Dining Snippets: Nara Thai Cuisine x The Wholesome Table x Cazuela
NARA THAI CUISINE
Upon first glance, Nara Thai’s interiors already offer a vision of elegance and flair that easily attracts hungry diners to enter its restaurant. Once inside, you can expect extreme attention to detail to be a priority in this foreign franchise as each plate, bowl, and utensil is in sync with its theme.
THAI MILK TEA (P125)
Thai Milk Tea may be commonplace in the Metro; however, finding a decent cup is a rarity. Most taste artificial or tend to be watered down. Nara Thai’s version is a thick and creamy concoction fortunately deviates from this, and comes in a large serving that can be shared by two (but who am I kidding? I had this all to myself).
NARA THAI SAMPLER (P395), PHAD THAI KAI KROB (P285), and TOM YUM GOONG (P420)
For the indecisive or the glutinous (or both), the Nara Thai Sampler offers servings of their Fish Cakes, the Chicken Satay, Pork Wonton, Spring Rolls, and a bowl of their Pomelo Salad. Although I was happy with its selection, most of the food items were dry and unappetizing. The sole savior would be its Pomelo Salad which came with an addicting Thai dressing, which perfectly balances sweetness, saltiness, and sourness in that tiny bowl.
Its Phad Thai Kai Krob comes in two servings; and is actually categorized as part of the restaurant’s appetizers. Its delicious sauce and use of premium ingredients definitely make this signature Thai noodle dish a must-try!
A bowl of its spicy and tangy Tom Yum Goong is a must-have in this rainy weather of ours. Blended with coconut milk, this lemongrass and lime soup will easily fill you up!
KANG PHED PED YANG (P650) and KHAO PHAD KAPI (P245)
For a change, we opted to have the Kang Phed Ped Yang or the Roasted Duck Red Curry. As my first time having duck curry ever in my life, it took a while for me to warm up to the dish. The roasted duck was beautifully smoked, while the curry was really flavorful; however, they just didn’t work together in my mind. It was delicious, but honestly, I’d prefer enjoying them separately.
The Khao Phad Kapi or their Rice with Shrimp Paste is definitely one of the best that I’ve ever tasted! The rice on its own was fragrant; however, mixing it with the different condiments on the plate made it exceptionally delicious. It definitely sets the bar for all the Bagoong Fried Rice dishes out there!
Nara Thai Cuisine
3F Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Dates of Visit: March 24, 2018 and April 27, 2018 with Lily Chua, Jem Chua, Jared Chua, Stephanie Ng, Nicole Chua, and Jeremy Chua
THE WHOLESOME TABLE
CRISPY CALAMARI (P290)
My family has always been a fan of Crispy Calamari as a starter. Whether it’s from Fish and Chips or CPK, you can expect to see an order of Calamari on our table. It didn’t take so long for us to warm up to these perfectly battered and seasoned squid rings. We opted to pair it with the classic fresh tomato sauce over the lemon garlic dip option.
HARVEST PIZZA (P690)
The Harvest Pizza was a revelation. It may not contain a single piece of meat on it; but boy was it packed with flavor. Layered with wild mushrooms, sweet roasted squash, fragrant roasted garlic, juicy cherry tomatoes, and a whole lot of kale on a bed of truffle cream and a delightful blend of mozzarella, emmenthal and parmesan cheese, this loaded pizza makes you forget about the need for pepperoni on your pizza. I’d definitely avail of a delivery option for this to switch around with our regular office Shakey’s binge.
The Wholesome Table
2F Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City
Date of Visit: April 22, 2018 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua, and Jem Chua
CAZUELA
Thanks to my good old trusty Booky app, I came to discover one of the most reasonably priced Spanish restaurants in the Metro, Cazuela. I’m always on the lookout for dining promos and discounts so seeing that it offers a P500 off on the bill was an instant plus for me.
Cazuela is a quaint Spanish restaurant in the busy row of restaurants in Sapphire Bloc. It makes most of its limited space by expanding its dining area into two floors. Admittedly, the space may be quite restricting but it does make for a cozy meal.
WARM MUSHROOM SALAD (P258)
The Warm Mushroom Salad definitely teases the palate with its tangy Sherry Wine Vinaigrette dressing. However, personally I think that the vinaigrette failed to complement the earthy tones of the mushroom. I’d actually opt for their Enselada Cazuela (P238) instead, which offers a refreshing summer salad thanks to its sweet cranberry dressing and fresh watermelons. Crushed candied walnuts are tossed in the salad as a finishing touch.
PAELLA NEGRA (P365)
Most Spanish restaurants serve paella in large servings and at steep prices. Cazuela may be limited in its paella variants; but they offer it at smaller servings with friendlier prices. To be honest, its Paella Negra was well seasoned but lacked the rich squid ink flavor that I was craving. It’s definitely not the best one out there but it’s tasty enough to keep one satiated.
ANGUS RIBEYE (P995)
Armed with a P500 discount, I decided to try its Angus Ribeye. An order comes with 300g of Angus Beef, served with roasted garlic and fried potato wedges; which makes it perfect for sharing. It swaps the typical gravy with a deliciously creamy blue cheese sauce to pair with it. Like the Paella Negra, the Angus Ribeye delivers on flavor; but lacks in giving delight. It’s tasty enough to be enjoyed, but not good enough to be cherished.
Cazuela
North Tower, The Sapphire Bloc Building, Sapphire Road, Ortigas, Pasig City
Dates of Visit: April 25, 2018 with Ina Chua, Elaine Co, and Angelli Dykimching; April 30, 2018 with Baby Ramos
