Despite the spot-on differences of Filipino and Thai cultures, the adventurous Filipino foodies find home in Thai plates. Both cuisines share the same sentiment on the
seamless fusion of the fundamental tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Perhaps, what makes Thai cuisines palatable to Pinoys is the innate inclination toward spicy and strong aromatic flavors of the food.
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| Celadon's Executive Chef Cheryl Pineda |
“Thai cuisine is all about the
marrying of the four flavors of being spicy, salty, sour, and sweet. Para kang kinikiliti. The aroma in Thai
cuisine is very much present so naaamoy
mo na agad, then it excites you to taste the food and eat,” Celadon’s Executive Chef Cheryl
Pineda says.
Celadon in Powerplant Mall is the
sole Thai restaurant in the area, which is a perfect go-to bistro for those who
crave something out of the ordinary yet familiar at the same time. Celadon
boasts of more than a hundred contemporary Thai dishes including its signature
dish, the Dungeness Crab, Crispy Whole Catfish in Red Curry Sauce, Grilled
Squid Pomelo Salad, and their homegrown ice cream concoctions in coconut,
durian, and mango flavors.
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| The Pork Pineapple in Yellow Curry |
The Thai dish, Pork Pineapple in
Yellow Curry, sold us out the moment it was served on the table in a small fire
pot. It was teeming in coconut milk,
pineapples, and chunks of pork meat; perfect with a cup of hot rice. This plate
is reminiscent of our own Pininyahang Manok.
The Pork Pineapple in Yellow
Curry may have been wiped out seconds after the waiter put it on our table, but
the Prawn Cakes with Sweet Chili Sauce offers an alternative distinct taste
that perfectly complements the curry. The prawn cakes are crisp and fried until
golden brown.
What’s notable with Celadon is
its simple yet elegant manner of presenting its dishes, which is logical since
a foodie is after the tastes and the celebration of the senses more than the beautifully-crafted
plating. But admittedly, decent plating lures the hungry tummy. And the
presentation of the ever-popular Phad Thai noodles will never pale in
comparison against its contemporaries. The intricately-woven egg strips carefully
blanket the stir fried noodles. It’s just so beautifully done that you’ll
regret reshuffling its plating. Its preparation is very Instagram-friendly and
so does its taste.
While Phad Thai remains to be the
household name of Thai cuisine, another dish is slowly making its name because
of its healthy concoction of chicken, vegetables, and lotus roots. The dish is
spicy, sweet and with clever combination of textures.
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| Phad Thai needs no introduction! |
“The acceptability of Thai
cuisine among Filipinos is much bigger now unlike before that when you say
Thai, it’s supposed to be spicy. The cuisine infuses elements of being sweet,
spicy, sour, or salty that is also present in the Filipino cuisine. Sa Thai food nga lang dapat nandoon ang
lahat ng elements kahit sa salad or soup,” says Pineda.
Staying true to its name, the
ceramics used in the restaurant are the authentic Thai celadon from Lampang,
Thailand. Celadon is a famous high-fired emerald ceramic handcrafted and baked
the traditional way. The celadon wares have long been given as a high value
token of friendship among the nobility. In addition, having foods served in
celadon plates signify royalty, which is how the customers should feel.
The coconut ice cream dessert in
two scoops sprinkled with coconut flesh caps off our Thai cuisine adventure. The
simple and refreshing dessert harmonizes with the seemingly tropical and
invigorating ambiance of Celadon.
Celadon is located at Rockwell Powerplant Mall in Makati. For
reservations, call 898-1305.
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Photography by Noel Pabalate
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