Banana Leaf's Malaysian Seafood Laksa

I came for the Haianese chicken (which was just okay), but I left impressed with the Malaysian seafood laksa. Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It merges Chinese and Malay elements. It is made of rice vermicelli, coconut milk, and curry soup base. Banana Leaf's laksa is warm, creamy, sweetish, a tad nutty, and spicy--perfect for the rainy weather. I love the crunch of the togue. I wished there were more noodles, but nonetheless I love it. It was a complete meal in itself, what with the generous portions of the seafood.

Note: this is the first time I'm writing most of the text using my smartphone, and though a bit clunky, I can get used to this.

Banana Leaf
Robinson's Place Manila
Ermita, Manila
(+63) 02 567-8188

Soi Restaurant for Beef in Red Curry, Crab Rice, and Thai Rice Noodles with Fish Balls

I've been to Thailand a couple of times, and let's just say I love their spicy cuisine. Unlike many Pinoys with delicate palates, I would like to believe I have a high-tolerance for spicy food. If you see someone breaking into a sweat, nursing a runny nose, and suppressing a cough, that's not me, LOL.

I'm wary of going to local Thai restaurants--I fear many would have tempered the authenticity out of their offerings. But one thing I learned is that you can request them to prepare the dish the way it was meant to be served. This lesson I gained when I first ordered the Beef in Red Curry. It was rich and adequately spicy, although it could be stellar with added heat. I love the greens and the baby corn. I paired it with Crab Rice, which didn't stint with crab meat. A tad salty, the rice was good on it's own. I made a mental note to pair the Beef in Red Curry with plain rice next time, to appreciate its complex flavor.

A few weeks later I returned, and this time I asked the staff not to temper the heat. It was superbly spicy, subtly sweet, creamy, with the unmistakable aroma of kaffir leaves--I love it!

I also ordered Thai Rice Noodle Soup with Fish Balls--light soup of flavorful fish balls and crab balls, and fresh fish. I love the crunch of the sprouts. Both dishes left my tongue on fire! 

Soi Restaurant
Ground Floor Robinson's Place
Ermita, manila
(+63) 02 523-1189