My fondest memories of past visits to Bangkok and Chiang Mai involve food – lots of street food, to be precise.
From pad thai (stir-fried noodles) to tom yum goong (hot and sour soup with shrimp), to som tam (green papaya salad) and pad kra pao (stir-fried meat with holy basil), Thai food presents complex flavors and textures typical of Southeast Asian cuisine.
So it was with great expectations that I visited the eight booths featured during the grand finale of the Thai SELECT Festival 2025 at the Grand Atrium of Shangri-La Plaza.
The festival showcased eight Thai SELECT certified restaurants, each representing the rich and bold tastes of Thailand: Mango Tree (BGC and City of Dreams branches), Benjarong Manila, Samyan Thai Street Food, Nara Thai Cuisine (Megamalls and Molito Lifestyle branches), Thai BBQ Original Restaurant, and Greyhound Cafe.
“The Thai SELECT seal is a commitment to maintaining the high standard of this prestigious certification – to distinguish the best Thai restaurants from the rest, for using the right ingredients and cooking the dish the way it should be,” Thai Ambassador to the Philippines Makawadee Sumitmor said.
There are about 19,000 Thai restaurants worldwide, of which less than 10 percent have earned the distinction of getting the Thai SELECT certification.
The ambassador said Thai food is characterized by balanced flavors and artistic presentation.
Indeed, the festival offered a culinary journey through Thailand’s signature flavors: spicy, sour, salty, sweet, and umami.
Sutinee Vathana, Director of the Thai Trade Center Manila, said: “The vision of this festival is simple – to promote authentic Thai cuisine.”
“We are very grateful to our Filipino friends for continuously appreciating our dishes. Our food reflects years of history, culture, and values, and we are excited to share more authentic Thai flavors during this festival at Shangri-La Plaza” she added.
(To learn more about Thai SELECT restaurants and products, you can simply browse through https://thaiselect.com/. You may also follow the Thai Trade Center on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thaitradecentermanila)
