Delectable Celadon opens at Rockwell Power Plant Mall
It always seems like Groundhog Day whenever my husband asks me to select a restaurant for us to eat at. I simply answer by rattling off my tried and tested favorites and, while we love them, we ache to try something new and actually like it. I am forced to be a creature of habit because while I love to explore different cuisines and concepts, often I am sadly left with lackluster experiences when I venture out of my comfort zone. It’s a rarity when something wows me to the point where I can add it to my list of spots to frequent and right now what’s topping that list is a little Thai restaurant called Celadon.
Conveniently located on the ground level in the heart of the resto strip at the Power Plant Mall in Rockwell, it is the only Thai restaurant in the mall and already seems to have garnered quite a following. A petite, casual dining place, they serve up novel Thai delicacies that tantalize taste buds and please the palate. Owned by a group of gorgeous gals who wanted to share their love of Thai food, the proprietors are, in no particular order, Ching Cruz, Ivy Almario, Cynthia Almario, Agnes Huibonhua, Tanya Chua, Cheryl Pineda, Maritess Lopez, Ditas Lerma and Glenda Barretto. While some of the owners have been involved in Thai restaurants in the past, Celadon is a totally new concept with a spanking-new image and identity. A modern approach to traditional dishes, the contemporary menu serves up a bevy of choices, incorporating different flavors that are sincerely delicious.
Style icon Ching Cruz conceptualized the restaurant and is completely hands-on as managing director. Executive chef Cheryl Pineda created the menu, which was tweaked by Cruz, who consistently ensures that all the dishes are as healthy as can be and not too salty, oily or sweet. A rule of thumb when it comes to Thai food is that the key is balance — there shouldn’t be too much of one strong flavor profile present. Senses can be numbed if something is too spicy, sour or sweet. Celadon’s approach is to create this balance while retaining major taste and overwhelming (in a good way) flavor. Ingredients are always fresh and flown in from Thailand on a regular schedule to guarantee authentic Thai taste. When she’s not wielding her magic in the kitchen, the gifted chef Pineda constantly travels to Bangkok to scout out the latest in the culinary industry, hones what she’s picked up and executes it at Celadon with her own signature flair.
Beginning with the appetizers onto the mains and straight through to the end with the desserts, a meal at Celadon is a gourmet journey. Lip-smacking soup and refreshing Thai salads whet the appetite and are a clear-cut way to load up on full-bodied taste without having your waistline blow up. Standout starters are the grilled squid and pomelo salad, which packs a huge, welcoming punch in the mouth — fresh, tangy and spicy all in one bite. The minced chicken salad, larp gai, is light on the calories but also packs in the flavor. I could just feast alone on the salads, particularly the pomelo salad with chicken and prawn, the green papaya salad and the Pattaya chicken noodle salad, which are ideal for a light bite, especially during hot summer months.
The impressive Mieng Kam is a traditional Thai appetizer of betel leaves with prawn, lemongrass, nuts, coconut and other garnishes that is guaranteed to blow your socks off. These morsels are constructed of loads of amazing and different flavors that put your taste buds on overdrive. Moist, yummy traditional chicken satay with cucumber relish and spicy peanut sauce, Phuket Sarong prawns wrapped with egg noodles and roti bread with minced prawn curry dip should be on your must-try list. Just recounting the dishes makes me salivate as I write this. Sriracha hot wings are their version of Buffalo wings, which have people clamoring for more — a perfect snack for any time of day, best washed down with Thai beer.
Depending on your preference there are a slew of curries to choose from with your viand of choice. Nothing screams Thai more than mouthwatering, curry-based dishes. Fragrant and flavorful, the classic green chicken curry is a surefire winner and when paired with aromatic Kaffir lime garlic rice, it takes comfort food to an entirely different level. I am a diehard fan of the Khao Soi chicken curry hailing from the northern Chiang Mai region. A wonderful study in textures — both soft and crunchy noodles bathed in red curry — it is my ultimate favorite Thai dish. An unexpected curry concoction combining chicken and mangosteen is innovative and bursts with flavor and texture. Hearty lamb shank Mussaman curry is an absolute must-try for carnivores and the Yawarat duck curry shows that there are curries from all over Thailand. If you aren’t a spice lover, don’t fret: the kitchen can accommodate your spice pre-ference to suit your taste.
The specialty of the house, scrumptious deep-fried Dungeness crab in garlic chili sauce, is such a treat. Celadon is the only Thai resto that offers Dungeness crab and it is here that I eat my crab after the other mains because I totally get my hands dirty and my belly happy. Succulent cinnamon-rubbed pork ribs are tender, tasty and extremely hard for me to resist and as I eat them I wonder if chef Pineda has cast a food spell on me. Her food is consistent and made with loving care and the presentation is just divine. Stir fries are a mainstay on the menu — stir-fried chicken with lotus, soft-shell crab in yellow curry, crispy Plapla fish in coriander-garlic sauce and crispy catfish in red curry are family favorites perfect for sharing. The Pad Thai is blissful and it is done so well at Celadon one would think you are in Siam.
Desserts are a must-try whether you are a sweets aficionado or not. The durian and coconut ice creams are homemade in perfect, old-fashioned style. Scrumptious sweet sticky rice with mango is an all-time winner and so are the mango tapioca pearls. Who doesn’t like mango? My personal favorites are the heavenly Takoo Sakhoo-tapioca balls packed into squares with coconut cream piled on top and the Thap Tim Krawp red rubies — gently sweet, crunchy delicate water chestnuts that have just the right texture served with coconut milk and shaved ice, perfect for capping off a wonderfully satiating Thai meal. It absolutely feels like you have a foot in Thailand, all the while being served on celadon plates and by servers clad in traditional Thai uniforms.
Delightfully fresh interiors were created by the dynamic sister tandem of Ivy and Cynthia Almario, making way for a gorgeous dining scene composed of an art installation of a school of butterflies. The spectacular and graceful butterfly appliqué motif resonates throughout the entire restaurant, even into the washroom and truly is a delight to look at from any angle. Wood panels coat the ceiling and wooden lighting fixtures grace the eatery. A nice-sized joint, it comfortably seats about 38 inside and 30 al fresco, making it absolutely perfect to close down for private events. Families flock here, especially on weekends, so reserving a table is highly suggested since it’s getting increasingly difficult to snag a table. Reasonable prices, fantastic ambience and stellar food soaring high on the taste factor are a winning formula for this Thai epicurean gem.
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Celadon at Rockwell Power Plant Mall in Makati is located beside Via Mare on Lopez Drive. For reservations, call 898-1305.
