HOME STYLE THAI FOOD

The sign above the door says:  Thai Fusion Home Style Food.  A higher signage simply says Thai Food.  Truly, it is a simple, unassuming restaurant stripped of any fancy decor or table setting but is very high on food. It used to be a hole-in-the-wall dining place located on another street.  The Thai owner intimates that they (him and wife) wanted to start small and eventually move on to a bigger place once they’ve established a steady clientele.  How wise of them.

Fast forward.  Husband and wife tandem (wife is chef, husband is dining manager) prove themselves right and open a bigger place along Aguirre st. in BF after attaining a stream of followers.  And yes, there is truth in their advertising.  Their Thai food is home style.  No frills-no fuss.  Simply delicious food just like what is served at a normal Thai home.

Chicken satay with peanut sauce & a sweet/sour vinegar dipping sauce. TBW loves the satay with the vinegar. Kids love these even without sauce.

Pork garlic pepper. Delicious sauce.

Shrimp sweet chili paste. This was really tasty. Mix of wonderful Thai flavors (sweet, spicy, salty). Very good with any kind of rice.

Bagoong rice met our expectations. Yum!

After consuming all 4 dishes, party of 3 was still hungry. The portions were quite small...at least for us. So we wanted to eat more but did not want to wait. This pork Thai toast was recommended by owner husband and it did not disappoint.

A refreshing iced ginger juice.

Sweet chrysanthemum juice

Unpretentious menu. Enlarge photo for a better read.

TBW sincerely wishes husband and wife all the best in this endeavor of theirs.  I hope they address our concern regarding portions so that they will have a bigger following and perhaps, upgrade once again =)

Located on the left side along Aguirre st. if coming from the Elizalde intersection.

FAMILY DINNER INSIDE AND OUT

Lest dear readers be “China’d out” from reading successive posts about this country, TBW will temporarily set aside a couple of China drafts  for future use and redirect focus on other topics but still centering on food =)

Having casual dinners at home with the entire family and serving some of our favorite food is unfailingly a joyous moment for all.

Appetizers: Portobello mushrooms drizzled generously with evoo and grilled 'til tender. No other marinade or seasoning. Let the mushroom's natural juices ease out & mix with the olive oil. Unpretentious delight.

Norwegian smoked salmon with dill sauce.

Table staple: Sheep cheese

Santi's had no lamb pastrami available so beef pastrami it was instead.

Brought from Nanjing, China, soy roasted duck, hygienically vacuum packed and sealed for easy transport.

Soy roast duck vacuum packed.

Actual duck, approximately 1 kilo in weight.

In the absence of hoisin & plum sauce, try having roast duck with cranberry & caramelized red onion chutney for that sweet & savory tastes Available at Wine depot Alabang

Angus rib eye for the carnivores in the family. Just add salt & pepper. Pan sear in evoo. Serve au jus.

A wondrous discovery! Slice potobello mushroom that was grilled with evoo and position on an iceberg lettuce leaf. Sprinkle grated goat's cheese and add a dollop of home-made ceasar dressing. Wrap, hold with hand and bite. O dear me....the taste combination is remarkably divine! Even the different textures contribute to its divinity. One has to experience this to know what I'm talking about. From the first to the 6th or 7th bite, I'd stare into space and savor its delectableness. Pure palate pleasure.

Going out for an impromptu dinner on a weeknight to a nearby, tried and tested restaurant is always a fun thing to do.

Alma de Cuba's (along Aguirre st. in BF) fried rolls filled with chunky mashed potato served with sour cream & tomato dips.

Grilled pork steak with java rice, corn on the cob and 2 sauces on Alma de Cuba's huge signature plates. The boys also had their favorite BBQ rib platter.

Cross order from Songkran next door. Spicy beef salad.

Super favorite shrimp cakes of Songkran. Crunchy- outside-and-tender-inside patties flavored with lemon grass & other herbs. Sweet & salty syrupy dipping sauce is the perfect accompaniment.

The family that eats a lot together, gains weight together….hahaha but true!!!!!!

APSARA DINNER DANCE

Apsara dance is a Khmer classical dance and is a big part of the culture of Cambodia.  The dance is particularly inspired by the thousand Apsara statues in Angkor Wat.  Apsara means celestial nymph or maiden and is considered very beautiful and filled with supernatural abilities.

Apsaras carved in stone at the entrance arch of Bayon Temple in Angkor.

The Apsara dance itself is performed by women with graceful and sinuous or intricate curves and turn gestures.  This dance is highly revered and was  performed in the past only for the king and his court.  Fast forward to today, Apsara dances are found in most theaters and restaurants in Cambodia for everyone to enjoy.

Apsara Dance at Koulen II Restaurant in Siem Reap

Most upscale restaurants offer a buffet dinner to go with the performance. Fantastic tandem…dinner and entertainment!  Food ranges from Khmer to Vietnamese to Thai to Chinese to Japanese and a few European and American.  I fervently wish that one day, a true Filipino dish or two will make it to the spread.

Here are a few that stood out for moi…..

Duo of fresh and deep fried spring rolls

Dublin fish and mushroom

A lovely Tom Yum Po Taek (mixed seafood and mushrooms) bursting with hot and sour flavors, generously laden with fragrant herbs was had twice by TBW!   Lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lime juice and cilantro were very much represented in taste.  One of the best ever.  Was so engrossed with the taste that I forgot to take a photo.  O well….most of us know how a regular tom yum looks.  Just imagine one with shrimps, fish, squid and several types of mushrooms, with all the herbs floating on top.

Savory beef salad, Khmer style. Spicy and a good mix of sliced beef and crunchy vegetables like turnips, carrots, etc.

A very good chicken amok. This one was prepared with a consistency similar to a cross between a savory souffle & a cake.

Grill station. There were several other stations for fried noodles, noodles with soup, fried vegetables, etc.

Sliced squash with custard filling

A very interesting and tasty jack seed cake. Jack fruit seeds made into a cake paste consistency.

Basil seeds with sugar and milk. A super find and is actually good....textures and tastes commingling for that ummph =) When soaked in water, the seeds of basil become gelatinous, and are used in Asian drinks and desserts. They look like tiny gelatin lumps with black centers.

Another feast for the senses!

SIMPLE AND AUTHENTIC THAI FOOD AT SONGKRAN

Thai cuisine is one of the best cuisines that successfully combines sweet, sour, salty, and spicy tastes which the world loves!

Songkran (the restaurant) does the usual popular Thai dishes in simple, no-fuss manner yet they’re very tasty and authentic in taste.

Yum Pla Duk Foo or better known as crispy catfish with mango salad

All time fave---bagoong rice

Thai iced tea.

Many more choices on the menu…

Songkran branches:

Emilia St. Makati near Cash and Carry, Aguirre St. BF.  Soon to open Javier St. near Oranbo in Pasig

* Songkran Festival is celebrated in Thailand  as the traditional New Year’s Day from April 13 to 15.  Presently, the most popular way of  celebrating Songkran is throwing of water. Thais roam the streets with containers of water or water guns sometimes mixed with mentholated talc, or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby. Of course, aside from the “water cleansing” celebration, Thais also go to temples and pray, go on holiday and be with family.