pad thai – Jellybeans in the City

Explosion of colors and flavors at Sala Thai Kitchen, Greenhills

Thai food remains one of the world most popular and influential cuisines in the world. From the humble street food that can be enjoyed in Thailand’s marketplaces to the Thai-inspired dishes served by high profile chefs, Thai food continues to entice, titillate and satisfy the imagination and taste buds of foodies throughout the globe.

Its appeal can be attributed to its wide range of flavors and textures – combining fresh and crisp veggies, bold spices, sweet coconut and earthy savory peanuts. Aside from incorporating many nutritious ingredients and employing mostly healthy cooking methods, Thai food also offers a lot of delicious options for people with dietary restrictions and preferences.

This is why the opening of a new Thai restaurant in one of the metro’s busiest shopping areas is happy news to me and my foodie friends.

Sala Thai Kitchen welcomes its guests with a chill yet elegant vibe which also integrates elements of Thai culture and aesthetics from its backdrop of knick-knacks to its delicately designed tableware.

We immersed ourselves in a delicious flavor journey with these scrumptious dishes:

Starters

Crispy Spring Rolls (Php195). Also known as paw pia tod, these are flavorful rolls made with chopped veggies, ground pork and glass noodles encased in translucent rice paper wrappers then deep-fried to a crispy golden brown and served with chili sauce for dipping.

Pomelo Salad (Php220). Also known as yam som o, this is a bright and fresh mix of green leafy veggies, aromatics and chunks of pomelo tossed in citrusy dressing along with ground peanuts and garnished with mint leaves.

Rice & Noodles

Shrimp & Pineapple Fried Rice (Php370). The Thai put a special spin on fried rice through the use of shrimp, stock, seasonings and pineapple bits. This dish is also as khao pad.

Thidin Pad Thai (Php330). One of Thailand’s most well-known dishes made with stir-fried noodles and chicken bits in a sweet-savory-sour sauce garnished with an omelette, crushed peanuts and cilantro.

Siam Chicken Noodles (Php340). Noodles flavored with a coconut turmeric sauce topped with black pepper chicken.

Meat

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce (Php320). Grilled boneless chicken breast marinated in coconut milk and seasonings and served with a creamy peanut dipping sauce.

PatPong Wings (Php320). Crispy fried chicken wings covered with a sweet-and-savory glaze and garnished with chilis, chopped green onions and cilantro.

Beef Green Curry (Php380). Tender strips of beef and eggplant braised in Thai green curry paste and coconut milk. This dish is also known as gaeng keow wan.

Dessert

Creme Flan (Php140). The Thai version of the creme caramel which incorporates coconut cream.

Mango Sticky Rice (Php160). Also known as khao neeo mamuang, this is a popular Thai dessert made with glutinous rice mixed with sweetened coconut milk, topped with slices of fresh mangoes and drizzled with a coconut milk sauce before being garnished with toasted sesame seeds.

Drinks

Thai Milk Tea (Php120). An earthy and nutty take on the milk tea made with strong assam black tea sweetened with condensed milk.

Thai Coffee (Php120). Coffee sweetened with condensed milk and flavored with spices. Available hot or iced.

With these beautifully presented and delectable offerings, you can be sure that your meal at Sala Thai Kitchen is a feast for the senses.

So drop by while you take a break from your shopping spree or make this new restaurant your prime destination for a wonderful flavor journey to Thailand without having to leave the metro.

Sala Thai Kitchen is located at Ground Floor, O Square 2, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan, open daily from 11am to 10pm. For inquiries, reservations and delivery orders, call +63 977 2186165 or +63 919 2836155.

It also delivers via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

To stay updated on its promos and offers, follow Sala Thai Kitchen on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: I attended a food tasting held at this restaurant where food items were served at no cost to the attendees.

Exciting Thai Flavors at Flower Boy, The Grid Food Market

Craving for some excitement? A taste of adventure? A journey to the new and unfamiliar?

Why not try a cuisine that’s off your beaten path?

One of the eateries managed by Lowbrow Casual Restaurants, Flower Boy, operates a stall in The Grid Food Market and offers diners a peek into the bright and rich flavors of Thai cuisine.

Fried Squid Platter (Php440). Large rings of succulent squid, dipped in Sprite flavored batter then deep-fried to golden brown crispiness. Served with crunchy prawn crackers and Jaew sauce.

