Thai cuisine, perhaps, has a flavor profile that takes several encounters before it truly grows on the Filipino palate. It has this distinct complexity that intertwines sourness, spice, and sweetness with fresh vegetal notes into one amazing flavor explosion. And when one gets accustomed to it, it becomes a favorite. It becomes a want, a craving.

Because of that, you’ll notice that more and more restaurants in Davao are building their menu centering into Thai cuisines and other Southeast Asian flavors. People now crave it more than several years ago. However, a lot of these restaurants are not budget friendly which is understandable because of the logistics to get the ingredients to give an authentic taste.

So, with a tight budget and severe craving for Thai food, where does one go to satiate these cravings?

Hot Wok Cafe and Restaurant is a place that would come to mind. It is a little cafe in Juna Subdivision at Corner Loreto Street that offers the taste of Sai Mai, Bangkok. This quaint restaurant has limited seating for an estimate of 20-30 people, yet it always has a seat for you and your friends.

The owner of Hot Wok Cafe and Restaurant is a seasoned Thai Chef who brought his passion for cooking good food and warm hospitality of Thailand to the good people of Davao. With his wife, together, they share their passion for food with Davaoeños one plate at a time.

So, what can you get with a limited budget?

Menu

Food Review

Before you get into this review, know that I am not an expert in Thai cuisines, and I have not yet been to Thailand to compare what is authentic or not. However, I have tried several restaurants in Davao to compare and know my flavor preferences.

Pad Thai (Chicken) – 7.5/10

Rating: 8,7

Pad Thai is a staple order when eating at Thai restaurants for us. When we went to Hot Wok Cafe and Restaurant I was salivating for a Pad Thai dish because I’ve been to a Southeast Asian and Thai restaurant a week before just to look for that specific Pad Thai flavor I’ve been craving for.

I’ve been especially looking for the complex flavor of Pad Thai. The herby taste, the crunch from the beansprout and peanuts, the subtle but musky taste of Thai fish sauce, and the complex sweetness, and sourness from the tamarind paste and lime, and spiciness from the chilies.

While their Chicken Pad Thai was not the taste I was looking for, it absolutely was delicious. It lacked the complex flavor of sweet and sour that ultimately leaves a burning sensation on the tongue from the chilies. It also lacked nuttiness and crunch from the bean sprouts.

However, what it had was a more Filipino-adjacent profile than a Thai one. It was delicious because its flavors were closer to a Filipino pancit with some Thai flavorings. It was savorier. I think what ultimately made it more Filipino in flavor was the addition of the bell peppers. The spice was also tolerable, with around a 1.5/5 spice rating.

It’s delicious but not the flavors I was looking for. I think this would appeal more and would gather a lot of fans from people who are new to Thai dishes. It’s a good exposure to the flavor as it’s closer to Filipino palate but also introduces Thai flavors. It’s also great because it has a lot of noodles, and for P295 a dish, it can already be shared between 2-3 people.

Tom Yum Soup – 8.3/10

Rating: 8.5, 8

Honestly, this is my first time trying a Tom Yum soup, and it would probably become a staple for the next orders to come when dining at a Thai restaurant. I absolutely like it! There’s something really comforting about it. It’s spicy yet sour like a sinigang but entirely different. It’s herbier but not the usual Filipino herbs we’re used to.

This dish (and this particular iteration) is definitely for people trying Thai food for the first time. It is, however, a spicy dish and I’d probably rate the spiciness a 2.5/5. It is a good dish to eat when you’re having a cold because the heat could unclog a runny nose.

It would have scored much higher if it had more chicken and vegetables. Overall, it is already generous enough for P295. Also, since it was my first time, it took me more sips and slurps from the soup to actually enjoy the dish. It took me some getting used to the flavors before my mind decided that I absolutely like it.

Perhaps, after trying more iterations from different restaurants, I’ll be able to taste this with a more evolved palate and determine whether Hot Wok Cafe’s version is truly the superior iteration in Davao. But for now, I’ll leave it with a score of 8.5/10, bringing the average to 8.3/10 between the two raters.

Crying Tiger Beef – 8/10

Rating: 8, 8

Crying Tiger Beef is a Thai beef dish. This dish has multiple folk tales linked to how the name came about. Some say that it is called Crying Tiger because it’s too spicy; others say it’s so good that it makes a tiger cry. Another lore says it’s called Crying Tiger because it’s so fatty that the dripping oil resembles the tears of a tiger. If you’ve been to Thailand or met someone who comes explaining the name, you may hear different versions of its origin.

What remains true is that the dish highlights two main things: the beef brisket and its dipping sauce called Nam Jim Jeaw.

Hot Wok’s Crying Tiger Beef can make you cry because it’s so good. The beef is amazingly tender. For a P495 beef dish, and with such an umami-bomb-flavored dish, you’re definitely getting what you paid for. What’s refreshing about this dish is that the dipping sauce isn’t your typical Western butter-heavy dipping sauce. It’s tangy, sweet, and has the right balance of spice. It has a subtle yet distinct tamarind flavor, bringing a tangy note to the dish. It’s quite refreshing to taste something new and different from the usual steak sauces. The only thing that would have made this dish better is if it weren’t too salty, and this dish would have scored much higher.

Thai Milk Tea – 8.8/10

Rating: 8.5, 9

I’ve been looking for the best Thai Milk Tea in Davao City. I’ve tried some Thai milk tea versions, but a lot of them were heavy on the sugar. It’s drowning in sweetness, so the essence and flavor of the Thai tea isn’t the core of the flavor. I had the impression it would be the same with Hot Wok’s, but I was so wrong.

For P95 and enough time to allow the ice to dilute and chill the drink, it gives a really strong Thai tea flavor. Its rich tea flavor shines and overpowers the sweetness. It’s richer and darker. It’s enjoyable and has a perfect, simple blend to it. A refreshing drink to counter all that hot, spicy stuff we ate.

Restaurant Rating – 4.5/5

Want me to review a restaurant you’re hesitant to try? Recommend it in the comments. If you like this post, please like, share, and follow EatsMeJax! on Facebook.