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Manila Bulletin devider Lifestyle devider Food devider Some more Thai from Chef Jorge Mendez

Some more Thai from Chef Jorge Mendez

Published Dec 13, 2025 07:24 pm
By Treena Tecson
Some Thai is the neighborhood restaurant located in Tomas Morato, Quezon City that quickly become one of Metro Manila's most talked about Thai restaurants when it was recently recognized with a Michelin Bib Gourmand Award. The concept started with Chef Jorge Mendez’ dream to open a restaurant that would showcase all of his family’s favorite Thai dishes in one menu. Chef Mendez shared that his mother worked as a teacher in Thailand and they would travel to Bangkok 4 to 5 times a year to relax and enjoy the cuisine. Chef Jorge had this today when asked about the restaurant’s concept “Why Some Thai? It's because it's not really authentic. It's something Thai. It's like a foreigner going to Bangkok and getting inspired and then wants to build or come up with a restaurant in Manila.”
Known for its playful personality, flavor-forward dishes and inventive take on Thai cuisine, the new location at the 2nd level of the Podium Mall in Ortigas is a milestone that allows Chef Mendez to share what makes the Some Thai concept one that is close to his heart.
Officially opened on December 10, diners can expect to taste Chef Jorge’s take on Thai flavors and enjoy dishes exclusively available at The Podium branch. A media preview event was held early this December to celebrate the opening of the new location. Guests were welcomed with a first taste of the snack collaboration between Cibo and Some Thai. Cibo’s famous potato chips, seasoned with aromatic kaffir salt, paired with an addictingly delicious Tom Yum Mayo Dip, an inventive combination to get us started.
Chef Mendez, the culinary force behind the brand shared information about the brand's growth and how the Podium branch represents a confident new chapter that reflects the restaurant’s evolution yet staying true to the flavors that made it a foodie favorite.
Lunch opened with three appetizers. We enjoyed the Papaya Salad with Salmon, an elevated version which showcased salmon instead of the usual grilled chicken or pork. Chef Jorge had a creative take on the popular Son-In-Law Eggs which is traditionally deep-fried hard-boiled eggs topped with sweet and sour sauce. We were presented with an elegantly plated, light and fluffy version of the dish topped with a raw egg, dubbed Son and Raw Egg. The Hamachi in Nam Jin Sauce was my favorite because the fresh fish was beautifully complemented with the bright flavors of the sauce topped with fried shallots and Ikura.
Standout dishes included the Dry Tom Yum Noodles which was a delicious serving of silky noodles coated in Tom Yum Sauce and topped with a bounty of the freshest seafood such as prawns, mussels and squid. Another star of the show was the Premium Tom Yum Soup overflowing with tiger prawns, squid, blue crab and mussels in a flavorful broth made with lemongrass, ginger, kaffir leaves, tomato, lime and cilantro. Everyone enjoyed the soup because it was so soothing and flavorful. Equally deserving of praise would be the Crab Curry made with prawn oil, egg and a generous serving of lump crab meat which we paired with Seafood Fried Rice. The surprise dish of the day was the Steamed Seabass, which had bright flavors from lemongrass, cilantro and lime.
Chef Jorge introduced Podium-exclusive dishes, the first of which was the Gaitod, Some Thai’s take on Thai fried chicken. This crispy and juicy dish is topped fried garlic and shallots and served with a slightly sweet and spicy aromatic dipping sauce. Khanom Kho (Pandan Coconut Dumplings) is another Podium exclusive. This dessert offered a warm, nostalgic finish to our meal. Soft pandan rice dumplings combined in a sweet coconut milk soup. A Thai meal would not be complete without everyone’s favorite Thai dessert, Mango Stick Rice, presented with beautifully fanned slices of mango served with a coconut cream sauce.
Refreshing drinks were on the menu - Thai Red Milk Tea and Podium exclusive - Pandan Lime Ale, a crisp and zesty with a hint of pandan, were also served to complement the menu items.
The newest Some Thai location is designed to accommodate a total of 54 guests. This includes a 10-seat Private Dining Room and 44 seats in the main dining area.
Some Thai at The Podium promises a memorable dining experience, delivering on the brand's signature bold Thai flavors, creative flair, and distinctly innovative take on Thai cuisine.
For information: https://www.instagram.com/somethaiph
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