Thai Select restaurants in Spain become talk of the town thanks to influencer

The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) has successfully enlisted the help of a popular Spanish food influencer to promote Thai restaurants certified with the "Thai Select" logo by the Ministry of Commerce.

DITP director-general Sunanta Kangvalkulkij said Thai Select-certified restaurants have recently become the talk of the town in Spain following reviews by Pablo Cabezali, known online as Cenando con Pablo.

Pablo Cabezali is a well-known Spanish food influencer who creates content focused on reviewing and showcasing various dining experiences. He is active on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, featuring everything from gourmet burger joints to international cuisines.

Sunanta noted that there are currently 17 Thai Select restaurants in Spain and six more in Portugal. In Spain, the certified restaurants are located in Madrid, Barcelona, Badajoz, the Balearic Islands, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and Tarragona. In Portugal, they are found in Lisbon and Porto.

The reviews by Pablo have helped make several Thai dishes popular among Spanish diners, including:

• Pad Thai (Thai-style fried noodles)
• Pad See Ew (stir-fried noodles with kale and pork)
• Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai (green chicken curry)
• Tom Kha Kai (spicy chicken soup with coconut milk)

Sunanta added that this growing interest in Thai cuisine was also reported by the commercial attaché at the Thai Embassy in Spain.

To further promote Thai cuisine, the Ministry of Commerce will organise two major events in Spain this year:

• Salón Gourmets 2025 in Madrid (April)
• Thai Festival Madrid at Plaza de España (June)