Bagoong Fried Rice (Php290). Steamed rice topped with scrambled egg and Flower Boy’s own recipe for bagoong made with shrimp paste, rendered pork fat, crispy ham, and tamarind.

Chicken Pad Thai (Php350). Flower Boy’s version of one of Thailand’s national dishes is made to appeal to the Pinoy palate but still keep to its Thai roots. This stir-fried noodle dish is savory, mildly sweet with lots of umami, thanks to its sauce which is cooked for three hours. It looks gorgeous and smells wonderful, too, wouldn’t you agree?

Mango Sticky Rice (Php250). A classic Thai dessert made with succulent mango slices served with sticky rice topped with toasted coconut flakes and coconut cream.

Thai Iced Tea (Php140). Thailand’s popular refreshment made with brewed black tea flavored with spices and sweetened with condensed milk..

Flower Boy is open for pickup and delivery at thegridfoodmarket.com. It is also available for dine-in at Stall 3 at The Grid Food Market, Powerplant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Rockwell Center, Makati. It also delivers via GrabFood, FoodPanda and Pick-A-Roo.

For more details on its menu items and offers, follow Flower Boy on Facebook and Instagram.

The Grid Food Market is the resident food hall of Powerplant Mall which offers a wide range of flavors to cater to various cravings.

Check out my previous posts on other cuisines available at The Grid Food Market:

Taste real and authentic Thai dishes and the original noodle soup at RODDEEDED

Do you feel like going on a foodie adventure? How about giving Thai noodles a try?

It wouldn’t be too hard to indulge yourself in this new gustatory experience, especially now that Thailand’s best noodle shop for the past fifty years has finally branched out to the Philippines with its recently opened store in Mandaluyong City.

Here at RODDEEDED, foodies in the metro can get a taste of authentic Thai dishes that showcase the intricate balance of sour, sweet, salty, bitter and spicy flavors, lightly prepared but with strong aromatic components.

The restaurant started out in its native Thailand as a small and cozy eatery specializing in hand-crafted beef noodles, a hallmark menu item that is brought all the way to its Philippine branch along with a select curation of Thai food favorites.

Original Noodle Soup. This delicious journey begins by choosing the soup base (original or spicy), then the rice noodles (Sen Lek which are linguini-like or Sen Mee, the rice vermicelli, then the meat to go with the noodle soup such as meatball + beef slices (Php195), meatball + brisket (Php235), meatball + beef slices + brisket (Php265), meatball + brisket + tendon (Php295) or mixed (Php295). The original soup base is friendlier to the Pinoy palate but the spicy one is closer to the Thai preference.

Stewed Brisket in Claypot (Php295). Tender beef slices stewed in a broth infused with lots of herbs and spices.

Green Chicken Curry (Php265). Boneless chicken thighs stewed in coconut milk infused with Thai green curry paste.

Chicken Pad Thai (Php275). Stir-fried rice noodles with chicken bits, peanuts, bean sprouts and other vegetables, beautifully encased in a net made of delicate scrambled eggs.

With such tasty and exotic viands, one couldn’t help but wonder what else will go well with them. Well, the restaurants creamy house Thai Coffee (Php90) and Thai Milk Tea (Php90) are perfect companions to the Thai dishes and may also be enjoyed by themselves. A Pineapple and Passionfruit Sorbet (Php90) is a refreshing dessert that perfectly caps this Thai meal.

So if you’re game for a change from your usual culinary scene, or have a hankering for Thai food, just drop by or call RODDEEDED.

RODDEEDED is located at 126 Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong City, open Tuesdays to Sundays from 11am to 8.30pm for dine in, takeout and delivery.

For inquiries, reservations and orders, call +63 949 6734702.

For regular updates on its promos and offers, follow RODDEEDED on Facebook and Instagram.

Thai BBQ Original Restaurant, Ayala Vertis North

One of the cuisines that I have been missing since the start of the pandemic is Thai food, largely because there are not too many Thai restaurants in my neck of the woods, and a lot of them took a pause in operations during the lockdown.

I do carry some fondness for Thai BBQ Original Restaurant, though, as I was able to meet up over a tasty meal with my friend visiting from Singapore at its Glorietta Branch.

It’s Ayala Vertis North branch was also the setting of one of my last happy lunches with my co-workers, where we took the opportunity to have a break from our usual work and catch up over good food.

