The much-celebrated chef of Mōdan opens a casual eatery along Tomas Morato in Quezon City
Known more for his reinterpretations of Japanese classics, both in his high-concept chef’s table Mōdan and casual dining Ohayo, chef Jorge Mendez now boldly ventures into Thai cuisine with Some Thai.
While Mendez cooking pad Thai and red curry might be new to his usual clientele, these flavours are not at all unfamiliar to him. Aside from his many travels to Thailand in the past where he got to sample the local cuisine, the women in his life are huge fans of Thai food. “When we go out to eat as a family, no-fail,” chef Jorge chuckles, “both my mom and my wife Cheenee will request for Thai food.”
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Although located in one of the busiest commercial areas in Quezon City, his new Tomas Morato outpost is hard to miss from the street with its bright red facade. This location used to house another business owned by one of Mendez’s partners in Ohayo. When that business closed shop they made the quick decision to open this Thai concept which has been on the back burner for quite some time. “We already had the recipes with us for many years,” he admits. “So, when my business partner’s Korean hotdog place closed down, we suddenly had a location. We quickly went to work on Some Thai and it was ready within a couple of months.”
Chef Mendez will be the first to say that his Thai food is not authentic. His cooking style clearly shows how he enjoys applying irreverent twists on traditional dishes, whether it be Japanese (Ohayo, Mōdan), Mexican (Tadeo Fil-Mex), and now, Some Thai. The aromas and flavours are unmistakable, but one might notice small tweaks which this chef feels are beneficial to the dish.
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