AzuThai Restaurant recently launched its new menu featuring well-loved Thai classics and exciting new dishes for its loyal customers. Established in 2008, AzuThai has been an institution in the Makati area, with guests and families coming back for its authentic, home-style Thai cuisine even with all the new Thai restaurants that have opened in the city.
The restaurant is managed by Chef J Gamboa and Malu Gamboa-Lindo, the same family that owns and runs the popular Cirkulo, MilkyWay and Tsukiji restaurants which are all housed in the same MilkyWay building. The Hungry Kat was invited last week to sample some of these authentic Thai dishes and it was my first time back here at AzuThai since the pandemic started.
Azuthai is open Mondays to Sundays for lunch and dinner. In 2017, AzuThai was the first restaurant in the Philippines to receive the prestigious Thai SELECT Award from the Thailand Ministry of Commerce for its authentic Thai cuisine prepared with Thai ingredients and recipes.
The dining room at AzuThai comes with a very homey and relaxed ambiance. The gardens outside add to the charming and laid-back vibe where you can enjoy a well-prepared lunch without the distractions of the busy city.
They also have private dining rooms which can house 8 to 30 guests. Our small lunch group got together that afternoon to rediscover the wonderful and authentic Thai dishes prepared by Executive Chef Watee from Bangkok, Thailand.
We started with some traditional Thai beverages such as the Thai Iced Tea (P150) and the Lemongrass Iced Tea (P150). Both were refreshing but I preferred the Thai Iced Tea with its milky tea blend.
Appetizers were served on the table starting with the Larb Moo (P595) or Crispy Minced Pork Salad with Chili. This doesn’t look like any salad I’ve seen before and I’m always happy whenever there’s more meat than vegetables on a salad. The dish is then topped with roasted rice powder and Kaffir lime leaves.
Next is a more familiar appetizer, the Satay Gai (P395). These are grilled skewered chicken served with peanut sauce and cucumber achar. The chicken is wonderfully grilled resulting in tender and smoky barbecue sticks.
I recommend ordering the Tod Man Goong (P595) for any occasion. This Crispy Fried Shrimp Cake comes with a sweet spicy dipping sauce and I’m sure kids and adults alike will love this crispy starter.
One of my favorites that afternoon was the classic Tom Yum Goong (P695). This is the traditional Hot and Sour Prawn Soup that Thailand is known for and AzuThai arguably serves the best one in the city. This hearty broth is prepared with tomatoes, mushrooms, lemongrass, Kaffir leaves and coriander to create a wonderful masterpiece.
It comes with big pieces of lovely prawns so I really enjoyed this soup. Thailand is known for making everything spicy, but the broth had the perfect balance of flavors and spiciness.
There’s also the Kai Jeaw Poo (P895) or Crab Omelet with super lump crabmeat, eggs, onions, soy sauce and served with a chili dipping sauce. This would a good dish for those early brunch get togethers.
Now let’s try some of the main courses at AzuThai. The Pla Naeng Ma Naw (P1695) is a steamed whole boneless apahap prepared with lime, fish sauce, garlic, coriander, chili. It’s a great seafood course that can be shared by the entire family.
You can’t go to AzuThai without ordering one of their curries. The Gaeng Hang Lay (P895) is a northern style pork curry made with pork belly, garlic, peanuts, shallots and hang lay curry. This is a thick curry that really goes well on top of rice.
On the other hand, the Gaeng Pet Phad Yang (P695) is a Roast Duck Red Curry made with tomatoes, pineapple, and coconut milk. This one is a bit lighter and comes with a different flavor and texture from the duck meat.
To go along with your curries, the Khao Pad Poo (P795) or Crab Fried Rice is a good option with crabmeat, eggs, oyster sauce, and spring onions.
Another Thai classic that I usually order is the Pad Thai Gai (P595) which is a stir-fried rice noodle dish prepared with chicken, egg, spring onions, and peanuts.
For desserts, we tried the Thai Style Halo Halo with Fresh Coconut Milk (P295) which is a cool and refreshing ending to our meals, but I really loved the Mango Sticky Rice Ice Cream Sundae (P350) with its fresh mango over warm sticky rice topped with homemade mango ice cream, coconut cream, and toasted rice.
Guests can even order desserts from MilkyWay like the popular Ginumis. AzuThai is also available for take-out and delivery from Tuesdays to Sundays with free delivery for orders of P2500 and above to Rockwell, Dasma, Forbes, Sanlo, Legaspi and Salcedo Villages. We would like to thank our hosts Chef J Gamboa and Malu Gamboa-Lindo for sharing with us their new exciting menu at AzuThai Restaurant.
AzuThai Restaurant
MilkyWay Building, 900 Arnaiz Ave., corner Paseo de Roxas, Makati City