This restaurant chain originated in Los Angeles in the late 70s, offering the best flavors of Thailand. It set up shop here in the country in 2016, aiming to reignite the Pinoy’s taste for Thai cuisine.

In recognition for its dedication to serving authentic Thai dishes, it has been awarded with THAI Select, a awarded by Department of International Trade Promotion which certifies not only the food, but also the hospitality and the atmosphere of the restaurant.

Thai food surely made for a welcome break from the normal packed lunches or fast food that I usually have when in the office.

During our pre-pandemic forays into Ayala Vertis North, my officemates and I had one of our happy lunches here where wesaid “Sawadeeka!” to some of the resto’s signature dishes.

Tom Yum Goong.

Traditional sour and spicy soup flavored with herbs and spices with some shrimp added in.

Pad Thai.

Rice noodles, shrimp, peanuts, a scrambled egg, and vegetables are stir-fried in a wok and tossed in Pad Thai sauce, which gives its signature tangy salty flavor with a hint of sweetness.

Thai Original BBQ Pork Belly.

Specially marinated tender pork belly, baked and grilled in a special Thai BBQ sauce.

Thai BBQ Spare Ribs.

Generouse cuts of falling-off-the bone tender marinated pork ribs grilled and served with sweet and spicy Thai BBQ sauce.

Crispy Oyster Cake.

Oyster cakes battered and pan-firend then served on a hot plate with chili sauce.

Massaman Curry.

A fusion of Thai and Indian culinary influences which make use of red curry paste, dry whole spices and peanuts.

It’s been a while since I’ve been here and I’ve also been missing the friends I shared this delicious meal with.

The good news is that Thai BBQ Original Restaurant has reopened several branches for dine-in, takeout and delivery to sate the Thai food cravings of its Pinoy fans.

Makati: G/F Glorietta 4, Main Driveway (next to Ascott Hotel), Makati City (Wed to Sun | 11am to 8pm)
Quezon City: Level 2 Ayala Malls Vertis North (Beside Trinoma), North Avenue, Quezon City
Pasig: Level 1 Food Village Bldg. B Tiendesitas (beside Rico’s Lechon), Ortigas East, Pasig City

So it won’t be too long before I say “Sawadeeka!” again to awesome Thai food. Hopefully, I can say the same to the friends that I miss.

Follow Thai BBQ Original Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram to keep updated on its latest offers.

Authentic Pad Thai from The Pad by Samyan, now available for delivery

Given how deeply ingrained Pad Thai is to Thai cuisine, you would think that it dates back centuries.

On the contrary, this stir-fried noodle dish was introduced quite recently. Aa the story goes, during World War II, Thailand experienced a rice shortage due to the war and floods. To reduce rice consumption in the country, the Thai government encouraged the consumption of noodles instead. It didn’t take long before the Pad Thai came into being and went on to become Thailand’s national dish.

The good news for adventurous foodies in the metro is that this exotic dish is quite readily available, thanks to The Pad by Samyan.

The online offshoot of restaurant Samyan Thai Street Food, The Pad is helmed by Michelin Star Chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn, who cooks up different versions of Pad Thai for Thai food fans.

The Pad Thai Pu, also known as Crab Pad Thai, for instance, is a delectable mixture of flavors and textures: slippery noodles, sweet-savory sauce, the crunch from the sprinkling of peanuts, the tang from a slice of lime, some heat from the red pepper powder, and of course, the sweet-briny taste of the fried soft shell crab and tender lump crab.

It is a filling dish, not just for the tummy, but also for the taste buds.

Pad Thai lovers can enjoy a set meal consisting of this dish plus a 300ml bottle of The Grid’s Thai Iced Tea for just Php600.

Other Pad Thai variants available at The Pad by Samyan include Pad Thai Gung (Shrimp Pad Thai), Pad Thai Gai (Chicken Pad Thai), Pad Thai Moo (Pork Pad Thai) and Pad Thai Talay (Seafood Pad Thai).

Clearly, there’s more than enough at The Pad by Samyan to sate your Pad Thai cravings.

So check out the Pad Thai possibilities offered by The Pad by Samyan. Drop by its stalls in The Grid Food Market in The Powerplant Mall or at the Poison Karrivin Plaza along Chino Roces Avenue in Makati.

