Greyhoud Cafe - Authentic Modern Thai Cuisine Opens in SM Aura
A new restaurant is gracing the Filipino food scene with its modern Thai selection and innovative spins on the cuisine. Greyhound Cafe, originally from Thailand, has now arrived in the Philippines setting its first branch in SM Aura, Taguig City. In this blog post, we'll talk about why this Thai restaurant stands out above all the other existing ones, and why you should experience it yourself.
Located in the Ground Floor of SM Aura, Greyhound Cafe sits along the stretch of other prominent restaurants with the likes of Providore. The blend of old-school feel exuded by the sliding grills, along with the semi-cyberpunk vibe from the interior is very much inviting. Elements felt like a paradox with parts seemingly being contradictory (e.g. traditional yet modern), but overall they just give out this irresistible charm.
Above is a closer look at the interior which clearly gives out a clean modern feel. Diners are given this very conducive environment to explore a new gastronomic adventure.
The neon signs for me is what somehow give off the semi cyberpunk vibe. I'm guessing that the mixture of red and blue from the signs create this violet dreamy reflections, and thus the vibe.
Another layer of novelty embedded upon the interior of Greyhound Cafe is the presence of feel-good slogans etched on various places and elements. Similar to the one shown above, it says "Eating Together". Interesting, some are even found on the plates with words such as "Friends. Flirt. Fun. Food. Fashion".
I was deeply amazed by how well-curated each corner and aspect of the interior is. The effort poured in conceptualizing these are very much evident, to a point that you get to really feel the cohesive thinking behind them. For me, they set up an environment that stirs my curiosity and hunger for something new and different (which was very much helpful in stimulating my palate as well).
Speaking of palate, let's now dive into some of the interesting dishes (among many others) here in Greyhound Cafe.
Starting off with some appetizers, we have Greyhound Famous Fried Chicken Wings (P390) -- a fantastic starter, rightly spiced with salty-savory push-and-pull of flavors. Very crisp. It's also considerably light so it's really perfect to give a fun jolt to the buds.
Starting off with some appetizers, we have Greyhound Famous Fried Chicken Wings (P390) -- a fantastic starter, rightly spiced with salty-savory push-and-pull of flavors. Very crisp. It's also considerably light so it's really perfect to give a fun jolt to the buds.
As a personal note, the chicken reminded me of Chinese fried chicken. The primary difference is that this is a single-bone wing, and very delectably crunchy.
One particularly unique dish that I had for the first time was the Complicated Noodles (P380). It's a combination of fresh lettuce leaves, noodle sheet, minced pork sauce and green chili. The way this works is that you have to take a lettuce leaf. Then, layer on top the noodle sheet. Take a spoonful of the minced pork, and then sprinkle a bit of the chili sauce. Wrap it, and enjoy as you please.
One particularly unique dish that I had for the first time was the Complicated Noodles (P380). It's a combination of fresh lettuce leaves, noodle sheet, minced pork sauce and green chili. The way this works is that you have to take a lettuce leaf. Then, layer on top the noodle sheet. Take a spoonful of the minced pork, and then sprinkle a bit of the chili sauce. Wrap it, and enjoy as you please.
As you take a bite, you'd be greeted by a crunch from the fresh lettuce, cushioned by the softness of the noodle sheet. After this cradling, an explosion of flavors will hit the right spots of the buds given you this "ooooh ahhhhhh" moment. It's so good.
This is why one must never leave Greyhound Cafe without tasting this fantastic dish!
If you feel like you want to take a healthier route for the appetizers, you can binge on the salad here at Greyhound Cafe. They have a wide collection on the menu, so it's easy for you to find something to your liking. The salad shown in the photo above is Crispy Pumpkin and Tofu (P390).
Visually striking dishes are definitely something that get embedded in our memories, but what might make us remember them even more is when they come along with a catchy name. Take for example this Weeping Hunters (P790). The name itself is an enigma, captivating your curiosity, and then once served, that curiosity explodes into wonder. It features this medium grilled beef rib-eye sitting on the slice of cucumber, and then drizzled by Greyhound Cafe's signature spicy pesto.
If you feel like you want to take a healthier route for the appetizers, you can binge on the salad here at Greyhound Cafe. They have a wide collection on the menu, so it's easy for you to find something to your liking. The salad shown in the photo above is Crispy Pumpkin and Tofu (P390).
Visually striking dishes are definitely something that get embedded in our memories, but what might make us remember them even more is when they come along with a catchy name. Take for example this Weeping Hunters (P790). The name itself is an enigma, captivating your curiosity, and then once served, that curiosity explodes into wonder. It features this medium grilled beef rib-eye sitting on the slice of cucumber, and then drizzled by Greyhound Cafe's signature spicy pesto.
One bite is all you need to be taken into this gastronomic dream!
Now, before we jump to some of the main dishes here in Greyhound Cafe, I'd just like to share with you that this restaurant has a hefty selection of drinks, from non-alcoholics ones and otherwise. They have traditional drinks such as the widely famous Thai Iced Tea w/ Bobba (P310), which by the way was refreshingly authentic. But they also have regular tea, coffee, fruit juices, float, granita (which is ice-shaven drinks) and healthy non-alcoholic cocktails. An example of the cocktail is the Oriental Kiss (P300), photo on the left, which is a blend of guava juice and Chinese plum.
Moving on to some main dishes, let's start off with Thai Braised Beef Noodle Soup with Beef Balls (P880). This dish may seem somehow familiar with how it may remind you of beef pares, but this has a different range of spices used. It has this subtle citrusy note that works well with the light spicy kick of the broth. The beef itself is tender allowing the richness of the broth to seep in, and thus giving you richly flavored bite + slurp.
Time for a classic. Greyhound Cafe's Phad Thai with Fresh Shrimp (P450) is honest and straight-forwardly authentic. It offers richness of the Thai spices, bringing forth a collection of well-rounded flavors. Serving size might get you wishing for more, but there are a plenty of others to taste. However, nothing is stopping you to have another serving of this classic favorite!
Rice lovers, rejoice because this Famous Muay Thai Grilled Chicken (P690) comes with a special sticky rice wrapped in pandan. This dish also features the legendary grilled Turmeric herbal chicken, and served with the iconic somtum and jaew sauce that further elevate taste.
Capping off the experience here in Greyhound Cafe, we had the Tub Tim Krob Greyhound-Style (P280) which is a delectable dessert from sweet water chestnut with coconut sherbet, coconut meat, and cream. Nothing about this was overwhelming, and it was overly refreshing in a very positive way. It was rightly sweet. Not too heavy. Textures were spot on, and it was perfect to cap everything off.
Blogger with the owner of Greyhound Cafe, Vic Del Rosario
One visit may not be not enough to explore to the fullest what Greyhound Cafe can offer, but one is surely enough to be enthralled by the experience. Wonderfully curated interior coupled with well-thought of menu section is something that will make you love Greyhound Cafe.
Visit it now in SM Aura, and watch out for the next branches opening up soon (SM Mall of Asia, Podium, and Rockwell).
