On Jan. 16, the DJ booth at GotSoul MNL was not occupied by a resident selector or guest spinner. It was Chef Chele Gonzales himself, easing into a set as plates of tapas circulated the room and vinyl-lined walls framed the space in warm light.

The soft launch, called “Whisper Mode,” offered a first look at the new urban listening space tucked inside Forbes Town, Bonifacio Global City, a concept built around food, music, and community

From the start of the evening, it was clear the venue was designed as much for sound as it was for dining. Conversations flowed easily over carefully curated DJ sets, the acoustics crisp but never overpowering. Circular tables encouraged sharing, while booth-style seating created pockets of intimacy, ideal for dates, after-work gatherings, and long nights with friends.

The energy felt relaxed and social, a welcome change in a city crowded with dining concepts chasing spectacle.

At the heart of GotSoul MNL is its hi-fi listening setup, anchored by two sound systems, including vintage Altec Lansing A5 speakers paired with modern amplifiers and contemporary quadraphonic sound.

The DJ booth, framed by shelves of records, becomes both visual centerpiece and sonic command post.

Behind the project is a collective led by Filipino-Canadian DJ and producer Jojo Flores, founder of GotSoul Records, who previously launched Café GotSoul listening spaces in Montreal and Boracay before bringing the flagship Manila concept to life with partners Jason Soong, Chele Gonzales, Benjo Marquez, Manolet and Dee Dario, and JP Enriquez.

The idea is simple but carefully executed: soulful sound paired with thoughtful food and drinks, shifting from a daytime dining space into a tapas and listening bar by night.

For Chele, the kitchen reflects his own journey.

“It’s a community space, so we wanted, you know, the people, the connection is the love for music. It’s the music. And then everybody had to bring something to the table,” he said during the launch.

Each founder oversees a different element of the experience, from design to sound to beverages, while Chele curates both the menu and the music.

“And me, I’m in charge of the food, as well as the music,” he said. “But I don’t want to be called a chef here. This is a place I want to come and enjoy myself.”

The food leans into modern Spanish tapas layered with Filipino flavors, shaped by Chele’s 15 years living in the Philippines.

“I want to do tapas format, but in many ways blended with Filipino flavor,” he said. “For me now, it’s my comfort food. After 15 years in the Philippines, Spanish and Filipino are my comfort food.”

During the soft launch, the spread showcased the breadth of the tapas menu, beginning with cold and hot small plates meant for sharing. Standouts included the Jamon Explosion, a crisp bite of puffed bread topped with manchego mousse that lived up to its name, the Seafood Mousse Toast layered on ciabatta with chimichurri and cheddar, and the Chorizo Pintxos, a sweet-savory combination of chorizo mousse, manchego, honey, and walnut.

From the paella selection, the Chicken Inasal Paella stood out, blending smoky, familiar Filipino flavors with the comforting structure of Spanish rice dishes, a clear reflection of Chele’s cross-cultural approach.

Among the bigger plates, the Churrasco con Chimichurri delivered a satisfying contrast of smoky, well-seared skirt steak with bright herb sauce and crisp marble potatoes, while dessert ended on a high note with the Tarta de Chocolate, a rich, deeply flavored finale that balanced indulgence with restraint.

The flavors were familiar yet refreshed, deeply seasoned but not heavy, the kind of food that invites conversation rather than distraction. Plates came out steadily, encouraging grazing through the evening rather than a rushed, coursed affair.

Chele was clear about the direction.

“I want the food to be relaxed. And of course, creative,” he said. “I want the food to be inexpensive, relaxed, you know, and just good food. Something that you yourself can just relax in.”

The beverage program matches the same thoughtful approach. Among the highballs, the Funky Highball, made with Japanese whisky and Filipino ginger ale, delivered a clean, crisp lift that paired easily with the bold flavors of the tapas.

Among the cocktails, the Acid Jazz stood out, blending gin, calamansi, honey, and soda into a bright, lightly sweet drink that cut cleanly through the richness of the tapas.

The broader drink menu ranges from wine curated with sommeliers Cyril and Pierre Addision to cocktails inspired by Japanese hi-fi bar culture and accented with Filipino ingredients, alongside nonalcoholic sodas, kombuchas, and iced teas designed to carry the same soulful character from day to night .

Coffee, whisky, and tequila programs are set to launch next year, led by co-founders Benjo Marquez and JP Enriquez.

What ties everything together is the music. Sets flow across jazz, soul, funk, disco, house, and electronic, with selected nights featuring selectors who shape the evening’s energy around both sound and food.

As night deepens, the space gradually shifts from dining room to intimate dance floor, without losing its warmth.

There is no sense of formality here, no fine-dining stiffness.

“A lot of energy. Different. No fine dining,” Chele said, laughing.

That balance is what makes GotSoul MNL hit the right notes. The food stands strong on its own. The music is expertly curated and supported by serious sound engineering. And the overall vibe feels genuine rather than manufactured.

In a metro saturated with new openings and themed concepts, GotSoul MNL offers something refreshingly grounded, a place where people come for good plates, great tracks, and easy company, whether for a quiet date night, a post-office unwind, or a long evening with friends.

As Chele hinted before stepping back behind the DJ booth that night, this is the kind of space he built for himself as much as for guests.

“This one is just, you know, a place I want to enjoy,” he said

And judging by the crowd that lingered long after dinner plates were cleared, many felt the same way.