or tom kloang pla (a spicy soup of deep-fried smoked fish and Thai herbs). Every sip will only whet your appetite to try some more.

Thai curries aren’t limited to red or green curries. From southern Thailand, the yellow curry or gaaeng leuuang saai buaa gets its vibrant yellow from fresh turmeric and acidity from tamarind.

Look out also for the kaeng phet pet yang or roast duck curry, often served with sliced fruits such as pineapple and star fruit.

Every Thai adores desserts or khong wan ("sweet things”). This is a nation where everyone seems to have a sweet tooth. And who could blame them? The sheer variety of Thai desserts is matched only by how divine they taste.

Perhaps the most well-known khong wan is khao niao mamuang or mango with sticky rice. The dish looks deceptively simple but the marriage of ripe, just-in-season mango with glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk is one for the ages.

Variations include khao niao sangkhaya where the sticky rice is paired with the Thai version of what we recognise as kaya (egg and coconut jam).

Another is khao tom mat: this time the sticky rice is wrapped inside a banana leaf together with — what else? — ripe bananas before being steamed. Not for nothing is Thailand known as the Rice Bowl of Asia; they certainly make the most of this revered grain.

For something less starchy, hunt down foi thong, a delicate treat of egg yolk strands simmered in syrup. Its name means "golden threads” in Thai and you’ll understand why when you see it. Or go for a bowl of sheer comfort: bua loi, colourful balls of taro and pumpkin blended with rice flour served in a creamy soup of sweet coconut milk.

'Foi thong' – egg yolk strands simmered in syrup – means "golden threads” in Thai (left). Comforting 'bua loi' with colourful taro and pumpkin balls served in sweet coconut milk (right).

And before you know it, the plate or bowl before you is clean. Empty. You decide to take a page from the Dickensian boy hero, Oliver Twist, and announce, "Please, sir, I want some more.”

Luckily for you, in Bangkok, there is always more. Gin hai aroi na!

This is the fourth in a five-part series about travelling in Bangkok. Read the first three parts here, here and here.