More than a decade ago, a simple restaurant set “amidst the rice fields” in the outskirts of Iloilo City created quite a buzz among Ilonggo foodies. But first, finding its location posed a major challenge to those who wanted to discover and experience what the fuss was all about. When chances seem bleak, out of nowhere - rows of parked cars and patrons spilling over reveal the open secret!
Peppy Thai Deli is the brainchild of former missionaries who served in Thailand before. Upon retirement they decided to bring their experience to Iloilo in the form of gastronomy. The restaurant was originally located in Sambag, Jaro (then moved in the Desamparados area). The concept of the Gequillana family serving a foreign cuisine “turo-turo” style revolutionized the Iloilo dining scene. It was by then Ilonggos have tasted authentic Thai cuisine from those who actually know the taste by heart and lived the art of cooking.
Thai cuisine is among the most celebrated in the world and Ilonggos, who are attuned to La Paz batchoy, chicken inasal, a galore of seafoods and other native delicacies, embraced this foreign cooking as if their own. Thanks to Peppy Thai Deli’s signature turo-turo display, one doesn’t have to spend much time asking “what this and how’s that” – those puzzling foreign terms!
Take nam tok for example, only those adept with the language or really Thai food enthusiasts would know it refers cold pork strips salad with a sour and spicy dressing. Full of flavour, one might easily forget the fact it’s just an appetizer for it goes well with hot steaming rice!
Or one might prefer khao phat – Thai fried rice. Customarily served with fresh calamansi, cucumber and spring onions with (or without) egg.
Kai ho bai toei may seem vague but it’s actually among the most recognizable - pieces of marinated chicken are wrapped in fragrant pandan leaves and then deep fried.
Then there’s the papered squid. As the name suggests almost paper thin its squid fried to crunchy perfection partnered with sweet and chili sauce. So popular, it is even sold ready-to-cook at the restaurant.
Familiar specialties would include Thai pork barbecue, fried tofu with vegetables in savoury sauce and beef & pork curries (which are coconut milk based).
Soups and noodle dishes like tom yam, tom chute and pad Thai are also available upon order. There’s a lot more on their display, just make “turo-turo” on those that your eyes gets to “taste” first. But be sure to be there early for lunch or dinner - come later and you’ll have to content with limited choices.
The restaurant is being managed by Mr. Judson Gequillana (son of the missionary couple) and his wife Janet Marie. Early this year, Peppy Thai Deli moved to a bigger and better location - the chic Plazuela de Iloilo strip mall. With an air conditioned dining area that seats around twenty five and an open-air section double that capacity, it’s years away from the rustic ambiance of its two previous locations.
“But everything still’s the same” says Mr. Gequillana. “We still have the turo-turo set-up, those hats that serve as order numbers and the same authentic and delicious Thai cuisine Ilonggos learned to love all these years”. Even the furnishings seem familiar to regular patrons.
How about the price, which is inadmittedly among the restaurants drawing factors before? “We have a (higher) rent to pay plus a new set up and air conditioning too.” discloses Mrs. Janet Marie Gequillana “But we’ve adjusted it to make the ends meet at the same time still manageable for our patrons.” The restaurant is open at lunchtime (around 11am to 2pm) and serves the evening patrons from 6pm until the food lasts.
For a simple and no-nonsense restaurant serving foreign cuisine to the discriminating Ilonggos, to last more than ten years is really one big feat. With a lot of batchoyans, inasalans, seafood and fast food restaurants enticing the hungry and budget conscious, one may ask how it survived in Iloilo’s “hostile” food scene…
… There must something about Peppy Thai Deli – and that’s what you need to discover yourself.
Peppy Thai Deli is the brainchild of former missionaries who served in Thailand before. Upon retirement they decided to bring their experience to Iloilo in the form of gastronomy. The restaurant was originally located in Sambag, Jaro (then moved in the Desamparados area). The concept of the Gequillana family serving a foreign cuisine “turo-turo” style revolutionized the Iloilo dining scene. It was by then Ilonggos have tasted authentic Thai cuisine from those who actually know the taste by heart and lived the art of cooking.On the menu
Thai cuisine is among the most celebrated in the world and Ilonggos, who are attuned to La Paz batchoy, chicken inasal, a galore of seafoods and other native delicacies, embraced this foreign cooking as if their own. Thanks to Peppy Thai Deli’s signature turo-turo display, one doesn’t have to spend much time asking “what this and how’s that” – those puzzling foreign terms!
Take nam tok for example, only those adept with the language or really Thai food enthusiasts would know it refers cold pork strips salad with a sour and spicy dressing. Full of flavour, one might easily forget the fact it’s just an appetizer for it goes well with hot steaming rice!
Or one might prefer khao phat – Thai fried rice. Customarily served with fresh calamansi, cucumber and spring onions with (or without) egg.Kai ho bai toei may seem vague but it’s actually among the most recognizable - pieces of marinated chicken are wrapped in fragrant pandan leaves and then deep fried.
Then there’s the papered squid. As the name suggests almost paper thin its squid fried to crunchy perfection partnered with sweet and chili sauce. So popular, it is even sold ready-to-cook at the restaurant.Familiar specialties would include Thai pork barbecue, fried tofu with vegetables in savoury sauce and beef & pork curries (which are coconut milk based).
Soups and noodle dishes like tom yam, tom chute and pad Thai are also available upon order. There’s a lot more on their display, just make “turo-turo” on those that your eyes gets to “taste” first. But be sure to be there early for lunch or dinner - come later and you’ll have to content with limited choices.
Moving on
The restaurant is being managed by Mr. Judson Gequillana (son of the missionary couple) and his wife Janet Marie. Early this year, Peppy Thai Deli moved to a bigger and better location - the chic Plazuela de Iloilo strip mall. With an air conditioned dining area that seats around twenty five and an open-air section double that capacity, it’s years away from the rustic ambiance of its two previous locations.
“But everything still’s the same” says Mr. Gequillana. “We still have the turo-turo set-up, those hats that serve as order numbers and the same authentic and delicious Thai cuisine Ilonggos learned to love all these years”. Even the furnishings seem familiar to regular patrons.
How about the price, which is inadmittedly among the restaurants drawing factors before? “We have a (higher) rent to pay plus a new set up and air conditioning too.” discloses Mrs. Janet Marie Gequillana “But we’ve adjusted it to make the ends meet at the same time still manageable for our patrons.” The restaurant is open at lunchtime (around 11am to 2pm) and serves the evening patrons from 6pm until the food lasts.For a simple and no-nonsense restaurant serving foreign cuisine to the discriminating Ilonggos, to last more than ten years is really one big feat. With a lot of batchoyans, inasalans, seafood and fast food restaurants enticing the hungry and budget conscious, one may ask how it survived in Iloilo’s “hostile” food scene…
… There must something about Peppy Thai Deli – and that’s what you need to discover yourself.
This article appeared on the Lifestyle Section of the The News Today last March 3, 2011
under yours truly's column entitled FLAVORS.
under yours truly's column entitled FLAVORS.