Trying out Thai

Hmm there seems to be a Thai theme going on around here no?

After I blogged about Thai actor Mario Maurer yesterday, let me blog about something just as yummy haha - Thai food!

Last Wednesday night, my fashion blogger friends and I went to Mango Tree Bistro in Greenbelt 5 to try out their dishes.

I am not going to lie. I eat a LOT, but I am not adventurous nor experimental when it comes to food as I tend to prefer "tried and tested" dishes. I have never eaten Thai food before so this is a new experience for me. As I've said on the few restaurant reviews I've posted here, describing food is not really my forte so I hope the photos and short descriptions (and local dishes they reminded me of) can aid me. Feast your eyes on these:

THE FOOD

Som Tum Thai
Classic fresh spicy Thai green papaya salad with dried shrimps, peanuts, tomatoes, yum sauce

Unfortunately I didn't get to try this as (Random Trivia #8703) I don't eat papaya. Ana said it was good, though!

Tom Yum Goong
Spicy and sour soup with mushrooms, shrimps kaffir, lemongrass, galanggal and fresh herbs

This reminded me of our local dish sinigang. I liked this one; it's a bit sour with a surprising kick of spice.

Thod Mun Goong
Deep fried fresh shrimp cakes with sweet chili dip

I loved this! This was sooo good that I lost track of how many I was able to eat! If you will visit Mango Tree Bistro make sure you'll order this one, okay? ;)

Talay Prik Thai Dum
Stir fried seafood with black pepper sauce

I also liked this one. It reminded me of chop suey, but instead of vegetables, it had more seafood in it.

Panang Nua
Panang style red curry with beef and kaffir lime leaves

This was very spicy, but still palatable! This reminded me of kaldereta.

Pad Thai Jay
Stir fried noodles with bean sprouts, egg, tofu, peanuts, chives

This dish is probably my favorite from the lot. Just looking at the photo now makes me crave for it. Darn, why does Greenbelt 5 have to be so far from my place?

Gai Ta Krai Yang
Mango Tree signature grilled lemongrass chicken with Northeastern Thai dipping sauce

This is another dish that YOU.JUST.HAVE.TO.TRY. I was pleasantly surprised that the meat is very tender, unlike other grilled chicken from other restaurants. Seriously, this was the bomb.

Khao Niew Mamuang
Imported fragrant sticky jasmine rice with coconut cream sauce and mangoes

I've seen this dessert at another Chinese restaurant but it looked different. A perfect way to cap the different flavors your taste buds feasted on :)

Lemongrass Iced Tea

This is an excellent "partner" to your Thai eating exploits at Mango Tree Bistro, but you should try the Thai iced tea, too!

We were also served with Khao Suey (steamed jasmine rice). That night was definitely food coma night for me ;D

THE AMBIENCE

You know how much I love chandeliers, right? :)

I think Mango Tree Bistro is the perfect date venue for couples looking for somewhere extraordinary, or for groups of friends who want something different. The restaurant serves traditional Thai dishes, yes, but the aesthetics of the place is very modern. Chandeliers and crystal curtains lend a cozy yet extra-special feel to the over-all ambience while soft music plays in the background without being too distracting - perfect for great conversations over great food.

THE FRIENDS

I was fortunate enough to have spent the night with these precious people:

With Aie, Ana and Sarah

Tracey, Bjorn, Vern and Aisa

With Keigh and Chef 

Co-owner Joe Chua
He was such an excellent host! He made lots of funny jokes and really made us feel at ease :)

Big thanks to Connect especially to Jon, Carina, and Cholo for inviting us. It was such a fun and relaxing evening ♥ I just love sharing good food with great friends ♥

Cheers to the good life!

Visit Mango Tree Bistro at Greenbelt 5 now! They also have a branch in TriNoma (where I am always at, so I can see a lot of visits there in the immediate future) and will be opening a branch in The Fort really, really soon so watch out for that!