When in Manila, Thai restaurants can be found left and right. Since I grew up in Bangkok, however, it is safe to say that I long to eat Thai food more than your average Manila girl. So, whenever I see a Thai restaurant somewhere, I end up trying it out, with hopes of finding that familiar taste of home. Well, Celadon comes pretty darned close to that, I tell you.
I visited Celadon with some of my friends last week and the minute I saw Celadon, I was instantly brought back to the Land of Smiles.
Celadon at Rockwell
Celadon was designed by the country’s renowned interior designers, Ivy & Cynthia Almario, and comes to life with beautiful interiors and exteriors complemented with classy and warm statement light fixtures.
Authentic Celadon plates at Celadon
In ancient times, having food served in celadon plates signified royalty. In Thailand, celadon ware has long been given as a high value token of friendship among noble people. Since the restaurant’s name is taken from the name of the plates, it makes sense that every dish in Celadon is served on authentic celadon plates, completing the experience overall.
Since my friends aren’t as well-versed in the spicy food of Thailand, I decided not to surprise them too much and ordered basic Thai dishes for everyone to enjoy in Celadon instead, including the following:
Moo Ping at Celadon
As an appetizer, we had Moo Ping, which is basically Thai-style pork barbecue. This was actually my favorite order at Celadon for the night due to the sauce that came with it. True Thai flavor! 🙂 I was a little sad that Celadon didn’t have the traditional sticky rice that Moo Ping usually comes with in Thailand, but it still tasted great!
Phad Thai at Celadon
The Thai food experience isn’t complete without some Phad Thai. At Celadon, the noodles were much thinner than original Phad Thai noodles, but tasted great overall. Plus, the Celadon Phad Thai was wrapped up in a cute egg net. The Celadon waiters, dressed in fisherman pants, were also kind enough to help mix up the dish for us.
In true Thai tradition, the peanuts in this dish at Celadon were set to the side, so that people who aren’t fond of peanuts or are allergic to them can opt not to have them mixed into their noodles.
Tom Yum Goong at Celadon
Tom Yum Goong is the dish that most Thai restaurants in the Philippines aren’t able to perfect. And, while Celadon does a good job at replicating the taste with just the right amount of spice, it was a bit too watery for Tom Yum Goong. Also, the shrimps in the Philippines simply aren’t the same as the shrimps in Thailand – but that obviously isn’t Celadon‘s fault.
Cha Yen at Celadon
The way a Thai restaurant makes their Cha Yen, or Thai Iced Tea, usually makes or breaks it for me. Well, Celadon gets a thumb up for their Cha Yen because it does not disappoint. Definitely the perfect drink to cap off a Thai meal at Celadon.
The best part is that Celadon is incredibly affordable! At only Php200 to Php300 a dish, you definitely won’t go wrong when visiting Celadon When in Manila. All of the dishes are sharable, too! 🙂
Photos by Gerd Perez.
Celadon
Address: Unit 145, R1 Level Powerplant Mall, Lopez Drive, Rockwell
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Celadon-Rockwell/463217330404838?fref=ts
Celadon: Great Thai Food at Incredibly Affordable Prices!
