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Category: Pasay

  • Review of Soi Thai Fine Cuisine (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Review of Soi Thai Fine Cuisine (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Last Monday, our friend Anton flew to Manila so we invited everyone in DLSU Pride (our group’s name) for dinner. Originally, the plan was to have it in Kangaroo Jack, but since it’s not existing in SM Mall of Asia, we went for a Thai restaurant introduced by my current work colleagues.

    Some of us have seen its branches in Robinson’s Place Manila and Greenhills, but it was all our first time to dine in this restaurant (in the Mall of Asia). And this is my first time to review food / restaurant in this blog with my friends. I’ll also try to post my evaluations from selected backlogs of our other past dining escapades soon, to uncover more selection of food entrees. Without further ado, here goes SOI for now.

    Review of Soi Thai Fine Cuisine (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    The interior was designed with modern sensibilities, a minimalist, clean and streamlined look I like. With the little accommodating space, it had the wall mirrors that gave the illusion of an expansion and consistent colors, violet and brown, which presented a comforting vibe.

    In addition, Thai chandeliers, machuca tiles, wooden fan and furniture finished with wenge (dark wood) added a touch of elegance to dining in. Music background’s volume was soft — not so loud but one that still enabled us to hear our normal conversations. Each table had a [fake] flower and a ready set of condiments.

    Service: ★★★★★

    The upbeat and lively waiters wearing black polo shirts are said to be one of the pillars of SOI. True enough, they were very attentive to customers. As we entered, we were offered a space and they arranged the chairs and tables to fit nine people. They gave us one menu each and a small dish consisting of spicy nuts and crackers (?) and a glass of iced water.

    We were told that orders will come 10 to 15 minutes after, but they came sooner than expected — about 8 minutes tops, in average. In between, they refilled our glasses with water even when they were still half full. Best of all? There was no mandatory service charge. Khob kun kha! 😀

    Food: ★★★★☆

    This casual Thai restaurant has broad line of more than 70 quality Thai food in its menu ranging from a variety of noodles, rice dishes, salad, soup, curry dishes, grills, specialties and desserts. They claim that their ingredients are freshly imported from Thailand and carefully selected for quality and flavor.

    For appetizers, we had (1) Fresh Spring Rolls and (2) Pomelo Salad with Prawns, both of which I didn’t quite like. I thought I can also make these dishes on my own as they looked very easy to prepare. The taste of the fresh spring roll was bland (but undeniably fresh) and did not well complemented with the soy sauce that came with it. The salad, on the other hand, was nothing exquisite and special but a mix of ordinary chunks of pomelo and prawns sauteed in onions and some Thai sauce. They were light to the stomach, so they can be your best choices if you’re on a diet, maybe.

    For our main courses, we had (3) Pad Thai Chicken, (5) Pad Thai Vegetarian, (6) Chicken Satay, (7) Red Curry Fish and (8) Fried Spring Rolls with Carrot Sauce. Now this is where SOI lives to its slogan “eat thai, love thai” as we really loved their authentic Thai flavors.The pad thais and the red curry fish, particularly, were impeccable, having flavors with eminent semblance to ones in Thailand. The pad thais were not too sweet with a tangy aftertaste. The texture of the noodles was firm to the bite with some parts mushy. The bean sprouts were slightly half-cooked, I thought, but still were crunchy. There was not that much scrambled eggs in the dish compared to other restaurants’ versions, however it didn’t affect the overall quality of the dish.

    I can’t say anything about the chicken satay because I did not try it! Haha. Anyway, it must have been delicious for they ordered another one after the first. Moving on, the red curry was too spicy; on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the hottest, the score is 11 or 12. But it’s perfectly manageable with rice. The slices of fish fillet in it were moist and juicy. If you have not tried Thai food or if you haven’t gotten the real essence of their cuisine, their curries are the real deal to start with. They are super highly recommended. As a matter of fact, as the red curry fish lingered to my delight, I went back to SOI last Friday to buy my family this same treat for dinner amidst the heavy rains.

    Lastly, the fried spring rolls were done well but otherwise not remarkable. To me, they were just like plain Shanghai rolls in a much thinner form. Dip a piece in carrot sauce and it can get to about three levels higher of splendor. I also tried the different sauces in Picture (4): vinegar, unidentified white sauce assumed to be coconut milk, red chilli and soy sauce with toothsome green pepper. Nevertheless, they did not seem to lift up the tastefulness in any way.

    Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

    Food prices were high, with portions scanty. The Pomelo Salad costs PHp 258; Pad Thai Veg, PHp 188; Fresh Sprill Rolls, PHp 148; Red Curry Fish, PHp 288; Fried Spring Rolls, PHp 296; Chicken Satay, PHp 170; Pad Thai Chicken, PHp 288. They also ordered Jasmine Rice each small bowl costing PHp 38; and Garlic Rice, PHp 48. Well, I guess it’s okay to splurge this much sometimes — and when you’re with a group of great friends. ✌

    Soi Thai Fine Cuisine
    Ground Floor SM Mall of Asia, Central Business Park Bay Blvd., Bay City, Pasay City (adjacent to McDonald’s near Hypermarket)

  • Review of Holy Cow Steak Ranch and American Grill (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Review of Holy Cow Steak Ranch and American Grill (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Starting this July, I commit to reviewing one restaurant every month, to suppress my curiosity on food tastes and enjoy even a small percentage of my earnings from my part-time job. 🙂 So last Friday, after work hours, I planned to have dinner in Patio Guernia (MOA) with my mother. We’re excited to try Spanish cuisine, but the flurry of excitement was slashed out when we learned that the restaurant had already closed its branch in SM Mall of Asia over a year ago, according to one of the roving security guards. That explains why it’s not listed anymore in the mall directory.

    This left us hanging in a blindfold moment to jump into other never-tried-before restaurants. We strode along the long alley of restaurants in the ground floor of the South Parking Building. Faced with about 20 choices there, I turned to the basic: the elimination method: I’m not into Filipino food. I’ve had too much of Chinese and Singaporean food. We’ll be having a Japanese meal (buffet) soon. I have just tried Mediterranean.

    There we were left with American. The poster of value meals on Holy Cow’s glass walls looked yummy. The plus side? They’re affordable. So we entered, had a quick skim through their menu and finally ordered the Beer Battered Rodeo Fish Fillet, the Cowboy Ranch Style Burger Steak, and the Clam Chowder Soup.

    Review of Holy Cow Steak Ranch and American Grill (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    The entire rectangular space was designed with a consistent cowboy-ranch theme, from the tables and chairs, lighting, decorations on the wall, rest room, cashier area and just about everything else. The waiters were also clad in cowboy-style uniforms. While this brings into the positive side of the ambiance, the offsetting factor was the poor air conditioning of the place.

    Inside got nearly sauna-hot temperature, and there was only one medium-sized electric fan available used by a group of customers in one table. When they left, Mom asked the waiter to have it face us and the fan rotating also for the benefit of other diners. It was a pretty quiet place, lit by yellow spotlights.

    Service: ★★★★☆

    As soon as we arrived, the attendant led us to comfortable seating and handed us the menu. Our orders were repeated for confirmation. The waiter gladly gave Mom her requested additional mushroom gravy for the sizzling platter for free. When called to take our picture, he also willingly did it. Everything was okay except checkout. Their point-of-sale (POS) terminal for processing credit cards broke down and could not register Visa and MasterCard card transactions. Good thing we also have cash, so we just paid in cash.

    Food: ★★★★★

    Their gut-busting specialties are their slabs of steak, signature burgers seared to perfection and other meaty dishes that will sting your lips and numb the tongue. Already, Mom was assured her order, the burger steak, will taste delicious.

    Contrariwise, I opted for the seafood alternative with a twist — Just how eminent would the beer’s tang be in the beer-battered fish? Mom is game to try food which she does not know how to cook, so she additionally ordered a bowl of clam chowder soup shared by the both of us.

    After 15 minutes, we were amazed as the plates with HUGE portions of scrumptious food were served with rice and mixed vegetables on the side. The fish had a tinge of beer taste and smell. Cooked to my likeness, it’s crispy on the outside and soft inside. I also tried a spoonful of Mom’s order and it was as well delicious. The clam chowder soup was thick and creamy; it’s a classic soup made to please anyone.

    We were so full, we just could not finish everything so we packed the leftovers home. I especially felt my stomach bulging after, but in reality, it was still as flat as it normally should. Thank Heavens!

    Price for Value: ★★★★★

    Our food bill summed up to PHp 440 (prices of food inclusive of tax and there was no service charge). For the casual dining vibe, great food and satisfactory service, I say the price is worth paying for. If you’re planning to dine in here, really expect big servings and unbuckle your belt or simply wear a loose bottom.