Asian cuisine series: Going Thai

You don’t have to fly out of the Philippines or go broke to satisfy your Asian cuisine cravings. In Granada Street, Gilmore Avenue Extension in Quezon City, you can find restaurants serving Thai, Taiwanese, and Chinese cuisine.


My first stop was at the cozy Thai Dara restaurant, which is co-owned by Filipino healthcare professional James Bon and Thai chef James Worrasaran.  For Worrasaran, setting up the restaurant in August 2009 was his way of making his mother’s dream come true.  She had wanted to put up a restaurant but she passed away.
When I was in Bangkok last year, I happened to try some Tom Yum Soup and Pad Thai Noodles.  Both were on Thai Dara’s menu. I tried them along with the Pomelo Salad, Tamarind Fish, Panang Beef, and Pork Satay.


I started with the Pork Satay, which was served with cucumber relish and peanut sauce. Unlike the Chicken Satay I had tried in Malaysia, the restaurant’s Pork Satay tasted sweeter.



The Tom Yum Soup—which had lemon grass, lime juice, galangga, and shrimp— has always been compared to Filipino dish, sinigang. But, unlike sinigang, the soup’s broth was not as sour.

It’s sweet, with a spicy aftertaste.



The Pomelo Salad—a mix of pomelo bits, tomatoes, onions and shrimps seasoned with Thai fish sauce, lime juice, and a little chili—was quite refreshing to the palate. It’s a treat for those who want to stimulate their taste buds.


The Tamarind Fish, which is a Dory fish fillet topped with fried onions and garnished with Baguio beans, was crispy and mildly flavored with tamarind.


The Panang Beef consisted of beef slices, potatoes, and carrots in red curry and coconut milk. It was reminiscent of caldereta. However, the sauce was not as thick as that of the caldereta. Despite its rich color, the dish was not as spicy as it looked.  


The Pad Thai was my favorite. It took my breath away. It was a delightful mix of crunchy rice noodles, chicken, tofu, bean sprouts, and spring onions. Its sweet taste was mixed well with the chili.



I also had the Mint Lemonade and Thai Milk Tea. The former was the perfect partner for sweet dishes, while the latter was best paired with the spicy ones.

After stuffing myself with Thai food, I’ll be trying Taiwanese food next. Just a few steps away from Thai Dara is the Mien-San Taiwanese Restaurant.