Date # 86: Mango Tree Bistro

     Last Monday, Douglas and I tried out Mango Tree Bistro, a popular restaurant located in Trinoma Mall. They serve authentic Thai dishes in a contemporary and inviting setting.

      The first thing you’ll notice about Mango Tree Bistro is the sleek and modern interiors. The black and violet motif makes this place look hip and inviting, although it might push away people who prefer dining in a well-lit environment.

    One of the best things about Mango Tree Bistro is the service. The servers are well-trained and they have a very good knowledge of the menu. That’s important in a restaurant where the food is not that familiar. I honestly felt illiterate while scanning the menu, but thankfully the servers were there to help me.

     The first thing that arrived on our table was a plate of Thod Mun Goong (P300). Crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, I understand why these shrimp cakes are a crowd favorite. Personally, though, I don’t think I’d order it again. I didn’t really find anything that special and unique with the dish.

      Then came our bowl of Gaeng Ped Nua (P380). This beef curry dish was one of our favorites of the day. The chef had mixed in coconut milk with the curry so it had a light and creamy flavor. The spiciness was just right: it felt a little prickly to the tongue at first, but later you’ll get used to the light kick. It’s a bit sweet and tangy, and overall a great dish that could please any palate. It’s perfect with a bowl of plain jasmine rice.

       Mango Tree Bistro’s Thai Iced Tea (P80) was like milk tea with crushed ice. It’s great with spicy dishes because it can cool your taste buds easily though it might not be that effective in cleansing your palate.

      I came here wanting to try the Gai Satay (P250). These grilled chicken skewers came with peanut sauce and vinegar although I recommend just dipping each skewer in the peanut sauce since the vinegar doesn’t really help that much in terms of flavor. The meat was juicy and delectable, and it truly absorbed the flavor from the marinade. I think you’ll find the serving size a bit bitin, though, since they only served a few small skewers.

        Douglas insisted that we order Pad Thai Goong (P350), one of the most iconic dishes in Thai cuisine. With fried rice noodles, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts and juicy shrimps… how can you go wrong? One of the things I like about this Pad Thai is that it had a good balance of sweet, sour and salty profiles. The intensity of the flavors is not that strong, though, so I recommend you cleanse your palate first before trying out this dish.

Overall Verdict: We thoroughly enjoyed our experience in Mango Tree Bistro and we’ll definitely come back to try it again. Although Thai cuisine isn’t really something that’s familiar to all of us, I’m sure that the servers will help you find what you’re hankering for on the menu.  The prices are a bit steep, but it’s just what you’d expect from a mall restaurant. Highly recommended.

Mango Tree Bistro

3rd Lvl. Trinoma Mall

Edsa Cor. North Ave.

Quezon City

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With and For Love,

Rina Caparras and Douglas Chong

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One of our New Year’s Resolutions was to take more pictures of ourselves: