Asian restaurant operator Mango Tree Worldwide has revitalized its flagship restaurant in Manila with a new interior design, additional facilities, and a new menu that reflects the increasingly adventurous appetites of modern diners.

Mango Tree has been established in the Philippines for eight years and operates full-service restaurants and bistros in Manila, Quezon City, and Iloilo City. Now, as part of a global strategy to enhance the quality and originality of Thai cuisine worldwide, the company has selected the Philippines as the launch pad for its new culinary concept.

Following its upgrade, the Mango Tree restaurant in Manila now features a full bar and a unique solarium to maximize the outdoor area. Diners will now enter through the solarium and immediately see the bar, which connects to a high-ceiling restaurant full of plants and greenery.

Other features include a show kitchen, special wine room to present vintages that pair well with Thai food, a rattan centerpiece in the middle situated on black and white tiling, semi-private booth seating ideal for restaurant views, and an upstairs area that has been enclosed for private functions of up to 50 people. A touch of modernity is also introduced in new uniforms for staff with colorful sash belts.

“We know dining is not just about the food—but the experience—and we are looking to stay ahead of the curve, innovate, evolve, and create more exciting experiences for our existing and new customers,” says Trevor MacKenzie, Mango Tree’s global managing director.

Other dishes include an imported Thai green mango salad from the northeastern region with bird eye chili, shallots, and crushed peanut sesame brittle; Northern Thai style curry stew with kurobuta pork belly, and a Chiang Mai style aromatic curry with slow roasted pork belly and pickled garlic

Following the revamp of Mango Tree in Manila, the company’s flagship outlet in Hong Kong will be the next location to be refreshed.

The culinary side has also been given a refresh with a menu defined by personality and preference. One section is for the “purist,” defined as diners who appreciate traditional Thai cuisine and the “adventurous,” or those in search of new tastes from the four regional cuisines of Thailand.

“We know dining is not just about the food—but the experience—and we are looking to stay ahead of the curve, innovate, evolve, and create more exciting experiences for our existing and new customers,” says Trevor MacKenzie, Mango Tree’s global managing director.

“Many culinary enthusiasts in the Philippines have traveled to Thailand and experienced Thai cuisine firsthand, and they now want to enjoy the same dishes back home. The refreshed Mango Tree in Manila will reflect the trend towards genuine Thai dining, with a menu that is faithful to the regional flavors of the Kingdom,” says MacKenzie.

From the crispy rice crackers with ancient Thai relishes (Khao Tang Na Tang and Nam Prik Noom) from Central and Northern Thailand to more modern Thai interpretations such as watermelon salad with dried shrimp floss (Tangmo Goong Haeng), which was served in the royal palaces of Thailand, the two categories on the menu will offer different insights into the culinary culture of one of the world’s greatest cuisines.

Mango Tree Worldwide has enjoyed a successful year in 2018, opening 12 new outlets worldwide. It now operates approximately 70 restaurant outlets in 14 countries under a series of distinctive brands, all of which specialize in authentic Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine. Mango Tree is now on track to achieve its target of reaching 100 restaurant outlets worldwide by 2020.