Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand was the only Southeast Asian country never colonized by the West. This helped it maintain its own special cuisine, which was influenced by Thailand's Asian neighbors.

The Thai people migrated to their present homeland from southern China about 2,000 years ago. They brought with them the spicy cooking of their native Yunan province, as well as its dietary staple, rice.

Other Chinese influences on Thai cooking included the use of noodles, dumplings, soy sauce, and other soy products. Like the Chinese, the Thais based their recipes on blending five basic flavors: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and hot.

Thai food is known for its unique combinations of seasonings. Although it can be hot and spicy, Thai cooking is carefully balanced to bring out all the different flavors in a dish. Curries are very popular, along with hot chilies and coconut. Other common flavorings are fish sauce, dried shrimp paste, lemon grass, and the spices coriander, basil, garlic, ginger, cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon.

Executive Chef Ignacio Uribe, Chef de Cuisine Jugo Mejia and Sous Chef Rogelio Garcia will tempt your taste buds with an array of Thai dishes during Summer Sizzle, Flavors of Thailand menu, which runs July 16 to 20, 2015 and dinner is served 5 to 11 pm. There are three courses for $299 pesos, with choices for each course, or you can order your favorite appetizer, main course or dessert a la carte.

The Flavors of Thailand - July 16 to 20, 2015

Starters
• Siu Mai with Pork and Shrimp and a Gingered Soy Sauce
• Thai Spicy Calamari Salad with Shallots, Queen Basil and Mint
• Coconut Soup with Lemongrass and Shrimp

Entrées
• White Fish Fillet with Bacon, Oyster Sauce and Ginger, served over Steamed Rice
• Thai Style Barbecued Chicken with Jasmine Rice
• Pad Thai Noodles with Shrimp with Dried Shrimp, Peanuts, Tamarind Sauce and Eggs

Desserts
• Coconut Flan
• Rice and Mango Pudding

Summer Sizzle is not subject to any other discounts.

This is a great way to sample the food of Thailand and you can do it right on Los Muertos Beach in Puerto Vallarta. You can also catch a magnificent sunset.

Daiquiri Dick's: An Exceptional Experience

Open daily from 9 am to 11 pm, (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in July and August and the month of September) Daiquiri Dick's offers elegant dining in a relaxed atmosphere for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Visa, MasterCard and Banamex accepted. Reservations are recommended and can be made online at ddpv.com.