So far, the best Thai restaurant in Manila
ready to eat?
Spelling it out
When I think Thai food, I prefer that served at Thai Kitchen (Tomas Morato in QC). It’s truly authentic and more importantly, it’s affordable. Hotel Thai food doesn’t appeal to me, and the exorbitant price is only part of it.
Because of the popularity of Thai cuisine, most people have this idea that it’d be a cinch to offer it, thus the proliferation of wanna-be Thai restaurants and even food stalls, both of which offer hosed down/’Filipinized’ versions of the real thing. It has nothing to do with food snobbery, but when the tom yam kung starts to taste like sinigang (Filipino sour soup), and the chicken pandan has a flavor similar to inihaw na manok (grilled chicken), then we have a problem.
Thai cooking is a treasure trove of subtlety and suggestion, a fine line between amounts and ingredients that spell the difference between good and great. Consider your favorite dish and where it’s served. Why do you prefer it there instead of another restaurant that serves the exact same thing?
The restaurant
A few days ago, I made the trip to Alabang to seek out Siam Taste at the Filinvest Mall. I have no compunction about driving several kilometers for food – if a good meal is the reward, then I’m all the better for it (and so is my blog).
Siam Taste calls itself “an affordable and accessible restaurant serving real Thai food,” although its interiors belie such a claim. It’s a large place with plenty of regal Thai accents, fancy ceiling lights, and photos of the Thai monarchy hanging on the wall. The server who met us at the door was garbed in a beautiful deep pink Thai costume. A restaurant speaks to you the second you walk in the door, and while appearances may be deceiving, I liked what I saw.
tom yam kung
There are signature dishes in every restaurant that tell me just how good the rest of the food is. Since this was my Bin’s and my first time here, we ordered the battery of usual Thai food, beginning with the tom yam kung (P95/single serve). Redolent with cilantro, lemongrass, and kaffir lime – all hallmarks of Thai cuisine, the soup was tongue-tingling and throat-tickling. The pleasant hotness and sourness of the soup was tempered by the large juicy shrimps and button mushrooms. Now awakened, our palates received respite from the Thai iced tea (P68).
On the menu, the fluffy catfish salad (P150) is described as a “lattice”: delicately crossed bars and spaces of crispy catfish enshrouding a salad of shredded green mangoes, carrots, and roasted peanuts. It comes with nam prik kapi – the universal Thai dipping sauce of patis (fish sauce), lime juice, garlic, vinegar, sugar, chilis, to which shallots, grated green mangoes and peanuts are added. So addicted was I to this sauce that I downed it by the spoonful. (Yes, I’m the type of person who can drink a good vinegar sauce).
What is a Thai meal in Manila without bagoong rice? You can order just a cup of it or the complete meal that includes pork and green mango shreds (P150). Both are winners.
Another table had beat us to the last order of chicken pandan (P140), so my Bin and I went for the honey chicken, marinated in herbs and basted with honey. It’s accompanied with a sauce that possesses a citrus-brown sugar overtone. Again, the sauce was unbelievable. This place has nailed their sauces down pat.
Thai desserts teem with taro, coconut cream, and sticky rice – all things I’m crazy about. It wasn’t difficult to pick out what I wanted: the Siam Taro (P55). A hot dessert, the taro balls are similar to the galapong (glutinous rice) balls found in ginataan (sweet coconut-milk based stew with yams), except that these were purple and perfectly square. The chew and warm sweetness of the dessert was satisfying in a simple, “sigh, I’ve had such a good meal,” way.
I think that I’ll be driving to Alabang more often now.
THIS RESTAURANT IS NOW CLOSED.
Siam Taste
3/F Chef’s Avenue
Filinvest Mall,
Alabang
Related post:
Fellow blogger Anton has come up with a comparison post on two Thai restaurants, one a cheap eat and the other more upscale. Check it out.
