COCONUTS CRITIC’S TABLE — Restaurants serving Thai food have been sprouting like mushrooms in the country lately. There are great Thai restaurants in the Philippines, such as Krua Thai, Dusit’s Benjarong, and even Jatujak, so whenever there are new ones, it’s kind of hard for them to wow people because Krua Thai and the gang have already set the bar high when it comes to Thai food.
Black Canyon Coffee is an example of a newcomer in the country, although it is kinda hard to figure out whether it is a Thai restaurant or not. The name, for starters, does not really scream Thai food, right? But it promises a “heavenly experience” and “good food for good health and good life.” Well, according to the menu.
Even the menu will confuse you. They have sandwiches, soups, salads, and steaks, plus Thai (or at least Asian) dishes. So expect to see New Orleans Chicken Wings on one page, and then Stir Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts (or Gai Pad Med Ma Muang Himmapan) on another.
I wanted to taste Black Canyon Coffee’s best-selling Thai dishes so I ordered their Pad Thai and their Tom Yum. The two, after all, are award-winning; their Thai Style Fried Noodle with Prawn (P194) is the “Winner of Pad Thai Championship” while their Tom Yum is the “Winner of Tom Yum Thailand Championship.”
Sadly, neither lived up to their titles or at least my very high expectations.
The Pad Thai was nothing extraordinary and while it wasn’t bad, it only became good when I made use of the condiments. On the other hand, the Tom Yum also wasn’t mind-blowing, even if had a lot of juicy shrimps, mushrooms and sweet red onions. And while it’s supposed to be good for two, I think I can finish it on my own — to think I don’t have a big appetite.
The whole dining experience wasn’t that good, too. Lighting was bad I had to move by the window just so I could take decent photos of the dishes. Also, the aircon wasn’t turned on where I was. No one switched it on even when I was already taking bites of my first dish. The only time a waiter turned it on was when a couple of diners sat next to me — and asked why it was hot.
Music was also blasting; they didn’t seem to care whether I like songs such as “Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang” or “Sana Kahit Minsan” or not.
For dessert, I decided to skip the Taro Ball in Coconut Cream and instead opted for a drink-sort-of-dessert. I chose the Mexican Iced Coffee (P130) because it looked cute in a boot glass. I didn’t expect the glass to be so small, however, so I ended up with a Tall drink instead of a Venti. As for the drink itself, it was nothing mmm-inducing; just your regular super-strong iced coffee.
The verdict? More boo’s than yay’s.
After my meal, I searched for Black Canyon Coffee online and discovered that it is actually a coffee house (which explains the abundance of beverages) and that it “serves not only coffee but also Thai International Cuisine.”
Anyway, despite not being bowled over, I will still definitely go back. My sister brought me home their Green Curry Stir-Fried Rice with Tuna Stuffed in Omelette (P208), which was really, really good — and I need to experience that fresh out of their kitchen. Plus their drinks list is filled with interesting beverages such as Lemongrass Juice, Caramel Blackpuccino Frappe, and Red Bean Cha Thai Frappe.
Hopefully, the aircon’s already on when I get there next time.
Black Canyon Coffee is located on the ground floor of SM Southmall, Alabang-Zapote Road, Las Pinas City. Check their website and Facebook page.
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Coconuts Critic’s Table reviews are written based on unannounced visits by our writers and paid for by Coconuts Manila. No freebies here.