Three of the easiest Thai themes to run as a special might be Thai salads, drinks and desserts. Let your creative juices flow as you think of how you might approach each of these.
SALADS
Appropriate Thai salad ingredients include tropical fruit, shrimp, chicken, rice, peanuts, coconut and certainly fresh herbs. For the dressing, play with peanuts and ginger. Salad possibilities include:
Cold noodle salad with fresh vegetables, peanuts, cilantro and basil.
Papaya salad with garden greens and prawns.
Broccoli salad with peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic and red pepper.
Grilled chicken salad using coleslaw as the base and including peanut sauce, peanuts and cilantro.
BEVERAGES
Besides the natural tropical fruity flavors you'd normally associate Thailand with, think of ways to incorporate Thai tea, ginger, coconut milk and lemongrass. Some possibilities include:
Lemongrass boiled with sugar and salt added to make lemongrass tea.
Banana smoothie with coconut milk, pineapple juice, a banana and ice.
Iced coffee combining a strong brewed coffee with sweetened condensed milk and cardamom.
Yogurt soda combining soda water, sugar syrup, yogurt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
DESSERTS
Thai desserts commonly incorporate sticky rice, coconut milk and/or tapioca. Consider some of these ideas:
Sticky rice balls made with glutinous rice, a sugar filling and dusted in coconut.
Thin coconut pancakes (like crepes) with pandan juice as the liquid.
Tapioca pudding with boiled tapioca pearls, cooled and accompanied with mango juice or puree and a drizzle of coconut milk, topped with fresh tropical fruit.
Coconut cake (think angel food cake with coconut flavoring) and mango sauce.
