Divisoria Madness and Chariya's Thai Kitchen

You haven't really seen the Philippines unless you've been to Manila.  It was and still is the busiest city in Metro Manila.  It has such character.  Here you still feel and see the remnants of the old Manila in terms of architecture and culture.  This is especially true for the Divisoria area, the heart of Manila's principal trading districts.  You'll find that business owners still run their businesses almost the same way they did when they started ages ago.  Shopping here is quite the experience.

Lone policeman desperately trying to restore order.  Good luck with that.

For newbies there's 168, Tutuban Mall, and 999;  airconditioned, sanitized, and spacious.   I recommend a gradual immersion into the whole Manila shopping experience.  I have made the mistake of bringing a few people straight to the Divisoria streets (my favorite!) that I frequent.  It's more of an alley really.  Here you'll find an astounding display of glorious fabrics, piles and piles of organza, silk charmeuse, tulle, katrina, gina, satin, jacquard, etc. etc. sold for shockingly low prices.  You'd be surprised by the product knowledge of these brusque macho hawkers in cutoff shorts and white sandos each standing barefoot on their own "hills" (rolls and rolls of cloth piled on top of the other) of fabric trying to outshout each other with their deafening cries of "Tela, tela, tela, tela!".  They know EVERYTHING there is to know about any particular type of fabric they're selling.

We were TRYING (in vain) to drive through all this. 

I forget sometimes that culture-shock can prevent first-timers from enjoying the beauty and diversity of the place.  The organized chaos, deafening noise, and not-so-pleasant aromas are all part of Divisoria's charm.  Weaving through a sea of street hawkers, pedicabs, and laborers pushing handtrucks filled to the brim with their wares are all part and parcel of a true Divisoria experience.

Recto Ave.  My view from the passenger seat of our car. LOL.

Here, haggling is a fine-tuned art.  Love love luuuuuurv it.  It's a skill that has helped me reach the elite status of "suki".  A lot of time, patience, the right amount of charm, and bulk buying went into it.  Now if I could only put that on a resume.     

Everything was as it was last Tuesday when we did our usual rounds at Quiapo and Divisoria.  Despite it being a weekday, the streets of Divisoria were teeming with anxious buyers and was alive as ever.  The traffic was horrible as always, with jeeps, pedicabs, and pedestrians vying for space.  By the time we managed to park our car, it was already lunch time.

Since we were in the area, I thought I'd surprise my mom by bringing her to our (me and Yuri's) favorite lunch place at 168.   She was really in for a treat because we were bringing her to her former teacher's, Thai Chef Chariya, AMAZING hole-in-the-wall Thai food stall.  Chef Chariya cooks with the likes of Chef Gene Gonzales and has been a chef-consultant to several Thai restaurants in the country.  Every time I'm at 168 I make a beeline for her stall, which is at the food court on the 3rd floor.

Chariya's Authentic Thai Kitchen.  This unassuming stall is such an unexpected find.   This cute lilac-tiled stall with it's four gas burners and single upright refrigerator, creates some really fresh Thai flavors.  

Menu pasted on the wall.

Simple authentic Thai cuisine done really really well at jaw-droppingly low prices.  I remember our bill at Mango Tree Bistro and shudder.  I could've ordered a feast here with the same amount of money and I would've enjoyed it waaayyy more.

Chef Chariya in action, cooking everything a-la-minute.

It gets better.  Chef Chariya was there with her husband on that fateful Tuesday AND she personally cooked our food for us.  Awesome! :-)

Phad Thai Php. 90.000

We started off with their Phad Thai.  A must try if you're dining here for the first time.  This is my favorite Phad Thai by far.  Al dente rice noodles, crunchy bean sprouts, and scrambled egg, mixed in with that secret sauce.  It's really lovely and the flavors are perfectly balanced with just the right amount of tartness and sweetness.  The generous serving of ground peanuts really makes the dish.  She told us to eat it like a real Thai and placed a big scoop of chili on our plate.  I begged her to place it on the side since I'm lightweight when it comes to all things spicy (except for wasabi)
. 

Bagoong Fried Rice Php 90.00

We also ordered a plate of her Bagoong Fried Rice.  I'd like to hug whoever thought of mixing bagoong with rice.  It just takes the whole rice experience to another level especially when it's mixed in with really tart julienned green mangoes, sliced egg omelette, and candied pork bits.  Om nom nom nom nom. YUM.

Chicken Garlic & Pepper Php 100.00

We tried her Chicken Garlic & Pepper dish as well.  How could something this simple taste so good???  Thinly sliced chicken breast bathed in a savory broth, and topped with loads of fried garlic and spring onions.  I'm a garlic freak so I was wild for this dish.

Thai Iced Tea Php 30.00

We each ordered a glass of Thai Iced Tea.  This really works well with spicy food since it sort of kills the sting.  You needn't worry though since they provide customers with chili powder on the side so that you can adjust the spiciness according to your taste. 

This was my third time eating at Chariya's Thai Kitchen .  Their food is really good but it definitely tastes a whole lot better when you know that a 5-star chef is cooking for you.  Plus she's really personable too and is always up for a good chat.  Dining at Chariya's Thai Kitchen is such a fun experience.  Going there is always something I look forward to when we go on our Divisoria trips.  :-)