Vlad Bunoan

Azuthai refreshes menu with new Thai chef at the helm

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Jeeves De Veyra

<p>MAKATI — If one were to look for the best Thai restaurants in any city in the world, looking for the Thai Select marque of approval given by Thailand Ministry of Commerce is a good starting point.</p><p>In Metro Manila, Azuthai has been a consistent yearly recipient of this distinction having ingredients imported from Thailand and having a Thai chef in charge of the kitchen.</p><p>That Thai chef is Patcharobon “Leo” Chaladee from Surin in the Isaan region of Northern Thailand whom Azuthai’s executive chef J Gamboa found upon the recommendation of friends in the Thai restaurant industry.</p><p>Chef J wasn’t kidding when he said Chef Leo was part of the new generation of Thai chefs.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1770371237481Chef Leo flanked by Azuthai founders Malu G. Lindo,  and Chef Joonee Gamboa.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Chef Leo flanked by Azuthai founders Malu G. Lindo, and Chef J Gamboa. <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><p>Chef Leo is a bundle of energy. She animatedly waves and gestures while talking about her cooking and her dishes. She talked about her time in Australia where she learned not just Thai, but Vietnamese, Asian Fusion, and Modern Australian cuisine. Besides flavors, she brings the strict quality and hygienic standards she rigorously adhered to while working in the Australian F&amp;B industry. Even at a relatively young age, this accomplished chef has already cooked her way around Australia, Thailand, and most recently, Indonesia.</p><p>For Azuthai regulars, the menu has Thai favorites like Tom Yum, Pad Thai, and different Thai curries. For the new dishes, Chef Leo adds her flair to familiar flavors and recipes.</p><p>Before she officially came on board last year, she had many tasting sessions to get the balance of the dishes just right. At first, the dishes were up to her authentic Thai spice levels. But as the Filipino palate isn’t too keen on too much heat, they did tone it down.Purists need not worry as they can request for dishes to be cooked at their authentic Thai levels.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177037211504601 - mieng kham snack.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Mieng Kham. <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><p>Chef Leo’s version of Thai snack Mieng Kham is a salty spicy flavor bomb. Wrap them in the betel leaf and dip in the tamarind sauce.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177037214242502 - Tuna Tartare.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Tuna tartare. <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><p>Like the Mieng Kham, it’s best to just eat this bright spicy lettuce leaf-wrapped tuna tartare with Thai with your fingers.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177037226312403 -  Crab Cakes.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Crab cakes. <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span>TheseTod Mon Pla Pu (crab cakes)come with a chili sauce that has a refreshing zing due to bits of cucumber. The crab flavors come through in the finish</div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177037229362804 - wagyu beef salad.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Wagyu beef salad. <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><p>The slices of beef in Chef Leo’s Thai Beef Salad are bigger than usual perhaps because of the added tenderness of Wagyu used here. The crunch of tomatoes and onions also add texture to this dish.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177037232114705 - wagyu kra pow.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Beef kra pow.<em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><p>Admittedly, this isn’t the Kra Pow I’m used to. This is almost like a Thai version of beef sisig as this is served on a sizzling plate with an over easy sunny side egg. I prefer a lot of basil on my kra pow but this one is more balanced with the spice creeping in as a backnote.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177037234558506 - chicken rice 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Chicken rice. <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><p>Khao Mok Kai isn’t simply turmeric rice topped with chicken. What elevates this dish is the mint chili sauce on the side. I just had to ask for extras as it went very well with the other dishes on this special menu. Azuthai could bottle that sauce and it would sell!</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177037238284707 - sea bass.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sea bass. <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span> It’s rare to find Chilean sea bass prepared as a steak. The Pla Tod Nam Pla is lightly seasoned with sweet salty Thai fish sauce to complement the Sea Bass.</div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177037240780608 - tom yum carbonara.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Tom Yum Carbonara. <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><p>Azuthai calls this Creamy Tom Yum “Carbonara.” This is creamy seafood fettuccine finished with that distinctive herby sour spice of tom yum that goes well with the prawns, squids, and mussels. Azuthai wisely reigns those flavors so those strong flavors don’t overpower the cream sauce.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177037243694609 - bok choy with chinese mushrooms.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Bok Choy. <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><p>Their stir-fried Baby Bok Choi with Mushroom was more Chinese than Thai, though I did appreciate the inclusion of a vegetarian option in this new menu.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177037247172410 - mango sticky rice.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Mango Sticky Rice. <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><p>For dessert, the meal finished off with a Thai favorite, Mango Sticky Rice.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177037249812511 - buo loy.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Buo Loy. <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><p>The Buo Loy is made with Thai mochi-like sweet balls and young coconut cooled down with a scoop of coconut ice cream.</p><div><em>Azuthai is located at the G/F of Milky Way Building on the corner of Arnaiz Avenue and Paseo De Roxas in Makati City, and is open from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch, and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner.</em></div>

<p>Azuthai turns a new page with the arrival of Thai chef Leo Chaladee, whose dishes honor tradition while embracing a more modern, approachable style — without losing the bold flavors that made the restaurant a Thai Select favorite.</p>

Azuthai turns a new page with the arrival of Thai chef Leo Chaladee, whose dishes honor tradition while embracing a more modern, approachable style — without losing the bold flavors that made the restaurant a Thai Select favorite.

Makati eats: Azuthai refreshes menu with new Thai chef at the helm

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Makati eats: Azuthai refreshes menu with new Thai chef at the helm

Jeeves De Veyra

Published Feb 06, 2026 06:26 PM PHT

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