New Thai flavors

When new chefs come in to take charge of the kitchen of a restaurant, expect them to infuse into the menu the kind of food they cook. This is exactly what is happening in the kitchen of AzuThai right now.

Thai chef Kanjana Kosidaphan, the new culinary maestro of the award-winning Thai restaurant, has just launched six new and exciting dishes inspired by her recent trip home to Thailand. All authentic Thai flavors, yet all new and exciting for the palate to “discover.”

“Chef Kanjana recommends to guests to just order from the whole new specials menu and promises that they won’t miss their old favorites. She wants to present to AzuThai regulars new interpretations of their favorite Thai dishes,” says chef J Gamboa, who owns and runs AzuThai with his sister Malu.

And, yes, for those who have tried the six new dishes, they did not disappoint.

There is moo ping, or Thai-style grilled Kurobuta pork skewers with cucumber achara (four pieces in an order). It is a typical Thai pork barbecue that you would find grilling on the street corners of Bangkok. Slightly sweet and savory at the same time with that char-grilled flavor, the dish has been upgraded at AzuThai with the use of Kurobuta pork, which gives it an added richness offset by the sweet and sour cucumber pickles that it comes with.

Also a meat-and-salad pairing is som tam moo grob, or crispy pork with spicy papaya salad. Two dishes, spicy papaya salad and crispy pork belly, have been combined to create a great match of flavors and textures.

The thod man kai, or fish cake wrapped eggs with sweet chili sauce, is one truly exciting dish, as it offers fresh and vibrant flavors and a beautiful play of colors. The boiled egg halves are like Scotch Eggs, Thai version, as they are wrapped with a fish cake and sausage “crust” and deep-fried.

Even the classic pad thai kai, or Pad Thai with Crispy Eggs, Stir-fried Rice Noodles, Spring Onions, and Peanuts, have been given a new interpretation without losing that authentic Thai flavor that endeared it to global travelers and Thai food lovers. The “crispy eggs” make a world of difference. It looks a bit like pork floss, but it is actually crisp fried scrambled eggs cooked until dry and crispy. The noodles also come with a fried over-easy egg, whose yolk drips onto the flat rice noodles to make it a richer, creamier dish, tempered by the sweet sour tamarind flavor of the sauce. You won’t miss the prawns or chicken at all!

The pla tod nam pla, or crisp-fried sea bass with sweet fish sauce, garlic, chili and mango salad, is also a classic dish. Freshness, plus mindful cooking to the right doneness, is key to this timeless dish.

Finally, the sixth dish, peek gai yat sai, or stuffed chicken wings with pork, mushrooms and glass noodles, with sweet chili sauce, does not look Thai at all but tastes all Thai when you bite into it. This is a classic Thai appetizer. It reminds some diners of lumpiang Shanghai, only stuffed inside chicken wings instead of wrapped in lumpia wrapper.

Hoping to present a set of new dishes at least three times a year, Chef Kanjana brings with her over 20 years of experience as a Thai chef at the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, Metropolitan Hotel Bangkok, and Jumeriah Beach Hotel Dubai. A graduate of Rajabhat Suandusit Institute, she leads AzuThai’s team of cooks, ensuring that the highest standards and authentic Thai flavors are presented to every guest at the restaurant. It is the perfect place to do so, as AzuThai owns the distinction of being the first restaurant in the Philippines to receive the Thai Select Award from the Thailand Ministry of Commerce for its authentic Thai cuisine prepared by a Thai chef. The recognition was made in 2017, and the restaurant has maintained its high standards all these years.

Open from Mondays to Sundays for lunch and dinner, AzuThai is located in the Milky Way Building, 900 Arnaiz Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas, Makati City.