#azuthai

Established in 2008, AzuThai has been an institution in the Makati area, with guests and families coming back for its authentic, home-style Thai cuisine even with all the new Thai restaurants that have opened in the city.

Azuthai is open Mondays to Sundays, offering lunch from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM and dinner from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. In 2017, AzuThai was the first restaurant in the Philippines to receive the prestigious Thai SELECT Award from the Thailand Ministry of Commerce for its authentic Thai cuisine prepared with Thai ingredients and recipes.

The dining room at AzuThai comes with a very homey and relaxed ambiance. The gardens outside add to the charming and laid-back vibe where you can enjoy a well-prepared lunch without the distractions of the busy city.

They also have private dining rooms which can accommodate 8 to 30 guests for those intimate gatherings.

The restaurant is owned and managed by Chef Jay Gamboa and Malu Gamboa-Lindo, the same family that owns and runs the popular Cirkulo, MilkyWay and Tsukiji restaurants which are all housed in the same building. 

Leading the kitchen at AzuThai is their new Chef Leo Patcharobon Chaladdee, a talented Thai chef with over 11 years of experience in the culinary field. Before joining Azuthai, she was the Head Chef at Playgrounds Lembongan Bali Hotel and ran her own restaurant in Thailand. Chef Leo’s expertise includes traditional dishes like Creamy Tom Yum Goong and Wagyu Beef Krapow, alongside unique offerings like Shrimp Cake Stuffed Eggplant and Crispy Soft-Shell Crab.

We started with some traditional Thai beverages such as the Thai Iced Tea (P150) with its sweet and milky blend. This is always the drink I order here at AzuThai.

Then we sampled some of their new appetizers. Experience the true essence of Thailand with the Miang Kham Traditional Thai Snack (P295). It comes with Thai herbs such as ginger, galangal, lemongrass, red onion, peanuts, coconut, dry shrimp, chili, lime, Betel leaves, and served with a traditional dipping sauce. You can really taste all these Thai flavors in one bite.

The Tuna Tartar (P495) or Pra Tuna is another outstanding appetizer with its spicy tuna tartar mixed with mint leaves, shallots, kaffir lime and lemongrass. I like the fresh tuna prepared with just enough spiciness that I can handle.

Then there's the Wagyu Beef and Tomato Salad (P895). Now this is the type of starter that I really love. The Yum Nuea Yaug comes with griiled Wagyu beef, tomatoes, onions, and Thai herbs. Thai cuisine is well known for its wide array of salads and this is one of their unique offerings with a balance of savory beef and healthy vegetables.

One of my favorites that afternoon was the Crab and Fish Cake with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce (P595) or Tod Man Pla Pu. This crab meat and fish cake is served with red curry paste and a sweet chili dipping sauce.

Chef Leo discussed some of her culinary background while hosting our special Thai lunch. She grew up in the Northern part of Thailand and this is what she mainly features in her dishes. She also understands how the Filipino palate is not as accustomed to very spicy dishes so she moderates the spiciness of her specials here at AzuThai.

Another popular dish is the Sizzling Wagyu Beef Kaprow (P990) or Ka Ta Ron Pad Ka Prow. This looks like the Thai version of the Filipino sisig, but It comes with ground beef mixed with long beans, chili, basil, and egg.

The Creamy Tom Yum “Carbonara” (P795) or Tom Yum Haeng is a contemporary Thai style fettuccine prepared with Tom Yum cream sauce, prawns, squid, and mussels as ingredients. It's a very interesting fusion pasta dish made with Thai flavors.

Everyone loved the Chilean Seabass with Sweet Fish Sauce (P1995) or Pla Tod Nam Pla. This is a perfectly fried seabass steak with Thai sweet fish sauce. The fish was so tender and so flavorful. I would gladly come back just for this dish alone.

We also had the Southern Style Chicken Rice (P695) or Khao Mok Kai which is a filling complement to all our fantastic items. It comes with Southern style chicken cooked with curry powder, turmeric, ginger, yogurt, sweet mint, ginger, and chili sauce.

The Stir-fried Baby Bok Choi (P395) with Chinese Mushrooms is a healthier alternative for those looking for delicious Asian vegetable dishes.

For dessert, we had the Buo Loy (P295) or Thai sweet rice balls combined with young coconut and coconut ice cream. I was also happy to be reunited with my favorite Thai dessert, the Mango With Sticky Rice (P350) which I always look for in any Thai restaurant.

We would like to thank Chef Jay Gamboa and Manu Gamboa-Lindo together with Chef Leo Chaladdee for hosting our small lunch group and introducing their new menu. AzuThai has always been a well-loved destination for friends and families looking for a casual and authentic Thai dining experience. I'll surely be back soon for more of their outstanding Thai specials.

