1.) Big Buddha was closed for renovation.
2.) It was the typical hot summer day here in Manila (and Super Bowl of China was far).
3.) We were in the mood to try new things.
I initially concluded that this was another high-end Filipino restaurant because of the Mango Tree phrase. Fortunately for my hungry stomach, we realized that it was Thai food (Phad Thai!) once we checked out the menu. Opted to stay inside although the couches outside looked comfy and welcoming. (The heat is unbelievable nowadays and it's just mid-March.)
Since I didn't have any idea what to order in a Thai restaurant except for Phad Thai, we asked the waitress (forgot to ask her name, sorry!) their best-sellers. She was helpful enough to suggest the chicken wrapped in pandan, shrimp cakes, lemon grass chicken, pork spareribs, curry dishes (although she warned us that it was really spicy) and of course Phad Thai(!).
By the way, this will be the first time I'm writing a food review. FYI, I don't really know how to cook. But I love eating. And I've been known to suggest good food dining experiences. So... On to what we ordered.
Bagoong Rice (Khao Klook Kapi) P230.00. We enjoyed this since it was tasty but for the price, I thought that this was already good for sharing. As you can see, it's just a one cup rice with side dishes (mango, pineapple, egg, onion, peppers, small fried shrimps and sweet pork). And come to think of it, how can one go wrong with Bagoong Rice?
Pork Spareribs (See Krong Moo Yang) P450.00. Among the dishes, this was my least favorite. It was a bit dry and some of the meat was not tender enough. There was nothing really special going in this dish.
Curry Chicken (Panang Gai) P350.00. This was our favorite among what we ordered. It wasn't spicy as what we were led to believe. The serving was small but the rich flavor made up for it. The curry (soup) was creamy enough that I didn't mind the oil and went really well with the chicken. Nothing too aggressive which made the experience pleasant enough.
Phad Thai Goong (P350.00). I was a bit disappointed with this one. The whole experience wasn't as crunchy as I think it should have been. In my opinion, the sauces should have made the flavor but instead, the whole thing drowned in too much of it.
Pros:
1.) The best part for me was the presentation of each dish. It looked so delectable whenever they placed a dish in front of us.
2.) Another thing was the staff. They were nice enough to ask how the dishes fared, (which I think is a must in a restaurant since it makes the customers feel more at home and well taken cared of).
Cons:
1.) I didn't like the Thai music in the background. I know, that we were in a Thai restaurant, but do you hear Chinese music playing in Chinese restaurants? (Sorry, I just don't appreciate Thai music. But that's just me. I'm sure, some may even find the whole dining experience more authentic because of the music.)
2.) The food was pricey for daily lunch-outs. But since the flavors are imported from Thailand, maybe it's a good enough reason to have that pricing.
3.) The food was a case of hits and misses. (I hate the disappointing Phad Thai experience)
Would I come back?
If and when I'm craving for authentic Thai food. Other than that, I'm not in a hurry to go back since as I've said, the food was a case of hits and misses.
Mango Tree is located at Ground Floor, Greenbelt 5 (beside Mr. Jones). They also offer cocktail drinks for those who want to just chill out.
Photos by Carlo Meneses
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cal0y/
http://caloy.lens.ph/
