This Patio is to Thai for!

Bangkok, Thailand, 1999. Kessuda Raiva, out of her passion for cooking, created “Patio.” It became very popular because of the restaurant’s simple yet delicious home-cooked style dishes. Soon Kessuda opened branches in other parts of Thailand and in Taipei, Taiwan. Thai Patio can also be found in Singapore, Geneva and London Now, it is in Manila.

Authentic Thai cuisine is to be expected at Thai Patio, the newest restaurant in Greenbelt 5, Makati City. It is the latest addition to the growing line of Strategic Brands Network (SBN) — the group that established Oliver’s Super Sandwiches, Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream, Max Brenner Chocolate Bar, Tea & Therapy, Zing! Juice Bar, Scoozi Cantina Italiana and Madison Grill in the Philippines. Thai Patio was established in partnership with S&P Global Co., a subsidiary company of S&P Syndicate PLC, the largest restaurant and bakery operator in Thailand.

Thai Patio boasts of its in-house chefs who came all the way from Bangkok just to serve genuine Thai dishes for their Filipino customers. Here’s a quick list from the restaurant’s extensive menu: beef salad with Thai eggplant, the traditional Thai green papaya salad, pomelo salad, spicy beef salad on grilled Portobelo mushrooms, chicken or pork satay and deep fried marinated tuna. Also in the menu are native Thai selections of soups such as tom yum prawn or seafood, chicken or seafood coconut soup with galangal, hot and spicy pork knuckle clear soup with holy basil and stuffed bitter melon clear soup with Shiitake mushrooms. Thai Patio offers a wide variety of curry dish including green curry with free range chicken, red prawn curry with pineapple, red roasted duck curry with lychee and seedless grapes, red lamb curry with peanut, grilled beef striploin sauteed in green curry with Thai eggplant and crispy pork knuckle sauteed in red curry jungle style. Vegetarian dishes are available as well. Complementing these dishes are the native Thai beverages like their refreshing herbed Thai iced tea, Singha beer and fresh organic teas such as kaffir lime, mint, lemongrass and ginger.

SBN managing director Ruth Velasco Co says: “I want Filipinos to experience the genuine Thai dishes, and I’m sure they’ll enjoy what we offer. Forget about the recent turmoil that happened in Thailand and enjoy the present cultured cuisine that Thai Patio has to offer.”

Those seen at the launch included Ambassador of Thailand Kulkumut Singhara Na Ayudhaya, Thai partners from S&P Global Co. Pravesvudhi Raiva, Kessuda Raiva and Chandnibha Suriyong, Dr. Elenita Binay, STAR columnist Tim Yap who also hosted the program, Canadian Ambassador Robert Dejardin, Johnlu Koa, Angeli Pangilinan with daughter Kianna and son Paolo, Carlo Orosa, Claudine Trillo, Anna Sobrepena, Sari Yap, Lorraine Belmonte and People Asia editor-in-chief Joanne Rae Ramirez. A roundtrip ticket to Thailand — won by Gerald Lauron — was raffled off courtesy of Thai Airways GM Nivat Chantarachoti.

(Check out Thai Patio at the Ground Floor of Greenbelt 5, Ayala Malls, Makati City.)

Luxurious lifestyle

SM Investments Corp. (SMIC), a major player in shopping malls, retail merchandising and banking, has been aggressively venturing into property development and real estate, expanding into as five-star quality yet affordable residences.

Under SM Land, it has been developing Hamilo Coast in Nasugbu, Batangas, the country’s premier eco-tourism project; Tagaytay Highlands, a world-class mountainside resort and residential complex; and SM Residences, residential condos for the middle market.

The luxurious lifestyle offered by these developments was showcased at the Philippine Fashion Week Spring Summer 2009 held at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex and organized in partnership with Runway Productions. Designs of Philippine designers Chris Diaz, Edgar San Diego, Harley Ruedas, Jerome Salaya Ang, Joel Escober, Jontie Martinez, Julius Tarog, Lizanne Cua, Mitch Dulce, Ramon Favila, Rickie Abad, Roel Rosal, Roland Lirio, Simon Ariel Vasquez and Twinkle Ferraren were featured to embody unique lifestyle options awaiting future residents of Hamilo Coast, Tagaytay Highlands, and SM Residences.

SM Land’s developments make for a luxurious, nature-friendly living and this took shape through the elegant creations by upcoming designers highlighted during the show.