Elephants, temples, food and shopping, few of the words that pop into my head when I hear friends who fly to Thailand for a quick getaway. I always get excited talking to people about traveling, whether it’s a country I’ve been to or haven’t been to. The richness of every culture calls my ears to listen to my friends’ travel adventures. Recently, most of the people I’ve been talking to have been visiting Thailand. I guess Thailand’s tourism promotion in the Philippines is working. 🙂 As the conversation with my friends went along, I couldn’t stop myself talking about what I miss in Thailand the most, the cuisine. I just couldn’t help it. My mouth spoke endless words about how I miss Thailand because of their authentic Pad Thai and Tom Yum soup. That resulted to deadly cravings.

A fortunate timing when I was asked to take a visit at Just Thai at Burgos Circle for no other than what I was craving for, Thai cuisine.

Just Thai is just so minimalist. The minute you take a glance at their menu, you’ll already get a decisive answer on what to order with their limited list of Thai dishes. This could be good and bad at the same time. Good factor lies on the fact that Just Thai serves familiar traditional Thai dishes, sure to be a favorite. Every dish on the menu is good for at least 2 persons. Bad factor may be for those who are more adventurous; those who are seeking for more than the usual conventional Thai dishes. In spite of Thai cuisine’s nature of complexity, Just Thai keeps their selections simple. Easy to picture especially if you’re familiar with how Thais cook their food.

Chicken Sate on sticks form a semi sour taste without the blend of peanut sauce. I had a small teaspoon alone to tongue taste its peanut sauce. It resulted to a strong nutty flavor, fits the semi sour flavor of Chicken Sate. These two are partners in crime that you can’t eat individually.

Spring rolls, a standard appetizer I order from Vietnamese restaurants. Thai version does not differ much from Vietnamese but it’s more evident that Thais aren’t that conscious of using oil compared to our healthy Vietnamese friends. And, the spices combined to make the sauce show a difference too. I think it’s still a good call to choose this as your appetizer as a preparation for your richly flavored Thai main course.

I may sound bias in choosing this soup as my favorite since I’ve been clamoring for Tom Yum since the heavy rains poured out in Manila. The blend of hot and sour flavors gave me a relaxed atmosphere in the midst of hearing the sound of raindrops from the window. As the customer, you can adjust the spiciness level by requesting to your server. What is Thai food without Tom Yum soup?

The son of Tom Yum that has evolved using coconut broth and lemongrass for a thicker texture and more fragrant smell.

I couldn’t head down to the exit door without getting my plate of Pad Thai. Commonly served along the streets of Thailand, the causal Pad Thai leveled up to mid-class restaurants to high-end restaurants. No doubt it has been a favorite Thai dish all over the world, including Filipinos.

Just Thai’s version didn’t steer away from how traditional Pad Thai is made. No more fancy decorations, it was simple as pleasing the palate.

This scores as my new favorite dish of the night, Mixed Seafood in Basil. The rich coconut cream played in sync with basil, which displayed a harmony with any meat you add to it.

The plate didn’t land as a star but I think it’s just one of the normal spiced dish you could order if you have the preference for squid.

The tamarind sauce completed the look of Crispy Tilapia that O and I eyed on. A dish that isn’t difficult to appreciate in the country that cooks fried tilapia for dinner. The only adjustment one has to make is the taste for sour Tamarind sauce.

Plump shrimps that was a product of freshness. More than its garlic and pepper sauce, the plump shrimps had me notice the dish.

The typical bagoong rice that didn’t suit any dish on the table except the Crispy Tilapia without its tamarind sauce. For me, it’s not easy to pair up bagoong rice with other flavorful plates. The rice alone with green mangoes, shrimp paste, sweet pork and egg could stand on its own.

Boneless chicken cloacked with fragrant pandan leaves. Just effortless, a simple just Thai will remain to be an option for the conservative eaters.

Sweet and mild spiced yellow curry embracing vegetables is how you appreciate vegetables even more. Not a stand out for me but again, it’s another option for a variety of plates you could order at Just Thai.

A delicate sticky mango creation that deserves to be photographed. The mango slices the time I tried it were on the sour side. For this dessert, I prefer the mangoes to be 3 steps sweeter.

Best friend of all spiced dishes I had for the night.

The 2-storey restaurant is comparable to a Thai spa with its relaxed mood and lights. The price range of the dishes were surprising given that the location is in Burgos Circle Bonifacio Global City right in the row of known sophisticated restaurants.

All in all, there’s nothing extravagant about Just Thai. I guess, what makes it special is the simplicity and generous portion of dishes they offer in a relaxed ambiance at a very reasonable price.

Hands down to our country that makes an effort to bring all kinds of cuisine from all over the world. At least, my Thai cravings have been satisfied more than I planned to. I was only looking forward to Tom Yum soup and Pad Thai alone but I had more than what I wished for.

Will you go and try Just Thai? 

Share with me your thoughts!

Cheers,

Location: Forbestown Strip, Burgos Circle, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Other Branch: Molito Lifestyle Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Operation Hours: 11:00am-10:00pm

Contact: (+632) 403-8718

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Just-Thai/194210380589164

Instagram: @justthaiph

Budget: PHP300++

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