When In Manila, be sure to not sleep before your scheduled dinner! It was 6:30pm and I was walking fast to Thaipan from my house nearby. You guessed it right! Thaipan is a Thai Restaurant and Thai cuisine is my favorite for I love anything hot and spicy. From Boy Scout Circle, I walked a few blocks passing by row of restaurants before turning left to Scout Lazcano. There it is, Thaipan Restaurant from the distance. Outside the restaurant, I was greeted by the friendly staff who led me inside.
Panorama shot of the exterior part of Thaipan Restaurant
Thaipan Restaurant’s lovely interiors of Asian and European Fusion
Seeing the interiors, something tells me that Thaipan is not your ordinary Thai Restaurant. The design of the interiors looks so surprisingly Asian yet characteristically European, a fusion of the best of both but I just wish their cuisine is not a flimsy fusion of Thai and some European tastes. On the table was my When In Manila co-writers, foodie couple Jo and Mark Tan with their couple friends, and Romeo Bernal who will guide us through their extensive food selections. Just a side note but being flanked by couples left and right made me think if I will be with a special someone soon, but moment goes to Thaipan‘s yummy foods!
Thaipan’s Tod Man Kung or Shrimp Cake with Sweet Chili Sauce
Choo Chee Kung or Minced Prawn in Red Curry and Roti
Speaking of Thaipan‘s yummy foods, let us start with Tod Man Kung. Thai language is very unfamiliar to my ears but the sound of Tod Man Kung made me expect something I would like and I was right. It was Shrimp Cake with dip of Sweet Chili Sauce. Shrimp is to be my favorite seafood but unwelcome at home since half of my family is allergic to it. Prawns would be another ring of the bell the resonates sweetly in my ears but add Roti? Foodgasmic! Choo Chee Kung happens to be Minced Prawn mixed with a reduced red curry sauce. I must be in appetizer heaven and cannot seem to get enough of the selections.
Khao Khluk Kapi or Thaipan’s version of Thai Bagoong Rice
Classic and bestseller unmixed Pad Thai of Thaipan
While last pieces of Cho Chee Kung being passed, two classic Thai dishes arrived – Khao Khluk Kapi and Pad Thai. Khao Khluk Kapi may not be familiar to our ears but it’s Filipino equivalent rings familiar to us as Bagoong Rice. This fried rice is served unmixed but we asked the waiters to mix the sweet pork, green mango julienne, egg and lime for us. Extra pieces of red hot chili were added as well per request of everyone for extra spice. For some, the taste for usual Bagoong Rice is an acquired one but the sweet pork and mango julienne added extra body for Khao Khluk Kapi. Pad Thai would already be familiar to us since it is a staple of Thai restaurants but set apart Thaipan‘s since theirs has a more noticeable sweet peanut taste.
Gai Hor Bai Toey or Thaipan’s Chicken in Pandan Leaves
Self-Christened Seafood Heaven aka. Pla Meuk Goong Nam Prik Phao
Thaipan seems to be in the mood of teasing all the more today by letting me taste two immediate favorites of Gai Hor Bai Toey and Pla Meuk Nam Prik Phao. Reading the long names seem to be torture but ready to get tortured with Thaipan‘s goodness. I recommend tasting first Gai Hor Bai Toey or the Chicken in Pandan Leaves. Marinated in mild sauce, pandan leaves add an aroma to the chicken. If you wonder what Pla Meuk Nam Prik Phao is, it means stir fried squid and shrimp with roasted chili paste. The chili paste makes a red spicy soup with my two favorite seafood ingredients which I love extra spiced.
Phanaeng Neur Yang or U.S. Beef Tenderloin in Aromatic Phanaeng Curry
Thaipan’s Poo Nim Pud Pong Karee or Stir Fried Crablets with Curry Sauce
Just as I thought Thaipan is over in giving foodgasms, there comes Phanaeng Neur Yang and Poo Nim Pud Pong Karee. It is good that I still had some space for Phanaeng Neur Yang or US Beef Tenderloin in Red Phanaeng Curry Sauce with sliced eggplants. Look out for the eggplants since the beef is as tender as eggplants, soft and almost dissolves in the mouth! If crunch is your game, probably you would like Poo Nim Pud Pong Karee. Before you think wrong, nevermind poo there since it actually means Stir Fried Crablets in the a selection of green, yellow or red curry sauce. There is a characteristic taste of black peppers matured before drying which has it stronger. The black pepper used was imported all the way from Thailand.
Thaipan’s Ta Koh Sakooh or Tapioca Pearl Steamed Cake
Thai Classic Sweet Sticky Rice and Mangoes of Thaipan
Cheers to the dessert! After full heavy Thaipan dinner, we were treated to Thai desserts that are equally interesting. Look at Ta Koh Sakooh or Tapioca Pearl Steamed Cake. If tapioca still does not ring a bell, think of sago in our ginataan. Speaking of gata, the flavorful pieces of sago were topped with creamed coconut milk. Characteristic was a crunch from pieces of mature coconut meat. Before you forget, have a taste of their Thai Sticky Rice, topped with mangoes and smothered with coconut cream. Making it more special is the fact that it uses Guimaras Mangoes which are undisputed tastiest mangoes in the world.
Lovely interiors and light fixtures of Thaipan with Conference Room
Thaipan was worth the long tiring walk from home. Would I come back to Thaipan for another round of their authentic Thai food? Absolutely and guess what, I am coming back here for my birthday two months from now. Thai food party at Thaipan is what I am going to get, grandmother’s treat. Just a note, notice the light fixtures and the wall? Those light fixtures are actually copies of one bought from France. Which one is the original from the copies? You may never know since it was copied by our artisans perfectly! Those fixtures served as an inspiration for Thaipan‘s very own restaurant logo. The walls are not wallpaper plastered by the way but are hand-painted. Anyway, for intimate parties, there is a closed  room that can fit twelve people while there is a conference room that can fit thirty people comfortably for meetings, parties or closed corporate meetings.
When In Manila, having your special day, craving for fine authentic Thai cuisine and wishing for a cozy laid-back restaurant, head on over to the Tomas Morato Area and try Thaipan! They are open for lunch between 11:00am to 3:00pm and dinner between 6:00pm and 12:oomn. Thaipan is also available for bookings. Please like the Thaipan official page on Facebook.
Thaipan Restaurant
120 Sct. Lazcano St., Tomas Morato
Quezon City, MM, Philippines
Email:Â thaipanresto@yahoo.com
Contact No: 352-4926|o917-808-0718
WhenInManila photos by JoTan23 with República Negrense.
