Last week, Mango Tree gave us an exclusive preview of the new dishes on their menu for 2018.
Mango Tree is an international Thai restaurant chain. I first tried Mango Tree Bistro in Trinoma a few years ago and I remember really liking the food. Unfortunately, we just never got the opportunity to return because Trinoma is a bit far from our house, and we always have some other agenda whenever we make the effort to go to Trinoma.
So when I received the invitation to the preview of their new menu, I was excited because I knew the food was going to be good! They have a full restaurant in Bonifacio High Street, not just a bistro. The interiors here look ritzy.
NEW DISHES AT MANGO TREE
Mango Tree’s Thai chef, Chef Prapun, presented the new dishes. Let me give you a rundown:
Prawns in Pandan (P580) – chicken pandan, but with prawns. The wonderful aroma that teases your tastebuds when unwrapping the pandan is always a treat.
Deep-fried Prawns in Tamarind Sauce (P580) – this was nice, something different from the usual steamed prawns with spring onions and garlic that we usually have; these are deep-fried prawns topped with garlic, chilies, spring onions, and a sweet and tangy tamarind sauce
Thai Chicken Skewers (P420) & Thai Pork Skewers (P420) – of course, we can’t miss having some thai bbq!
Thai Crispy Rice Crackers (P280) – these are crispy rice crackers. To eat them, put a generous amount of the sauce on top of the rice cracker and then eat 🙂 The sauce / dip is made with cooked coconut milk, peanuts, shrimp and chicken. It reminds me of latik, but a savory version.
Tom Yum Chicken Wings (P290) – deep-fried , juicy chicken wings that pack that distinctive tart, sour, and spicy flavor combination of tom yum.
Pad Thai with Soft Shell Crab (P550) – the soft shell crab sold this for me. I normally don’t like eating soft shell crab because I often find the “soft shells” still tough like shrimp shells! But the shells on these soft shell crabs were so thin that I was able to eat it without any problems at all. I love crab. So good! Sorry, I didn’t get a pic of this dish, too 🙁
Fried Sea Bass in Tamarind Sauce (P1,150) – fried sea bass topped with pineapple and cherry tomatoes mixed with tamarind sauce. This is like a Thai version of sweet & sour fish or escabeche.
Homok Seafood Curry in Coconut (P950) – this is a mild seafood red curry with a lot of scrambled egg mixed in. Sounds simple, but this is the dish I kept going back for 😀 It’s just a very comforting dish that hits all the right notes. It’s just a balanced combo of slightly sweet, slightly salty flavors, umami from the egg and seafood, and mild chilis with some aromatics. I wasn’t able to get a photograph of this dish, unfortunately, but it’s my second favorite dish of the entire meal!
Mussaman Lamb Shank (P850) – my favorite dish out of everything I tried! This is like a cross between a beef curry and beef kare-kare, but it’s more awesome because it’s lamb! It is sweet and peanut-y, but also has a well-rounded flavor from various warm spices. Wish I could get more sauce. Awesome with rice 🙂
Tub Tim Grob (P250) – this is a coconut ice cream, with a generous amount of chewy ruby red chestnuts that can pass for sago 🙂
Sweet Cassava (P220) – I totally loved this! It is just a simple boiled cassava with some thick coconut milk poured on top, but they somehow managed to make it irresistible! The cassava was soft but not mushy. I did not expect to like this so much but I did. Definitely worth reordering in a succeeding visit.
SUMMARY
Mango Tree’s dishes come through with a balance of sweet, salty, sour and spicy flavors. No one aspect is overpowering – the food is mild and harmonious. The spiciness is a bit tempered, so those who are not into hot, spicy food will also be able to enjoy these dishes.
Price-wise, they are on the higher side, but seeing its swanky interiors, location, and international fame, you already know what to expect. It’s a good place to get a quality Thai food fix, and Mango Tree has a well-earned reputation for providing consistently satisfying Thai food 🙂
My favorites are:
- Mussaman Lamb Shank
- Homok Seafood Curry in Coconut
- Sweet Cassava
Mango Tree
7th Avenue, Bonifacio High Street Central, Fort Bonifacio Global City
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MangoTreeManila/
Website: http://www.mangotree.com.ph
