Nara Thai Cuisine’s has once again earned the prestigious Thai Select Seal, a distinguished certification granted by the Royal Thai Government to restaurants that exemplify authentic Thai cuisine and hospitality.
This marks the third time the restaurant has received the honor, following previous awards in 2019 and 2022.
The award was officially presented on August 18, 2025, by Her Excellency Makawadee Sumitmor, Ambassador of the Royal Thai Embassy, in recognition of the restaurant’s unwavering dedication to maintaining the authenticity, flavors, and cultural richness of Thai culinary tradition.
NARA THAI: FROM BANGKOK TO MANILA
Nara Thai Cuisine opened its first Manila branch on February 22, 2018, at SM Mega Fashion Hall.
The Bangkok-based restaurant, founded in Thailand in 2006, was brought to the Philippines by Sheila Romero and the Roku restaurant group.
In an interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), Romero said she wanted to make an authentic Thai dining experience more accessible, which led her to introduce the brand locally.
She said, "In 2017 kasi there were only a few good Thai places and you have to go inside a hotel like Benjarong. But for the malls there's really not much. That's why I set up this."
Sheila prides herself on sourcing ingredients from Bangkok to preserve the dishes' authentic flavors.
"I think we're one of the authentic ones," she told PEP.
"Our ingredients are from Bangkok. And we try to be true to the Thai taste. Even if we are a franchise, my rule is we have to be the same as what they have in Bangkok."
And staying true to those roots has paid off.
She continued: "When you go there... and I've heard a lot of people say, 'This is the same or even better in some dishes, like the one in Bangkok.'
"And at the end of the day, food is the core of a restaurant business."
For Sheila, food is everything: "Even if your service is impeccable but the food is not okay, then it's still not really a successful one.
"So it's a marriage but I'm proud of the food. The ambassador is here and getting a nod from her, of course, is really important to us."
Like many restaurants, Nara Thai faced major challenges during the pandemic.
Sheila made the tough choice to keep staff employed even when the business was only breaking even.
"At the end of the day during the pandemic, what's important is we're able to support our people also.
"It was a very difficult decision but at the end even if we were that time we were just doing break-even as long as our people would have their jobs, that was what's important to me."
That commitment helped the brand survive and rebound.
The post-pandemic period also became an opportunity to refresh the menu.
"After that [the pandemic], it was actually good because we kinda rebranded in a way, offering new dishes," Sheila said.
"Everyone is, like, new. It was all new again. Even if they tried it in 2018 but in 2021 when everything was opened, it seemed fresh again. So it did as well. I'm happy."
To diversify revenue and reach more customers, Nara Thai expanded into catering and food trays, and doubled down on delivery.
"We're expanding the catering. We have food trays. We can do customized tasting menus.
"We're also really aggressive with the food deliveries, bringing authentic Thai food in your doorstep, the convenience of everything. That's what we are doing now."
NARA THAI: MUST-TRIES
Trying a new cuisine can be daunting, but if you want to explore Nara Thai Cuisine, here are some must-try dishes.
YUM PHAK KHOM
For starters, Yum Phak Khom (Fried Spinach Leaves served with Minced Pork & Spicy Lime Dip, PHP350) is a delightful crunchfest — delicately fried spinach leaves that stay light and crisp, perfectly paired with a bold minced pork and prawn chili-lime dip.
TOM KAHED TAO HOO
If Tom Yum’s heat isn’t for you, try the Tom Kahed Tao Hoo (Tofu and Straw Mushroom in Coconut Soup, PHP430). Creamy and mildly sweet from the coconut milk, it gently soaks into the bite-size tofu and mushrooms for a comforting, soothing bowl—light on spice but big on flavor.
PAD THAI
Of course, the Nara Thai experience isn’t complete without the Pad Thai (PHP540), which according to Sheila is "voted as one of Manila’s best." Nara Thai's Pad Thai is a crowd-pleaser: chewy rice noodles tossed in a savory-sweet sauce, finished with bright lime, crunchy peanuts, and springy shrimp.
GAI HOR BAI TOEI
Chicken is always a safe choice, and the Gai Hor Bai Toei (Thai Pandan-Wrapped Chicken, PHP480) at Nara delivers. Fragrant pandan leaves seal in juicy, tender chicken with a subtle sweetness and aromatic grassiness.
MASSAMAN NUEA HONG
For curry fans, the Massaman Nuea Hong (Massaman Beef, PHP850) is a must-try — its slow-braised beef is meltingly tender, simmered in a rich, slightly sweet coconut-based curry layered with warm spices (cardamom, cinnamon), roasted peanuts and potatoes. The result is deeply savory yet gentle on the palate, perfect with steamed rice.
MANGO STICKY RICE
For dessert, Mango Sticky Rice (PHP350) is the classic finish: sweet, perfectly ripe mango slices paired with warm, slightly salty coconut-infused sticky rice.
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