Thai for lunch.

Yesterday, the parents and I went out to do some errands, which included going to a hospital, going to the mall + supermarket, and dropping by a gas station. Since the hospital was somewhere in Marikina, I thought it was the perfect time to finally try out the Thai resto I saw during my alone time last week. 

Tuk Tuk Thai Cuisine is located along Mayor Gil Fernando Ave. and shares same strip/side with Crave Park Hotel, UKB199, and Dawg's Gourmet Sausages.

Tuk Tuk has two floors, the lower one is airconditioned and the upper one offers al fresco dining. Since it was lunchtime and the sun was pretty high and scorching, we decided to dine in the AC'd floor.

Tuk Tuk's menu impressed me because they offer beyond the usual Pad Thai, Green Chicken Curry, Tom Yum Goong, and Mango Sticky Rice. They have items that I personally haven't tried yet so it's nice to know that I can go to this place if I'm in the mood to try out other Thai food.

My parents and I decided to try their set plates, which comprises of rice + chosen dish + a glass of lemon iced tea.. I had their Beef Red Curry plate (₱220), a red chili-based coconut curry with kaffir lime leaves, Thai basil, beef, bell peppers, and string beans. I've never tried Red Curry before so I have nothing to compare it to but I really liked it! It's like an Indonesian curry but with added aromatics and veggies. So yummy!

Mom got the Green Chicken Curry plate (₱189), an aromatic green chili-based coconut curry with kaffir lime leaves, chicken, and eggplants. My mom makes Green Chicken Curry from time to time but she's always game to try out others. She really enjoyed this one! It was very flavorful and the spiciness was just right.

My dad got the Sate Chicken plate (₱189), aka grilled chicken skewers. This also comes with a vinegar dipping sauce with diced cucumbers and onions. This plate may look plain and simple but it's actually very tasty! The chicken was drizzled with a curry-like sauce and the chicken itself was pretty packed with flavor. 

Aside from the set plates, we also got Tom Yum Goong (₱229), Thailand's hot and sour soup with shrimps. We absolutely loved this sour because again, it was very aromatic and it was piping hot when it came to our table, which we loved. It had the right amount of tartness and spice though I have to admit, I think I prefer Baan Rama's Tom Yum mainly because theirs is spicier and has more mushrooms and shrimps. My parents, on the other hand, loved Tuk Tuk's.

We also had Poh Pia Sod (₱139), aka Thai vegetable rolls. The poh pia was my suggestion, mainly because it reminded me of Singapore's popiah and I was missing it. Well, Poh Piah Sod is more like Vietnam's Goi Cuon sans the protein. Poh Piah Sod also comes with a spicy tamarind sauce. Tuk Tuk's Poh Pia Sod was pretty packed but you definitely need to deep it in its sauce to bring flavor to it.

Of course, mom and I decided to also order our go-to drink in a Thai resto: Thai iced tea (₱89)! We didn't expect Tuk Tuk's Thai iced tea to be in a big jar so because of that, mom shared hers with dad and I had a jar all to myself which made me pretty much neglect the free iced tea that came with my set plate. Their Thai iced tea was good, really milky and refreshing. Their tea was stronger than the ones I've tried before so don't expect a mild tea taste on this one. Really good!

To be honest, I was scared a bit that the food might be a little too spicy for my parents to handle (especially my mom whose spice tolerance is an impressive 0) but turns out, Tuk Tuk's spice level is just right. The food got heat but not to the point where you can't enjoy the food anymore. It's pretty much tolerable for those who aren't into spice though it might be a bit mild to those who can handle a bit more kick and heat (like me!). Set plates have pretty generous portions too (especially the rice). The food here is pretty affordable so you can have your fill of Thai food without breaking the bank. I definitely see the fam and I going back here again and try out the other food they're offering like their Pad Thai, Moo, Pineapple Rice, and Kaprao Gai. Oh, and I'm definitely trying their mango sticky rice next time!