Sen Lek Thai Noodle House: From Rags to Riches

In the foodie scene, each restaurant has its own story.  I'm a big fan of rags to riches fairy tales, no matter how cliche they may be.  It's always fascinating to see a humble little nook rise to stardom.  It gives us something to cheer for in a world filled with daily negatives.

My sister remembers Sen Lek Thai Noodle House as a small joint in a lesser known part of BF.  I never had the chance to visit them when they were still relatively unknown.  But she swears the food, especially the noodle concoctions, were authentic and good.  Fast forward to a few years back, when Sen Lek resurfaces like a prodigal heroine.  Currently, they occupy a strategic spot along the main road of Aguirre, reeling in patrons, both the loyalists and the novice.

Their current home is large and brightly lit, exuding a cozy vibe with walls adorned with Thai-themed furniture and snippets.  On a lazy Sunday lunch time, the place was half-filled.  Ordering is simple since the menu is quite limited.  The star of course are the noodle soups, but they do offer Thai staples such as curry and tom yum  soup.  They do offer rice meals which seem value-for-money.

We were in a bit of a hurry, so we ordered three rice meals that seemed bang for the buck.  We added another order of noodle soup to share among the three of us.

Wanton Thai Noodle Soup, P100

I'm not kidding.  This big bowl of homey goodness is just a hundred bucks.  Filled nearly full with a smooth, warm broth, the Wanton Thai Noodle Soup is a definite bargain.  The broth was mild and not overpowering with a herbal taste.  Some people have aversion to a queer, medicinal tasting soup, but this is quite tame and should agree with most.  Add a little sriracha chili sauce and you're good to go.   

The flat noodles were soft and perfectly al dente.  I liked the generous serving of fresh mongo sprouts swimming in the mixture.  A dash of chopped herbal greens and onions added color and dimension.  The dumplings though were a bit sad and tasteless, like a cheap grocery version.  Nevertheless, beggars can't be choosers with such a dirt cheap price.  I'm usually not fond of noodles or ramen, but I do have an inkling for Vietnamese or Thai noodles.  This, save for the wonton dumplings, is a steal.

Chicken Pandan, P160

Mom picked the chicken pandan, a usual Thai favorite.  This version, however, was regrettable.  Out came two minuscule, nearly flat portions of chicken wrapped in burnt pandan leaves.  

The chicken was dry and crusted.  It was nearly devoid of flavor, and no amount of soy vinegar dip could save the dish.  It was overpriced and disappointing.  We should have picked another noodle soup instead, which are all value for money.

Beef Curry, P140

I grabbed the beef curry rice meal since I wasn't in the mood for a chicken dish.  The serving looked ample, with a sizable amount of white rice.  The sauce looked fiery and exciting, as I eagerly sampled it.

The curry gravy was a tad too oily but was indeed fiery.  It had a hint of zest but the spice level was not overwhelming.  I enjoyed pouring the mildly sweet and milky sauce on my immaculate white rice.  The beef strips were thin but commensurate in number.  It was tender but some portions were inconsistent.  Also, there was nothing else inside the bowl.  I would have appreciated some eggplants or carrots, or even potatoes.  Now I really miss the massaman curry I had back in SG.

Green Chicken Curry, P130

My sister picked the ubiquitous Green Chicken Curry rice meal.  It looked mundane but the taste was surprisingly good.  The curry gravy was less oily than my beef curry, perhaps neutralized by the chopped eggplants and string beans.  The vegetables were fresh and crisp, for that matter.

The sauce was also mildly sweet and had spicy overtones.  It was highly addicting and would undoubtedly lead one to order extra rice for that generous amount of curry gravy.  It reminded me of the curry I had in Maxwell FC.  It had a more watery consistency which some would not prefer, but it was enjoyable pouring spoonfuls over the rice.  The chicken was tender and flavorful, unlike its pandan counterpart.

Thai Iced Tea, P60

All the heat and tangy flavor deserved a cool down, and what better way to do so than with the all-time favorite Thai Iced Tea.  This version was a few notches too sweet, but one can always douse it with more water.  I liked that the leafy taste was distinct but not dominant, and I could somehow make out a little spice on the drink itself.  A perfect pairing for all the spicy Thai dishes here.

I'm not sure where Sen Lek made its first beginnings, but what it is now is a far cry from its humble little corner spot it used to occupy.  Despite the obvious changes, they have manged to keep prices at bare minimum, and thus kept its loyal fans coming back and virginal converts like me to keep wanting it.  The noodle soups are bang-for-the-buck, with its hefty servings and authentic taste.  Some of the dishes might be hit and miss, or too tame for Thai food purists.  But with a price that's hard to beat, a location that's hard to miss, and food that hits the comfort zones, Sen Lek is more than just the cliche of rags to riches.

Jones

Sen Lek Thai Noodle House

4 Delfa Street, corner President's Avenue

BF Homes, Paranaque City

https://www.facebook.com/pages/SEN-LEK-THAI-NOODLE/209933752464115

Read more

Yen Yen: From Hole-in-the-Wall to Casual Street Food

There is almost a dirty connotation with the term "street food".  The mere mention of the two words conjures images of a wooden street cart being pushed around by a sweaty and grimy street vendor, complete with tall glass bottles with murky sauces, a sloppy stainless steel wok and recycled barbecue sticks.  Clearly not for the faint of heart (or stomach). 

