Celebrity Chef Tatung Sarthou's Pandan Cafe turns 3
MANILA, Philippines — Pandan Asian Café has just turned three, and its co-owner and chef patron, Chef Myke "Tatung" Sarthou, could not be happier.
Reputed to be one of the best chefs in the metro, and a multi-awarded cookbook author and YouTube sensation, too, for his "Simpol" recipes, Chef Tatung has been able to successfully launch many Filipino concept restaurants through the years. These include his own Chef Tatung’s private dining place in Antipolo, Rizal, and his most recent one, Lore, in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
Pandan Asian Café, which he launched on January 21, 2020, was his big chance to prove that his culinary magic also works with Asian food. That was a difficult time, with the pandemic coming right after the restaurant opened, and the strictly enforced lockdown in Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces imposed difficult regulations on restaurant operations. He had business partners — Yong Nieva, Ivy Almario, Rolando Poderoso, Dennis and Emily Macalinat, and Alvin and Carla Fortuna — and they all felt the whiplash of the pandemic, but kept on. The sacrifice proved to be worth it, and business kept improving as the government found ways to open the economy little by little. Now that normal restaurant operations are back, Pandan is thriving once again, proving that Asian food, as in really good Asian food, truly has its place in the metro.
“I created Pandan because I wanted to do something different. I’ve always been known to do Filipino restaurants, but I felt that Southeast Asian cuisine was so connected to our roots, and that really fascinated and challenged me,” explained Chef Tatung.
Pandan Asian Café is not a fusion restaurant. It offers classics, favorites from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
“We stay true to the original recipes but, yes, we toned down the spiciness of some dishes to suit the Filipino palate,” said Chef Tatung.
Among the best-sellers of the restaurant are Laksa, Pad Thai, Beef Rendang, Pandan Chicken, Kare-Kare, and its Vietnamese appetizer platter. The kitchen team has pretty steady hands and turn out consistently excellent plates of these best-sellers (and the rest of the menu items) every time an order is placed. To make sure that the quality does not slide, Chef Tatung personally monitors. He drops by the restaurant regularly, since his office/studio is just a few blocks away from the restaurant. He dines there regularly, so he would know if something slips from the standards. He has been very satisfied with his kitchen team’s performance, so far.
Pandan Asian Café is located at 76 Scout Limbaga, Tomas Morato, Quezon City; with contact number 0917-7748999.
