Yummy Adventures : Simply Thai in Greenbelt 5
I think one reason that I love Thai food so much, is that it can be sweet, and sour, and ultimately, spicy – and that is what I exactly want in food! Before I was able to go to Thailand to taste the real deal, I was actually quite happy already with Thai restaurants here in Manila. But of course, once you make your pilgrimage to beautiful Thailand and try the food there, life will never be the same. You’ll appreciate good efforts of Manila restaurants keeping them as authentic as they can be, and there will be more letdowns, as well. ( such a pihikan, this Sophie person writing this blog! )
A few years ago, I was raving about Thai at Silk, an upscale Thai restaurant located in Serendra, as the food was really good. Of course, there’s the point of comparison of dishes like Tom Yum Soup, Paid Thai, Pandan Chicken, and the regular dishes, but with an adventurous pack of friends that I have – we ventured into curries, that we’ve never tried in Thailand, that we got to appreciate in this restaurant.
Just imagine my glee when my friend Shen told me that we were invited to try Simply Thai, a newly opened fusion Thai resto in Greenbelt 5, which is owned by the Cecille Chang, the same owner of Thai at Silk. It was more of a Thai fusion restaurant. This really gotta be good. My interest was further fueled when Shen was already going back to this resto from time to time with her incessant cravings. That really, really got me intrigued!
As Shen, Phoebe, and I strolled in Simply Thai around 6pm – almost dinnertime, we took our sweet time checking the menu, and chatting with Cecille about her restaurant. I was just amazed with the passion of this lady – she’s beautiful, bursting with enthusiasm, and her love for food, specifically Thai food was very evident. She told us that she studied Thai cuisine, from North Thailand to the southern part of Thailand, and in her early years, she would really handcarry ingredients back to Manila to guarantee authentic Thai flavor in her dishes. Oh, I hope I can be as passionate as she is in what she wants in life! * absorbing all the positive vibes she gave us 1-2-3 haha! *
Well, here are the dishes that we enjoyed for the night :
Schweppes Sparkling Manao Soda
This is one lime soda that I don’t mind drinking over, and over again. People close to me know how much I abhor carbonated drinks because they make me feel sick. This one’s particularly pleasant – the carbonated sizzle content is very minimal, and the lime flavor is very light. Congratulate me as I was able to enjoy and finish this whole can! ( on a side note, only Simply Thai and Thai at Silk carries this drink as they are the official distributor, I was told )
Mien Khang
A unique, healthy-looking dish ( what’s not healthy about leaves? ) was presented to us, and I was prepared to eat it like lumpia, rolling the leaf with the fillings inside, and just eating to my heart’s content. I was just alarmed with the slice of chili over there – will it cause my tongue to burst into flames?
It did not. The Thai betel leaf tasted good – it had a fragrant “smell” as you bite on it, and the sweet and spicy mixture of peanuts, and chili, and the other flavors was just so interesting. Now this is an interesting twist to our native lumpia. I would probably look like a health buff if I munch on this everyday – in which I think I could. Love this dish!
Nam Prik Catfish
(Crispy catfish in roasted chili paste, basil, cashew)
When I was told that we’d be served catfish, I was expecting one fried catfish to be served in front of us. Boy was I so wrong. It was actually GROUND fried catfish, with crispy fried basil and some cashew over there. This unusual appetizer of fried catfish, ground and mixed with chili paste is really, really interesting. The crushed, ground texture melds with the sweet and spicy disposition of this dish. Think of it as an appetizer that you’d keep on reaching for, even after you’ve munched on a few spoonfuls of it already. This is the most addicting dish on the table, I tell ya.
Tom Yum Talay
hot and sour seafood soup
My eyes widened with shock with my first sip of the Tom Yum Soup. It immediately transported me the heart of Bangkok, where I have immensely enjoyed everything – shopping, sceneries, and ultimately, insanely yummy food! I call this perfection in a cup. Soft mushrooms, with a generous array of seafoods in the perfect blend of hot and sour soup. I find the blend of flavors in the soup to be mild, as opposed to those really challenging, toxic tom yums I’ve had in Thailand ( they almost caused me intense acidity in my tummy ) but this was just right. The soup was not “thin” in consistency, as it was sorta creamy! Oh, I was so tempted to get more, as the soup was wiped out from the bowl by moi!
…as for one funny thought by me, they don’t call it Tom YUM for nothing. Tom YUM!!!!
Moo Ping
Thai pork skewers
I remember having the best bbq experience ever, in Thailand, while we were roaming the streets – yes, it was streetfood bbq and it was hella yummy – spicy, and crazy tender. Simply Thai’s version did not disappoint as they were also tender ( thank God for non-chewy bbqs , I wish all bbqs in the world would be like this ). Flavor was good.
Pandan Chicken
Oh, I always had to order Pandan Chicken in every Thai restaurant. Think of it as my guilty pleasure. This was definitely well-cooked, and I love that familiar flavor, as this dish is just screaming *Thai!!!*!
Pad Thai
Oh, I wouldn’t miss sampling every restaurant’s Pad Thai to see how they fare! Simply Thai’s Pad Thai was good. Moist, mildly-flavored and would stand as our carb fix for the night. I think that we had too much flavorful dishes that night that this was the most ignored dish of the night ( as everyone was reaching for the next dish which is… )
Lamb Shank Mussaman
The Lamb Shank Mussaman was one of the best ( but Shen and the rest would have to argue that this was THE best ) dishes of the night. I rate it second to the Tom Yum Talay because I’m biased with Tom Yum Soup and it’s the best I’ve ever tried in all of Manila! Anyway, this was an amazing dish. Yes, A-MA-ZING. It was lamb, cooked perfectly, in its soft, tender, melt-in-your-mouth goodness in gravy-like curry. The curry was not too overpowering, that made me really appreciate it. This just might be one of the best lamb dishes I’ve tried in the Philippines! And this is definitely a must-try in this restaurant!
Mango Sticky Rice
They say that Thai mangoes are the best in Asia, but can I beg to differ? Call me patriotic but I daresay that Philippine mangoes can put up a good fight with their Thai counterparts! Fresh, ripe, sweet Philippine mangoes are still very much harmonious with coconut cream-drenched sticky rice. This caps my perfect Wednesday night with the ladies.
So, by judging on my tone in this entry, you can already imagine me, all shocked, speechless, and definitely wide-eyed after my dinner. I was in total gastronomic bliss that my sanity was challenged. Hahaha! But really, this is one of the best Thai restaurants I’ve ever tried in Manila!
Extra kudos to their really, really attentive staff, who really are helpful and knowledgeable with their recommendations! The way how the restaurant looks, as well as the quality of their staff, very much reflects Cecille Chang’s meticulous and hands-on dedication to her craft. We even saw making rounds that night, attending to walk-ins, handing them menus, and re-arranging tables. Truly admirable!
…and I shall definitely be back, because the Tom Yum and Lamb Shank Mussaman is just too good!
Simply Thai
Greenbelt 5, Makati
(02)729-0860
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