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Hi, your pics are again so nice – makes me want to drive all the way to Alabang
I want to actualy ask about your cheesecake recipe. Im planning to make it this weekend, but Im wondering what size of condensed milk should I buy? Please bear with me if Im asking in this particular thread, but the non-techie that I am, I cant seem to post a comment in the cheesecake recipe thread and Im desperate to ask you. Also, should it really be just 2 packages of cream cheese and not 4? I remember one comment before asking the same question and I didnt get to see if you replied, so just making sure. Thanks so much 
— Bettina
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hey lori, great thai post. Makes me grave for more thai food!
Just curious, how are you taking your food shots? I tried to make it as good as yours but it pales in comparison. Any tip or technique? what camera do you use?
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Bravo! Bravo!
I’ve been looking for a Thai place to eat for quite a while. i’m almost despearate enough to try Papagayo’s on makati avenue that serves Thai AND mexican food. Yes… WTF…..
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Bettina-
Yes, it’s really just 2 packages of cream cheese. As for the condensed milk, I use Alaska or Carnation, and there’s only 1 size available for those 2 brands, at least in this country. Let me know how that cheesecake goes,
Anton-
Wow, I’m flattered. You say that you’re trying to make your food shots as good as mine? Here are 2 tips:
1. Use a good camera. Being the gadget freak you are, this should pose no problem for you. I am no gadget geek, but I know what I need in a camera, and I have it — a Canon Powershot G2.
2. Use a macro lens.
Hope this helps.
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According to my friend Deo (who married a Thai girl), the Thais invented Pandan Chicken and Phad Thai for tourists because their other dishes were too spicy. But despite that, I still do enjoy the Thai food we grew up with. And it’s great to know that there’s a good and cheap alternative to People’s Palace!
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The food I love in Thailand that I can’t get comes from the mountain regions, the sticky rice to go with the spicy papaya salad, and last year I tried a variety of Isan food. There’s a wonderful blend of spices that they use to make the food flavorful and aromatic.
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although i have nothing against the pinoys’ love for bagoong rice and pandan chicken, it really isnt a fair benchmark for thai food. som tam poo(papaya salad with raw crablet) and isan style grilled items as chicken and pork neck + sticky rice are worth trying out (as pointed out by ms mila). and i really cant say i’ve tried any tom yum locally that is worth raving about (compared to the creamy, delightfully sharp flavored tom yam ram mits i’ve had on bkk’s sidewalks). i, too, am on the prowl for some decent tom yam here in manila. it’s just different. i suppose availability of key ingredients may be one of the reasons. thanks for the new resto tip. if anyone’s going to bkk i can suggest good places to eat. just contact me
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Love your post Lori, the food looks scrumptious. Have you tried dining @ Jatujak MOA? One of the few Thai restos here that didn’t disappoint. Will try SIAM Taste next…im getting hungry.
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another great tasting Thai restaurant is just located in SM City fairview…the Ayutthaya Thai cuisine…try it! their Pad Thai is the best!
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i think the best thai food in Philippine always in Royal kruathai in Cebu cuz they are real thai food and so Authentic , Royal Kruathai is a hawker style place which serves Authentic food at a very affordable price. It was established sometime in 2000 by a Thai chef who married a Filipina. They started with just one small in Cross road unit, and now, they already own the 3 Branches, Btc branch, SM Branch, one small restaurant like Som’s Noodle house in makati, called Mae Krua Thai Cuisine, when u guys visit in Cebu pls Try to check it out, i got also number if ever you want to call for reservation, 416-3694….
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i got this bad experience yesterday at Pad Thai SM Fairview. im a regular customer there for Pad Thai Chicken/Shrimp. After nearly finishing my dinner… low and behold … i pointed, sharp stone got stuck in between my tooth. i called the attention of the supervisor, she just apologized. thats it.. im not after free food.. but please check your food before serving… i gave the pointed stone for their investigation but i took picture. Be careful please…
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