Nara Thai Cuisine Opens First Philippine Branch in SM Megamall
Authentic Thai cuisine is now more accessible as one of Bangkok’s most popular restaurants has just opened its first Philippine branch at SM Megamall. No need to go to five star hotels or dine at outrageously-priced Thai fine dining restaurants because Nara Thai Cuisine brings the fiery flavors of Bangkok to Manila.
Nara Thai Cuisine started in 2006 in Bangkok and has since expanded to seven branches across Thailand and seven other countries around Asia. Voted as one of Bangkok’s Best Thai Restaurants, the first Nara Thai Cuisine branch in the Philippines opened last February 22, 2018 at the third level of SM Mega Fashion Hall. I had heard many good reviews about their Bangkok restaurants, so I was curious to find out if they are able to bring the true flavors of Thailand and the quality that Nara Thai Cuisine is known for.
The restaurant comes with a relaxed and casual dining ambiance and visiting here is like a short journey through the capital of Bangkok. Nara Thai Cuisine uses authentic Thai recipes and serves them with quality ingredients prepared by their in-house Thai executive chef and Thai-trained sous chefs. It took months of training in Bangkok for them to master the extensive menu which are mostly the same with their Bangkok counterparts.
All the interiors and decors found in the restaurant were shipped straight from Thailand including these traditional bells and the huge wooden boat filled with orchids. Nara Thai Cuisine was brought to the country by the Roku Group of Companies which also manages Japanese comfort food concepts such as Roku Sushi + Ramen and Sushi Nori.
I had wanted to visit Nara Thai Cuisine since it opened and I finally got the chance a few weeks ago when I dropped by for dinner with some of my friends, including Ms. Bettina Bacani of Life in Technicolor.
The elegant Ms. Shiela Romero owns and manages the Roku Group of Companies together with her daughter, Milka. The mother and daughter tandem hosted a lovely dinner for us that evening and told us about their inspiration for opening the restaurant. The pair discovered Nara Thai Cuisine in Bangkok during one of their many travels and decided to bring the franchise to the Philippines.
We started with some of their refreshing beverages including the Nara Thai Milk Tea (P125). This cold and milky thirst quencher is a good way to begin your Thai journey, as well as a great companion when things get a bit too spicy. As for myself, I ordered their Fresh Coconut Juice (P135).
There are plenty of delicious appetizers to choose from at Nara Thai Cuisine to jumpstart your palate. The Yum Phak Khom (P225) has fried spinach leaves served with a minced pork and prawn chili lime dip. The spinach is very light and crunchy with a mild kick from the chili dip.
Order the Nara Thai Sampler (P395) if you want a little bit of everything. This combination platter comes with chicken satay, fish cake, pork wonton, spring rolls, and a pomelo salad. This is also served with four special sauces including sweet chili sauce, peanut sauce, plum sauce, and vinegar. I like the chicken satay the most, especially when dipped in peanut sauce, while the others items give a small taste of what is to come.
One appetizer that really caught me by surprise is the Goong Chae Nampla (P390) or Prawns Carpaccio. This is the first time I have seen this type of carpaccio and even though I enjoy eating raw fish or raw beef, I have never eaten this type of raw shrimp. The fresh deveined prawns are topped with fresh garlic, chili, and mint leaves and served with a signature fish sauce marinate. I took a curious bite and was astounded with the clean flavors of the prawn. It didn’t taste raw or fishy at all. I removed the chili though because I probably won’t be able to take that kind of heat, but I really like this carpaccio.
Nara Thai Cuisine also serves some of the more popular and familiar Thai favorites like the Phad Thai Kai Krob (P390). These phad Thai noodles are cooked with prawns and crispy egg floss, resulting in a flavorful noodle dish that has all the ingredients we like. This is one of the better phad Thai versions I have had.
A healthier appetizer would be the Yum Som O (P380) or Promelo salad. This is another Thai specialty that we like with its combination of sweet and sour flavors.
The Tom Yum Goong (P420) is probably the most recognized soup dish from Thailand and Nara Thai Cuisine presents a very red and fiery version. The broth has big prawns in a spicy lemongrass and lime soup, but don’t let the bright red colors scare you, because the spice level is actually just right for Filipinos. I found myself able to handle the spiciness, so that means most diners should be able to as well.
If you want a creamier and milder soup, go for the Tom Ka Gai (P380) which has chicken in coconut soup. The rich and milky broth is really good, especially when it is served hot and boiling.
Nara Thai Cuisine’s has an all-day dining menu that lets guests enjoy their specialties for lunch, dinner, or afternoon snacks. Their main courses are just as good as the appetizers and we were ready to explore more of Bangkok’s myriad flavors.
We had a couple of rice dishes to go along with the main courses. The Khao Phad Nam Prik Goong Seab (₱225) is a Bagoong Fried Rice with chili, shrimp paste, caramelized pork, crispy catfish, and salted egg. On the other hand, the Khao Phad Sapparod (P225) is a Pineapple Fried Rice with chicken and shredded pork.
Some of the meat dishes include the Gai Tord Krob Sauce Ma Nao (P285) or crispy fried chicken in lime sauce. These crispy chicken cutlets are great to nibble on with or without rice.
They also served the Ped Yang Kra Pao Krob (P650) or grilled duck with crispy hot basil. The duck slices were soft and tender, although I think I still prefer my ducks roasted.
My favorite item that evening was the Phu Num Tord Kra Tiem (P850) or Fried Soft Shell Crab with garlic. These crunchy, bite-sized portions of soft shell crab were so flavorful, especially with the garlic bits. I am definitely coming back for this one.
You can’t dine at a Thai restaurant without having curry, so we also tried the Kang Kiew Wan Gai (P385) or Green Chicken Curry. This curry actually looks quite mild, but it turned out to be the spiciest of all our dishes. Spicy food lovers will really enjoy putting this curry on top of their rice.
Another recommended curry dish is the Chu Chee Gong (P750) or Fried Prawns with Red Curry Sauce. I just love these creamy prawns and the red curry sauce is absolutely perfect with the right amount of heat. You are bound to ask for more rice when you have these curries in front of you.
One of the specialties at Nara Thai Cuisine would be the Plan Gao Neung Ma Nao (P250/100g) which has a whole steamed grouper with spicy chili lime sauce. This dish is a winner in terms of presentation as it served in a golden boat and the fresh grouper has a unique sauce that can only be described as truly Thai.
For desserts, try the Mango and Sticky Rice (P265) with its sweet slices of mangoes paired with sticky rice that you can dip in the coconut sauce.
In case mangoes are not available due to seasonality, then go for the Longgan Sticky Rice (P255) in coconut ice cream instead. The gooey and sticky rice is covered in sweet coconut sauce and coconut ice cream to make this such a refreshing dessert.
For couples, a great item to have would be the Nara Dessert Set (P345) which is good for two persons as it comes with two scoops of coconut ice cream and a medley of Thai sweet condiments. This is sort of a deconstructed ice cream halo halo set and you can choose which condiments you like to include on your cup.
Nara Thai Cuisine is sure to capture the hearts and tummies of Thai food enthusiasts around the city with its authentic Thai flavors and reasonable prices. They will be opening another branch soon in Makati so that is good news for foodies working or living near that area. Congratulations to Shiela and Milka Romero for bringing Nara Thai Cuisine to the Philippines.
Nara Thai Cuisine
3/F SM Megamall Fashion Hall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong
637-3860
www.facebook.com/narathai.ph