Not Just Some Thai Restaurant: New QC Spot From Modan Chef

Some Thai contact details

195 Tomas Morato Avenue, Laging Handa, Quezon City 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/somethaiph
Open Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

(SPOT.ph) There's no end of tasty eats and drinks in Quezon City's Tomas Morato area. Cruising along the roads some evening—as smoothly as you possibly can in the high-traffic area—you might spot a bright red signage spelling out Some Thai. Sure, you can continue on to your old tried-and tested resto, but trust us when we say is worth the try, and might quickly dethrone the ol' dependables on your list.

Also read: Memories Are Pieced Into Modern Japanese Plates at This New QC Private-Dining Spot

What to know about Some Thai restaurant in Timog, Quezon City

This new resto is brought to us by Jorge Mendez, the same guy behind Cubao fine-dining spot Modan and  the Ohayo Maki and Ramen Bar. While we may know his restos for bringing us top-notch Japanese comfort and cool new eats, he delves into a different cuisine for his latest—all while bringing the quality he's already established.

Mendez decided to go Thai for this new spot thanks to his close ties to the country. As he shares with SPOT.ph, he and his family would regularly visit relatives in Bangkok, a custom that started when his mother went to teach in Thailand for a few years. There, he'd go to the less popular food spots, the ones that are as truly Thai as it can get. "Kasi since we have a relative, they know where we're going to get food," he says. 

Just don't take that to mean that Some Thai touts the word "authentic" here on our shores. Instead, Mendez has created a menu that shines the light on his favorites, mixing different ingredients and styles but always managing to keep some Thai about it. Hence the name. 

"For me kasi, Thai food is a combination of sour, salty, sweet, and spicy," Mendez says. "This is my version of it."

What to eat at Some Thai restaurant: Menu, Prices

Thai classics: Tom Yum (Starts at P480), Pad Thai (P350/Solo), Mango Sticky Rice (P250)

What makes Some Thai special is that you can get all your faves under one roof. As Mendez shares, they noticed that in Thailand, each resto would have their own specialty so if you wanted Pad Thai, you go to one spot, and for Tom Yum, you'd go to another. In Some Thai, Mendez was able to put it all under one roof. 

The Tom Yum (P480/two persons, P990/four persons, P2,700/six persons) comes served in a heated bowl, so you know you'll get that soul- and tummy-warming sip everytime. With fresh seafood, lemongrass, spices, and all that, in a rich broth that leans more towards the creaminess of gata, cut with spice and sourness, their take on Tom Yum is an absolute yes in our books. 

The Pad Thai (P350/solo, P650/sharing) is a true measure of any Thai restaurant. And in Some Thai, they level things up by giving you some leeway for customization. The chewy rice noodles are encased in a little egg basket, which you can break to mix in however much of the nuts and chillies you want. With its sticky sweet sauce, cut with a savory undertone of patis, mixing in with all the spices, seafood, and bits of tofu, this Pad Thai is a heavier take than usual. 

And now, everyone's favorite: the Mango Sticky Rice (P250). Mendez made sure not to hurry this sweet treat, making sure that they got the rice just right by cooking it in coconut milk, too. And with a generous topping of ripe mango, a bit of crunch from krispies, and a thick, slightly sweet, coconut milk sauce, this sticky rice is everything you could dream of and more. 

The new favorites: Crab Curry (Starts at P850), Son and Raw Egg (P300)

At the top of the list of things that aren't authentically Thai but bridge back to the cuisine's flavors and Mendez' Japanese influences are two cold appetizers: the Hamachi in Namjin Sauce (P550) and Salmon and Mango, Coconut Lime Vinaigrette (P550). True to Thai food, these plates taste as good as they look. The first plate of fresh yellowtail slices swimming in Nam Jin, or Thai chili sauce, mixes the meaty fish with zest, topped off with a burst of brine from ikura. Then on the lighter end of the spectrum is its fraternal twin, the salmon appetizer. Almost buttery slices of salmon meld perfectly with bright mango and coconut vinaigrette, complemented by an added layer from kaffir lime, on a plate that's sure to cheer you up. Both come with bits of chili, so you never forget the Thai love for spice. 

For a no-fail plate, order the Tom Yum Fried Chicken (P350). Think your fave Korean-style fried chicken, only in a tangy, sticky Tom Yum Sauce. While if you're in it to really treat yourself, get the 48-hour Beef Short Rib Curry (P980). This more delicate take on the typically heavy dish uses slices of tender, slow-cooked short rib framing a bed of thick and flavorful vibrant curry; the depth and fat of what is basically roast beef combines with the spice-filled sauce in a way that will have you wanting more.

The Son and Raw Egg (P300) is a showstopper, with the name alone sure to have you doing a double-take at the menu. This dish is Some Thai's own take on the popular Son-in-Law Egg of Thailand, a dish that mixes hard-boiled eggs with sweet, sour, salty tamarind sauce. At Some Thai, you get a crisp-outside-fluffy-outside omelette of egg whites, topped by an egg yolk. the tamarind sauce is poured on, and you're meant to mix it all together with spices, tomatoes, cucumber, annd all that goodness. What you get is a wild mix of textures and flavors you wouldn't think possible with such straightforward ingredients. 

A peak example of this resto's new take on Thai cuisine is Crab Curry (Starts at P850), which takes a base of fluffy egg curry cooked in a shrimp bisque, mixed with curry and coconut milk, then topped with chunks of fresh crab meat. It's every bit as flavorful and deep as it sounds. 

Photos by Kai Huang