A taste of Thailand in Cebu

Thai cuisine is a true gastronomic art. Though foodies claim it combines the best of Chinese and Indian culinary tradition, it retains its own special character. Diverse and flavorful with a peculiar tangy taste, it uses spices liberally combined with herbs and market-fresh ingredients.

Little wonder that Cebu’s foremost leading Thai restaurants, The Tsai and Krua Thai, both located at the uptown high-end Crossroad Mall, was packed to capacity as they celebrated days apart their second anniversary.

Ambitious young entrepreneur, the good-looking Anthony Ballreich, the hands-on proprietor of the popular Krua Thai restaurant, was all smiles as he greeted well-wishers who came to savour the restaurant’s new line of delectable dishes, as prepared by Thai chefs Ot Buphasiri and Sit Tubhangsa.

From the much-awaited first bite into the selection of appetizing appetizers, such as shrimp patties, spicy glass noodle salad with pork and squid and even the ever-present crispy spring rolls, to mention but a few, one instinctively knows it will be an extraordinary experience.

Two favorite specialties are the unforgettable crunchy fish flakes served with green mango salad and poo jar, which is stuffed crabmeat and ground pork in crab shell.

Other noteworthy dishes were the krathong, fried wanton balls, gaeng garee gai, chicken in Thai yellow curry, pla lad prik, fried fish in Thai sweet and spicy sauce, and fried rice with shrimp paste.

What makes Krua Thai unique is that diners can handpick and buy any of the Thai decors on display, such as the intricate wood carvings, brass bowls, ceramic puppets and porcelain jars, as well as Thai delicacies, such as the sweet and spicy tamarind, durian chips, fresh tamarind, jackfruit chips and coconut candies.

Krua Thai has recently ventured into catering for private parties, as well as corporate functions. Plans are underway to open a themed coffee shop in one of the malls where Thai coffee products will be served.

Speaking of coffee, can tea be far away?

Five young enterprising ladies, head turners all, namely Julie Alegrado, Joyce Chiongbian, June Ugarte, Iris Arcenas and Kathy Darza, brainstormed for brilliant ideas to a perfect setting to stimulate the senses. They came up with Tsai, a contemporary classic Thai ambience that offers authentic Thai dishes and, listen to this, 25 distinctly refreshing and soothing varieties of teas. And all these they will always have readily available.

Highly recommended is the new beverage Tsai Year 2 drink, which is a symphony of chamomile, ginger and lemongrass. Chamomile has traditional associations with health, tranquility and beauty, in addition to curing insomnia and reducing tension. Ginger is well-known for its warming effects, while lemongrass is a fragrant and excellent way for cleansing oily skin.

Another welcome innovation available for guests is tasseology, tea leaf reading, a ritual considered by many as an ancient science. It is offered every first Friday of the month. The cup is said to represent various aspects of one’s life, while the symbols created by the leaves provide very specific interpretations.

Tsai’s other services include catering, with its made-especially-just-for-you menus for milestone celebrations, and, for those who enjoy tea in their own private confines, perfectly packed tea flavors readily available for takeout.

So, anyone for Thai food? There are Tsai and Krua Thai offering a taste of Thailand that simply can’t go wrong.