I understand that Philippine adobo and adobo made elsewhere will always, always be different. Sure, it’s essentially the same ingredients but it will always be different. Adobo cooked in Datu Puti tastes slighty different than adobo made with the Heinz vinegar.
Therefore, I conclude: Thai food in the Philippines will never ever be the same Thai that I had in Thailand. However (naks!), I don’t think it’s too much to ask if they actually stuck to the essence of the dish as closely as possible.
I decided to check out Mcdevvit’s Thai Food Station at the SM Foodcourt Baguio. It was like a Thai turo turo but the price, not so much of a turo-turo obviously.
I ordered one of their meals and then an ala carte dish+rice aaaaand mango+sticky rice aaaand their Thai Iced Tea. Total damage is 350+. Sure I was full. Who wouldn’t? I ordered 2 meals plus dessert! 😀
The spring rolls (aka lumpia) on my meal looked like it were refried a bajillion times. It was so greasy. The Pad Thai that came along with it was okay. Â A lot like happy tummy’s. The papaya salad was okay. Maybe a lil more patis would help though.
The spicy eggplant+pork dish I ordered was a disappointment. For a hundred bucks, (yes a hundred, I kick myself nao), all I got were bits of greasy pork and lonely looking sitaw and eggplant. But then again, this is a foodcourt, not a nice resto. But maaaann, the greasiness. And the price!!! For a hundred bucks, I think I deserve larger chunks of actual pork meat and not the fatty stuff. See the greasy masterpiece below.
Moving on, the sticky rice+ mango was okay too. A lot like Happy Tummy’s too — that is, it was masabaw. Imagine the ginataan sauce poured over the sticky rice + mango. In Thailand, most of the versions I tried where just plain sticky rice that was very ma-gata in taste but no sauce. I guess this is the Philippine version. Afterall, we are known for our love for anything sweet.
PS. I wasn’t jumping up and down about service. I know it ends after they hand me my order. So anyway, they asked me to find a seat while they , reheat my food, I guess. I paid for my stuff when I did. And then they called me to get my mango+sticky rice and cashier told me that she forgot to punch in that item. I’m like — hey, that’s not my fault. I think she said sorry and my inner amalayer kept quiet. What I knew was I had already paid for evverrrrything. So that kinda ticked me off. That should’ve been free. 😀
If you’re up for some greasy Thai food minus the wait times, you might want to check this out.