A New Spot for Some Thai Food
Fresh from a Michelin Bib Gourmand, Some Thai opens its second branch with exclusive Podium offerings.
Words Tedrick Yau
Photos courtesy of Some Thai
January 09, 2025
Some Thai and Chef Jorge Mendez are on a roll! After receiving a 2026 Michelin Bib Gourmand in the guide’s first Philippine edition, the restaurant recently opened its second branch at The Podium. I queued before at the first branch in Tomas Morato and instantly appreciated Chef Jorge’s bold take on Thai cuisine and the very fancy plating of the signature dishes. At the newly opened branch, I was able to sample not just the dishes that made me first love the restaurant, but also exclusive dishes made specifically for the new branch that I definitely would order again.
Chef Jorge Mendez
My all-time favorite was the Son and Raw Egg, the restaurant’s playful yet unique version of Thailand’s famous Son-in-Law Eggs. Instead of the traditional soft or hard boiled eggs drizzled with sweet and sour tamarind sauce, this version fries eggs to a fluffy cake like look, served atop the sweet and savory sauce, and garnished with cilantro, shallots, and cherry tomato. The Crab Curry was a savory delight made sweet with chunks of crab meat, served complete with a cooked crab head. As always, it paired perfectly with Steamed Pandan Rice. Som Tum or Papaya Salad is definitely a dish I order whenever I am in Thailand. At Some Thai, the Papaya Salad station, inspired by the food carts in Bangkok, made that favorite appetizer I always crave for. The station was complete with fresh ingredients from the shredded green papaya, carrots, kyuri, dried shrimp, garlic, string beans, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and peeled peanuts, all tossed together in a sweet, sour, and savory som tum sauce. One dish that I could not get over was the clean-tasting and very delish Steamed Seabass. Its elegance, subtlety, and fragrance is the result of steaming the whole fish in lemongrass, cilantro, garlic, ginger, red chili, and lime - all crucial ingredients that Thai cooking is known for.
Going to The Podium exclusives, I thoroughly enjoyed the Gaitod. Thai style fried chicken is distinct with its extra crispy texture outside while still maintaining the tenderness of the meat. Some Thai got theirs right with slices that are crunchy with every bite. Each order is topped with fried shallots, garlic chips, and cilantro, served with an original sauce of savory with a slight hint of spice and sweet. The Dry Tom Yum Noodles was quite unexpected. I love Tom Yum Goong to the point that I would usually have more than a bowl per Thai meal. This dry version made me appreciate the flavors of Tom Yum infused in a seafood glass noodle dish, cooked with squid, mussels, and, an essential ingredient in Tom Yum, prawn. The taste was made fresh with cilantro, lime juice, and kaffir. Lastly, the Khanom Kho made me reminisce about the two trips I made to Bangkok in 2025. I regularly ordered this from my usual street food vendor at the corner of our hotel in Chit Lom, Bangkok. Some Thai’s version of the pandan coconut dumplings brought back warm and comforting memories I had while appreciating my meals in Bangkok. Each soft piece floating on coconut sauce had a nutty and sweet taste, infusing the Filipino panutsa in each dumpling.
With the addition of this new branch and menu offerings, Chef Jorge further showcased his expertise with Asian food. Now offering a bigger seating capacity at The Podium, fans of the restaurant might not need to queue that long for a table. The dishes are still familiar, the ones I have loved from the first branch, with new offerings that give more excitement to its modern take on Thai cuisine.