To order for pickup or delivery, visit its PickUp.ph store.

Disclosure: Product sample was provided to facilitate this feature.

Always changing is a good thing at BOA Kitchen + Socials, Tomas Morato

Tucked away in a quiet corner along Scout Rallos Street in Quezon City is a newly opened restaurant with something new up its sleeve.

Always change.

That’s the mantra of BOA Kitchen + Socials, which aims to be the destination of choice for the titas. Enter its doors and you will enjoy the same ambiance, food quality and hospitality as any top-of-the-line stylish Makati restaurant. The difference is, especially for people up North, you get to avoid the stressful Makati traffic to get there.

Plus, you get to enjoy an ever-changing environment as envisioned by owner Joey Marcelo and menu conceptualized by Chef Julius Necor, which makes your every visit a fresh and exciting experience.

Here’s how:

From 9am to 6pm, enjoy a Bali-inspired Australian brunch service in the light and airy surroundings of BOA Kitchen.

Here, you can sate your mid-day appetite with dishes such as:

Torched Salmon and Avocado Toast (Php245). A large piece of torched smoked salmon placed and mashed avocado on multi-grain bread.

Grilled Cheese with Creamy Marinara (Php245). Cheddar and mozarella in a grilled brioche loaf best enjoyed dipped in a creamy marinara sauce.

Tinapa Aglio E Olio (Php285). Pasta tossed in a mixture of tinapa flakes, olive oil and garlic.

Pasta Vongole (Php285). Spaghetti noodles tossed in a light sauce of clams and lemons.

Alfredo Pesto Pasta (Php285). Pesto farfalle coated with Alfredo sauce, served with ricotta and sun-dried tomato.

Kimchi Fried Rice (Php285). Bibimbap kimchi fried rice topped with carrots, bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, ground beef, spinach, zucchini and an egg cooked sous vide.

Pulled Pork Adobo (Php245). Strips of pork adobo, pickled vegetables and a fried egg topping garlic rice.

Tapsilog (Php245). The classic lunch staple of tender beef tapa and crispy fried egg on garlic rice.

Steak and Egg (Php495). A 200g grilled hanger steak served with fried eggs, house-made potato chips and mushroom gravy.

Full English Breakfast (Php325). Toast, links of breakfast sausage, bacon, roast herb tomato and potato hash served with fried egg.

Banana Pie (Php175). Caramelized banana served with buttery streusel crumbs and a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Bibingka Microwave Cake (Php245). A deconstructed dessert of made-to-order-via-microwave bibingka cake on a bed of salted egg dulce de leche, sugar syrup, melted butter and desiccated coconut.

From 6pm to 12 midnight, when the neon lights are lit up, the place transforms to BOA Socials which serves Asian cuisine.

While you relax and unwind with your amigas, you can feast on:

Sisig Croquettes (Php225). Creamy mashed potato balls filled with sisig and served with toyo-mansi aioli.

Wonton Nachos (Php245). Crispy fried wontons topped with pulled teriyaki sauce, shredded cabbage, onions and parsley drizzled in Sriracha mayo.

Salmon Tartare (Php378). Salmon served with pork rind, wasabi mayo, urchin roe and Oriental dressing.

Pulpo (Php345). Succulent grilled octopus on smoked potato puree served with chorizo crumbs and paprika-thyme oil.

Tinapa Cream Cheese Toast (Php175). Open-faced sandwich of tinapa flavored cream cheese over toast topped with sliced cucumber, onion and halved cherry tomatoes.

Chori Burger (Php295). Chorizo patty topped with a fried egg, coleslaw and pepper sauce in a black brioche bun.

Char Kwaey Teow (Php365). Stir-fried Southeast Asian rice noodle dish with a smokey flavor.

Chicken Pad Thai (Php345). Stir-fried glass noodles with tamarind sauce, eggs, tofu, chicken pieces and bean sprouts.

Thai Fried Chicken (Php345). Crispy fried chicken served on top of curried mashed potato, garnished with grilled corn kernels and pickled vegetables and served with sweet chili sauce.

Beef Rendang with Coconut Lime Rice (Php425). A spicy Indonesian meat dish served on coco lime rice served with pickled vegetable and crispy shallots.

Crispy Pork Sambal (Php445). Crispy pork belly served with Asian slaw.

