Welcome to Thaipan

MANILA, Philippines - We like to work with old houses and make them wonderful,” says Yong Nieva, one of the partners behind the Thai restaurant Thaipan, tucked away in the Scout area near Tomas Morato, Quezon City’s busy restaurant row.

His wife, Ivy Almario, and her sister, Cynthia, the beauteous siblings famous for their many high-profile interior design projects, were responsible for the transformation of the circa-late-’50s domicile into this vine-covered, all-white, homey restaurant. Their other successful projects in the area include the Filipino heritage restaurant Café Romulo and Cerchio, a restaurant-lounge that specializes in Mediterranean-Asian cuisine.

Evelyn Agoncillo-Barrios, another partner in the Thaipan venture, has only fond memories of her visits, as a carefree young girl, to this house where her lola used to live.

It is this warm and welcoming feeling that a Thaipan dining experience strives to recreate.

“It’s just like hosting you in our own home,” Nieva says. Among the owners are Ching Cruz and Cora Padiernos, who recently took over the task of managing the place.

Padiernos is no newbie to Thai cuisine, having worked with Nora Daza, the pioneering culinary guru, as a franchisee of the popular My Thai restaurant in the past.

She also credits the experience shared by a co-owner who “went to Thailand and immersed herself in authentic Thai cuisine,” says Padiernos, who also draws inspiration from her own travels abroad. Padiernos put together a Thai menu that features all-time favorites as well as some original innovations.

“You must try our Thai coconut-pandan layered cake. It’s my own concoction,” she proudly says. “It’s Thaipan’s version of our sapin-sapin — layered coconut and pandan rice cake topped with coconut flakes served with coconut cream sauce.”

You find a number of must-try items listed on the menu. Among the appetizers there’s mieng kham, a traditional Thai appetizer with fresh spices and roasted grated coconut served on betel leaves with palm sugar sauce; as well as the crispy Thai crepe with shrimp and pork wrapped in fresh vegetables served with sweet-and-sour fish sauce dip.

Bestsellers among the salads are yam som-o, which is made with fresh pomelo and shrimp, with garlic flakes tossed in spicy dressing; and yum ma keua yao, made with crispy catfish, julienned green mango and served with hot and sweet lime sauce.

Naturally there are the curries: beef, chicken, pork, or seafood cooked in green, yellow, red, or panang curry. You can inform the service crew of your preference — whether mild, medium or spicy — as you order. 

A bestseller is the pla lad prik sam ros or fish tamarind, while a must-try is the panang pla kapong yang bai tong, a whole fish fillet char-grilled in a banana leaf and smothered with perfumed Thai panang curry.

House specialties include the all-time favorites, tom yum soups and pad Thai noodles. A bestseller among the desserts is the ta koh sakhoo, a tapioca pearl steamed cake topped with red “rubies.” Another must-try is Thaipan’s signature dessert, the Thaipan Honey Comb’s Nest — coconut ice cream nestled in deep-fried shredded sweet potatoes with coconut caramel sauce. 

Thai foodies have found their way to this cozy Thai haven although it’s somewhat off the beaten track, and have returned again and again. Popular personalities, such as celebrity couple Lucy Torres and Richard Gomez, are known to enjoy the food here, as well as showbiz columnist Dolly Anne Carvajal and gorgeous Gloria Diaz, who were guests at the cocktails that was held here recently.  

In the new year Padiernos plans to introduce what she calls “high tea time” from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the al fresco area of Thaipan, where she will serve different kinds of tea from Asia and a wide selection of desserts from the region. Sawasdee!

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Thaipan is located at 120 Scout Dr. Lazcano near Tomas Morato, Quezon City, 852-4926, 0917-808 0718; e-mail thaipanresto@yahoo.com.