DOUBLE IT UP OR GET AN EXTRA RICE
by Louie P. Oviedo

S.R. Thai Cuisine Restaurant in Pilar Hidalgo Lim Street in Malate is a small restaurant with not more than twenty tables and white walls almost stark naked if not for past newspaper clippings of S.R.'s press releases from various newspapers within the frames hanging there. With less than one hundred pesos, you can get one of their S.R. specialties which is worth Php60 and a drink (Php15 for the softdrink in cans and Iced Tea; Php12 for a 12 oz. Cup of mineral water with free refill). However, I would advise you to either get an extra rice or ask them to double your order.

My S.R. Fried Seafood with Chili Milk Sauce barely touched the bottom of my stomach. The meal was good but their serving contains more green sili than seafoods. Be warned that of all the meals, this is the spiciest of them all so better be ready to heat up and cry. Well, eating this dish almost brought me to tears.

My friend ordered the S.R. Seafood Fried Rice, according to the waiter (who I suspect to be the manager because he talks too much), is ordered by 8 out of 10 of their customers. When I asked my friend if I could have one scoop of it for me to taste, I regretted ordering my Seafood with Chili Milk Sauce. He added spices that suits his tolerance to spice. It was seasoned well and sweetened so that the spice blends well with its sweetness.

My sister had the S.R Sizzling Beef---she was never fond of anything spicy, anyway. The beef was thinly sliced, seasoned and looked dry amidst the fat that surrounds it on the sizzling plate. It tasted good but for me the beef looked small.

When I was still in college, another friend of mine had his lunch from S.R. Katipunan's take out counter. Their serving was good for two people---almost all the people from our class took turns to taste his lunch and he still felt full by the end of his meal. Now, I suggest you double your order if you're male or if you're female with an appetite as big as mine, ask for extra rice if doubling your meal looks like it can destroy both your figure and your diet.

For less than Php100 you can get a full meal that is within your budget but with Php200 you'll get the full-feel your stomach is asking from you.