Deconstructed Anise Cheesecake (Php245). Anise cheesecake served apart from its ginger graham cracker crust.

House Blend Iced Tea (Php80). With choices among classic, mango and lychee.

Purple Potion (Pho320). One of the ever-changing drinks served at BOA, this blue gin changes to a purple hue when tonic water is added.

With these always changing elements, every trip to BOA Kitchen and Socials is something new to look forward to.

Many thanks to Joey, Chef Julius and the wonderful staff of BOA Kitchen + Socials for the amazing time and the great meal in each of my visits.

BOA Kitchen + Socials is located at the Mezzanine Floor, 45 ABDC Building, Scout Rallos corner Scout Tuazon, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open daily from 9am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 2903103 or +63 977 7078472.

Did you know you can get dishes for free when you dine with a friend at BOA Kitchen + Socials through Zomato Gold? Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

You can also book your table at BOA Kitchen + Socials using Eatigo to get up to 50% off your food bill. Sign up using my referral link to get additional perks.

Disclosure: Together with my fellow foodies, I was invited to join a foodie meetup held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out my reviews of other bars and watering holes in the Metro:

Zomato Tagaytay Food Crawl Second Stop: Lime and Basil Thai Restaurant

The second stop of our Zomato Food Crawl was held at the Lime and Basil Thai Restaurant, tucked away along Sicat Road in a residential area off the Aguinaldo Highway on the way to Mountain Ridge.

Surprisingly, despite the location and the rainy weather, it was still filled with families who want to enjoy a more exotic cuisine for lunch.

Its grounds are surrounded with greenery and garden decor with an Asian, Zen-like feel. Sadly, due to the rains, we were not able to dine outside (but we did hold our flat-lays there, though). It would have been quite enjoyable to feast on the Thai dishes while enjoying the refreshing Tagaytay breeze.

The resto’s interiors also has a distinctive Asian decor, from the bric-a-bracs that line the walls, the proliferation of indoor greenery, and the colorful accessories that accent the place.

Some items in one of the inner rooms are also for sale. These include small mortar and pestle sets, decorative jars, local raw wild honey and more.

Thai cuisine is characterized by the intricate balance of five flavors: sour, sweet, salty, bitter and spicy. An emphasis is placed on the strong aromatic elements and a spicy edge. These flavors came into play with the dishes served to our group which included:

Fresh Spring Rolls (Php270). Rolled herbs, carrots, cabbage, tofu and noodles topped with a sweet chile relish. A hit for those who want to eat something light, fresh and healthy!

Tom Yum Goong (Php410). The dish’s name translates to “lemongrass shrimp soup.” It is a hot and sour soup with large shrimps. It is reminiscent of the Pinoy sinigang but with more complex flavors owing to the herbs and chilis mixed in.

Lime and Basil Salad (Php340). The resto’s namesake salad contains fried egg, basil, lettuce, peanuts and shallots lightly doused with a sour tamaring dressing. I find it a good palate cleanser after tasting the more flavorful dishes.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashews (Php380). Sauteed bits of chicken cooked with cashew nuts in a salty sweet sauce.

Kao Pad Saparod (Php360). Fried rice served in a bowl made of pineapple which adds some sweetness to the salty rice.

Pad Thai (Php350). A sweet-savory noodle dish, most commonly served as street food in Thailand.

Kaeng Deng Kha Moo (Php770). The Thai version of the Pinoy Crispy Pata with a red curry sauce. The crackling skin was very crispy while the meat was quite tender. It went well with the pineapple rice.

Kao Neiw Mamaung (Php220). A beautifully presented dish, it consists of glutinous rice, coconut milk and luscious slivers of ripe mango. It is doused with condensed milk for some added sweetness.

Thai Iced Team (Php110). What Thai meal is complete without its signature iced tea? This refreshing beverage is made from strongly-brewed tea with some additional spices and sweetened with sugar and condensed milk.

The dishes were tasty and well-presented, quite excellent representatives of Thai cuisine. These will help in broadening the horizons of the Filipino palate.

Lime and Basil Thai Restaurant is located at 9104 J. Rizal Street, Barangay Sicat, Tagaytay. It is open weekends from 11am to 9pm and weekends from 10am to 10pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 915 627 6393.

Disclosure: Together with other Zomato foodies, I was invited to attend a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.