Besides a general taste of Thai cuisine, Bangkok also gives everyone a glimpse (a taste, rather) of Thai royal cuisine. But visits to the North and South of the country treats one to different flavors.

Thai cuisine is one of the most interesting ones in Asia. It is rich in both flavor and vibrant color which never fail to stimulate the appetite.

I personally fell in love with Thai cuisine when I joined several media trips to Thailand back in the years 2006 to 2009, when then Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Philippine representative Dave de Jesus organized several food trips to familiarize Philippine media with the flavors of the different regions of Thailand. Bangkok was our gateway to the Royal Kingdom, and it was where we tasted the authentic flavors of internationally known Thai dishes such as Pad Thai, Tom Yum Goong, Green Curry Chicken, Som Tam salad and Sticky Rice with Fresh Mango.

Since Bangkok is the capital of Thailand, it presents a general spread of Thai food, which uses a lot of herbs, spices and aromatics to flavor dishes. These include ginger, galangal, garlic, pandan, lemongrass, coriander (also known as cilantro), shallots, pepper, Kaffir lime, curry, fish sauce and shrimp paste. Also frequently used in Thai cooking are coconut milk, palm sugar and tamarind. I can imagine that it must be the same with most tourists.

Chef Siriluck Lekkwan and her Green Papaya Salad.

Besides a general taste of Thai cuisine, Bangkok also gives everyone a glimpse (a taste, rather) of Thai royal cuisine. But visits to the North and South of the country treats one to different flavors. The different regions have their own distinct cuisines. Northern Thai cuisine has dishes that are similar to China’s Yunnan Province, northern Laos and Burma. Northeastern Thailand shares a similar cuisine with southern Laos and some dishes show the culinary influence of Cambodia and Vietnam. Southern Thai cuisine makes generous use of coconut milk and turmeric and is more similar to Indonesian, Malaysian and Indian cuisines.

Thai cuisine leans more towards the spicy side, and its regular spice level may be a little too spicy for the Filipino palate, but the robust flavors are to die for, be it a beef, chicken, fish, seafood or vegetable dish. It draws its heat from chili peppers, mostly dried chilies, Delicious as much as it is beautiful, Thai cuisine in general is easy to fall in love with. Which is why it has become famous internationally, so much so that Thai restaurants can be found in different countries — including the Philippines.

There truly is a bevy of Thai restaurants in the Philippines, some authentic, some adjusted to the Filipino palate. Some are certified Thai brands, while others are homegrown concepts, both of which command a good following among diners. Aside from Thai restaurants, the Philippines is also privileged to be visited regularly by Thai chefs, who come to Manila to serve as guest chefs in top hotels in the metro and in the process give diners a taste of authentic Thai food, with a sprinkling of dishes from the regions they come from, albeit for a limited period only.

One such Thai food promotion that features a Thai guest chef is the ongoing A Taste of Thai happening at The Café, the interactive show-kitchen restaurant of Hyatt Regency Manila, City of Dreams. Ongoing until 22 September 2019, the Thai culinary promotion features chef Siriluck Lekkwan, who is Grand Hyatt Macau’s Thai Chef de Cuisine.

Backed by over two decades of experience in professional hotel kitchens, chef Lekkwan is a renowned chef of Thai cuisine. Affectionately called chef Mum, as she generates warmth and care all around her, chef Lekkwan hails from Bangkok and thus her cooking reflects the traditional food of her hometown. After all, it was in Bangkok, when she was very young, that she learned the art of cooking from her grandmother, a local chef who cooked in the royal kitchens of King Rama V. Chef Lekkwan herself has had the pleasure and honor of having prepared meals for the Thai royal family.

For a chef whose food is often described as “refined yet comforting, exquisite yet homey,” Chef Lekkwan has decided to present a spread of Thai food that is reflective of the rich culinary traditions of Thailand for Hyatt Regency Manila’s A Taste of Thai food promotion. She balances sweet, salty, sour and spicy flavors in her specialty dishes. These include classic Thai dishes that diners always look for in a Thai restaurant or food promotion — Green Papaya Saad, Thai Royal Dumplings, Green Curry Chicken, Prawn Cake with Sweet and Sour Sauce, Tom Yum Goong (or Sweet and Sour Spicy Prawn Soup), Deep-fried Sea Bass with Chili and Tamarind Sauce, and probably the most popular Thai dessert ever, Mango with Sticky Rice.

Held in partnership with Thai Airways and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, A Taste of Thai does not only treat diners to a sumptuous authentic Thai dinner buffet or Sunday brunch but also gives them a chance to win round-trip tickets to Bangkok for two courtesy of Thai Airways with a three-day and two-night stay in a Club King room at the Grand Hyatt Erawan. It also includes Continental breakfast, evening cocktails and canapés at the Grand Club Lounge.

The Café’s A Taste of Thai dinner buffet is available Sundays to Thursdays, from 5:30 to 11 p.m., at P2,088 net and Fridays and Saturdays at P2,538 net, while Sunday brunch buffet with regular beverage package is available Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at P2,799 net.