Raja Thai Cuisine: Authentic Thai at Armada Hotel Manila in Malate

Being near our neighborhood, we're been passing by Armada Hotel Manila for quite some time now.  Yet, it was only when my friend invited me for lunch did I discover that there is an authentic Thai restaurant called Raja Thai Cuisine located at its mezzanine floor. Armada Hotel Manila used to be Centara Hotel, a Thai hotel chain.  Thus, it holds a Thai specialty restaurant. 

armada hotel manila
Thai Cuisine is one of my favorites so I'm glad to add my dining experience at Raja Thai Cuisine to my food memoirs. 

raja thai cuisine
Raja Thai Cuisine is very visible from its surrounding glass windows. 

raja thai cuisine
The interior is simple but classy with its hardwood ceiling and walls accented with Thai prints. It has a nice window view.

raja thai cuisine
Table set up is fine dining.

raja thai cuisine
It has an open kitchen so you can observe the busy chefs preparing your Thai dishes.  I'm told that their head chef is Thai too.


Food

Appetizers
pandan chicken
Kai Hor Baitoy (Deep Fried Chicken Wrapped in Pandan Leaves) (270 php)
The Kai Hor Baitoy is boneless chicken marinated in Thai herbs, wrapped in pandan leaves and cooked deep fried. It is served with a lightly spiced chili sauce topped with sesame seeds.  Raja's version of this Thai classic does not disappoint.  The chicken bits were tender and tasty.  

Soup

tom yum koong
Tom Yum Koong (Spicy Prawn Soup) (475 php)
The Tom Yum Koong is my favorite Thai soup.  I've tried this in almost all Thai restaurants I've been too.  I must say that all I've tried are different from one another.  This one has a dominant galangal ginger flavor with a slight hint of kaffir lime, lemon juice and chili.  It had generous portions of mushrooms and medium prawns. 

Salad
yum som o
Yum Som O (Spicy Pomelo Salad) (435 php)
For salad, we had my favorite Yum Som O which is a spicy pomelo salad with shrimp, sliced shallot, mint leaves, coconut, roasted chili paste, garlic, chili and coriander leaves.  It was seasoned with fish sauce and lemon juice so mix it well before eating so you can enjoy the balance of spiciness, saltiness and sourness.  I really loved this so I'm proud to say that I finished almost everything in this platter.

Curry
green thai curry
Kaeng Kiewan Kai, Nuea Moo (Thai Green Curry with Chicken) (455 php)
I've learned to love even the bold tasting curry dishes.  But for beginners, I always recommend the Kaeng Kiewan Kai, Nuea Moo or Thai Green Curry with Chicken because the taste of green curry is light and mild.  In addition, the coconut milk makes it even lighter to the palate.  It has red chili, red bell peppers, egg plant and basil leaves too.  This is another one of the better dishes we've tried.

Prawns
prawns garlic pepper
Koong Khatiem Prik Thai (Prawns in Garlic and Pepper Sauce) (605 php)
The Koong Khatiem Prik Thai is stir-friend medium prawns with garlic and pepper sauce.  This was my first time to try this but it failed to give off any memorable impact.

Pork
pork with ginger
Moo Phad Khing (Pork with Ginger) (305 php)
The Moo Phad Khing is stir-fried sliced pork with spring onions, ginger, capsicum, chopped garlic, chili, onion, black mushroom, seasoned with fish sauce, oyster sauce and soya sauce.  Taste-wise this is fairly appealing to any diner.  But, I wish the meat slices were not so tough to chew on.

Noodles

phad thai
Phad Thai Koong (450 php)
The Phad Thai Koong is phad thai noodle with medium prawns.  This is a usual staple for me when visiting a Thai restaurant.  In terms of flavor and ingredients, this has exceeded my expectations.  But, the texture of the noodles could still be improved.  

Fried Rice
fried rice

Dessert
mango sticky rice
Khao New Mamueng (Mango Sticky Rice with Coconut Milk) (280 php)
I just love Thai dessrts!  The Khao New Mamueng which is mango sticky rice topped with coconut milk is so refreshing that I finished this in a jiffy.

Drinks
pineapple smoothie
Pineapple Smoothie (169 php)
The Pineapple Smoothie is the perfect drink for the season. 

UPDATE (June 21, 2013): We ate here again and ordered Preaw Waan Pla (sweet and sour fish), Chicken Satay, Pork Curry and Water Chestnut in Coconut Cream.  The family loved the authenticity of the dishes.  It completely overturned my first impression and we're planning to dine here again.

Update (Sept. 30, 2013):  Spotted a new Korean band called "N.O.M" while dining here with their guide. 

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Raja Thai Cuisine offers the luxury of fine dining, rooftop window scenery and Authentic Thai cuisine.  Considering it is located in a hotel, it does come with a price. 

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating Raja Thai Cuisine Menu
Ambiance Appetizer | Soup |
Salad | Vegetarian
Curry | Prawns
Fish | Chicken 
Pork | Vegetarian |
Noodles
Taste
Service
Price
=Favorites or Recommended 
Raja Thai Cuisine at Armada Hotel
Business Address 2108 M. H Del Pilar, 
Malate, Manila, Metro Manila
Business Hours 6 pm-10 pm
Payment Options   Cash
Service Charge 10%
Budget/Person 500-1,400
Free WiFi Yes
Unlocked Foursquare Perks None
Contact (02) 526-0888
Other  Website | Facebook Fan Page
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