AzuThai Restaurant

MilkyWay Building, 900 Arnaiz Ave., corner Paseo de Roxas, Makati City

8817-6252 / 8813-0671 / (0927) 136-1306

www.azuthai.com

www.facebook.com/azuthairestaurant

Azuthai is open Mondays to Sundays for lunch and dinner. In 2017, AzuThai was the first restaurant in the Philippines to receive the prestigious Thai SELECT Award from the Thailand Ministry of Commerce for its authentic Thai cuisine prepared with Thai ingredients and recipes.

The dining room at AzuThai comes with a very homey and relaxed ambiance. The gardens outside add to the charming and laid-back vibe where you can enjoy a well-prepared lunch without the distractions of the busy city.

They also have private dining rooms which can house 8 to 30 guests. Our small lunch group got together that afternoon to rediscover the wonderful and authentic Thai dishes prepared by Executive Chef Watee from Bangkok, Thailand.

We started with some traditional Thai beverages such as the Thai Iced Tea (P150) and the Lemongrass Iced Tea (P150). Both were refreshing but I preferred the Thai Iced Tea with its milky tea blend.

Appetizers were served on the table starting with the Larb Moo (P595) or Crispy Minced Pork Salad with Chili. This doesn’t look like any salad I’ve seen before and I’m always happy whenever there’s more meat than vegetables on a salad. The dish is then topped with roasted rice powder and Kaffir lime leaves.

Next is a more familiar appetizer, the Satay Gai (P395). These are grilled skewered chicken served with peanut sauce and cucumber achar. The chicken is wonderfully grilled resulting in tender and smoky barbecue sticks.

I recommend ordering the Tod Man Goong (P595) for any occasion. This Crispy Fried Shrimp Cake comes with a sweet spicy dipping sauce and I’m sure kids and adults alike will love this crispy starter.

One of my favorites that afternoon was the classic Tom Yum Goong (P695). This is the traditional Hot and Sour Prawn Soup that Thailand is known for and AzuThai arguably serves the best one in the city. This hearty broth is prepared with tomatoes, mushrooms, lemongrass, Kaffir leaves and coriander to create a wonderful masterpiece.

It comes with big pieces of lovely prawns so I really enjoyed this soup. Thailand is known for making everything spicy, but the broth had the perfect balance of flavors and spiciness.

There’s also the Kai Jeaw Poo (P895) or Crab Omelet with super lump crabmeat, eggs, onions, soy sauce and served with a chili dipping sauce. This would a good dish for those early brunch get togethers.

Now let’s try some of the main courses at AzuThai. The Pla Naeng Ma Naw (P1695) is a steamed whole boneless apahap prepared with lime, fish sauce, garlic, coriander, chili. It’s a great seafood course that can be shared by the entire family.

You can’t go to AzuThai without ordering one of their curries. The Gaeng Hang Lay (P895) is a northern style pork curry made with pork belly, garlic, peanuts, shallots and hang lay curry. This is a thick curry that really goes well on top of rice.

On the other hand, the Gaeng Pet Phad Yang (P695) is a Roast Duck Red Curry made with tomatoes, pineapple, and coconut milk. This one is a bit lighter and comes with a different flavor and texture from the duck meat.

To go along with your curries, the Khao Pad Poo (P795) or Crab Fried Rice is a good option with crabmeat, eggs, oyster sauce, and spring onions.

Another Thai classic that I usually order is the Pad Thai Gai (P595) which is a stir-fried rice noodle dish prepared with chicken, egg, spring onions, and peanuts.

For desserts, we tried the Thai Style Halo Halo with Fresh Coconut Milk (P295) which is a cool and refreshing ending to our meals, but I really loved the Mango Sticky Rice Ice Cream Sundae (P350) with its fresh mango over warm sticky rice topped with homemade mango ice cream, coconut cream, and toasted rice.

Guests can even order desserts from MilkyWay like the popular Ginumis. AzuThai is also available for take-out and delivery from Tuesdays to Sundays with free delivery for orders of P2500 and above to Rockwell, Dasma, Forbes, Sanlo, Legaspi and Salcedo Villages. We would like to thank our hosts Chef J Gamboa and Malu Gamboa-Lindo for sharing with us their new exciting menu at AzuThai Restaurant.

AzuThai Restaurant

MilkyWay Building, 900 Arnaiz Ave., corner Paseo de Roxas, Makati City

8817-6252 / 8813-0671 / (0927) 136-1306

http://www.azuthai.com

www.facebook.com/azuthairestaurant