But I adore street food, in the purest sense of the word.  I remember my college days along the hidden back streets of the DLSU Manila campus, behind the Gokongwei Building, there was a popular push cart vendor who sells anything from the ordinary fish balls to a complete pork chop rice meal.  Curiously, his loyal followers were a diverse mix: from conyo Lasallistas to geeky computer majors, to the average college student scraping the bottom of his allowance.  I loved the pork chops there - it had a homey and greasy taste, just like how anybody's Mom used to cook.

This is street food. I kid you not.

Apparently, street food can be transferred out of the streets and into an actual restaurant setting.  This has long been championed by Yen-Yen, a quaint nook that dishes out delicious Taiwanese street food fare.  Its original branch was a virtual hole-in-the-wall: occupying an area barely the size of a regular classroom, and beside a messy and dirty auto repair shop.  The only clue that what's inside was edible was the yellow signage that often misleads customers: "Taiwanese street food".  I'm pretty sure quite a few would have imagined exotic fare like scorpions or sea horses and other stuff only consumed by the bizarre, say perhaps Andrew Zimmern.

But that did not deter me to try out their original branch.  I have not regretted it since, and it was my little San Juan secret, a place I frequented whenever I wanted a quick and delectable meal.  The menu was unique, the taste unfamiliar yet sumptuous, and the prices were (pardon the pun) dirt-cheap.  Yen-Yen has since moved on to a brighter place, a larger area, and a more inviting vibe.  A minor tweaking of the menu, a little modern decors here and there, and Yen-Yen is back in business.

The new menu is bright and colorful, with new exotic additions.

In our numerous visits in both their old and new branches, there were practically only 2 items that we regularly ordered.  Blame us for the lack of adventure, yet these two items were off-the-charts delicious.  Nevertheless, Yen-Yen is a full-board restaurant, complete with noodles, dimsum, and main courses, each with its own unique and exotic twist.  It's just that we always preferred to order the dish that we came to know Yen-Yen for: the Taiwanese chops!

Pork Chop Rice, P170

Unlike any other pork chop, the Taiwanese version is relatively flatter and crunchier.  I'm inclined to believe that the meat is pounded into a thinner cut, and then coated with a crunchy breading.  The end-result is a tantalizing texture of soft, juicy meat within and a crispy outer skin.  Nearly devoid of any fat trimming, it is indeed a healthier version of the cardiac pork chop common in our households and a sexier model of the Japanese katsu.  The breading itself is spiked with secret spices, rendering a zesty appeal to an otherwise ordinary chop.  The blend of favors doesn't end there, with a peculiar side dip that flirts between a tomato ketchup and sambal sauce.  It's that dip that I'm most baffled - it has a tangy taste yet at the same time exudes a sweet-spicy feel.  Whatever it is, it is the perfect complement to the pork chop.  Available in a budget meal or a la carte, no visit to Yen-Yen will be justified without sampling their famous chops.

Chicken Chop Rice, P185

Long before milk tea shops had the bright idea of serving chicken chops, Yen Yen was already pioneering the trend.  These chicken fillets were similarly prepared, flattened and then coated with that spicy and crisp breading.  The Chicken Chops were perfectly deep fried, with the meat within fresh and juicy.  Again, its that queer red sauce that amps up the flavor.  If only I could grab a jar of that, it will make the world a better place.  Budget meals come served with a hefty portion of rice and generous mixed chopped veggies, a certainly filling treat all for less than 200 bucks.

Spicy Wonton, P88

Among the myriad of dimsum treats Yen-Yen has to offer, it's the spicy wonton that always wins out for us.  Served drenched in a bowl of chili chiu chow oil, these dimsum wraps are a meal in itself.  Six plump pieces filled with ground meat and kuchay, and then drowned in a spicy oil.  There's absolutely no way that we pass up on this on every visit.  In fact, we even ordered a modified version, having the dumplings deep fried instead of steamed, and then drenching them in the same oil.  Talk about flexibility.

Definitely, there are no tell-tale signs of street food aura within the new Yen-Yen branch.  Yet Yen-Yen assures us that what they serve here is actually being served in the streets of Taiwan, even using the same cooking gear and methods to preserve authenticity.  The taste speaks the truth, clearly divergent from the all too common MSG-infused Chinese restaurant fare.  If Taiwanese street food was this good, I wonder how the actual restaurant food tastes like.

Yen-Yen has seamlessly bridged the gap between mainstream cooking and street food.  With its new branch now more lively and earning a reputation among foodies and San Juan residents, it appears that the next step is expansion.  I hope though they keep the prices reasonable (prices had increased when they made the big move to the newer location).  Yen-Yen has successfully transformed hole-in-the-wall street food to a more casual experience.

Jones

Yen-Yen Taiwan Street Food

198 Wilson Street, corner P. Guevarra Street

San Juan City

https://www.facebook.com/yen.yen.food

Read more