Some Thai Opens Third Branch at Opus Mall Bridgetowne with New Branch-Exclusive Menu

QUEZON CITY, May 29, 2026 — Some Thai, the Thai-inspired restaurant that opened its original branch in Tomas Morato two years ago and earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2025, has launched its third location on the ground floor of Opus Mall in Bridgetowne, Quezon City, a more polished and spatially considered expression of the brand that introduces branch-exclusive dishes alongside the established favourites that built the restaurant's following.

The new branch was opened by chef and restaurateur Jorge Mendez, who also operates Mugen Ramenya in Quezon City, and represents the next chapter in a brand story that began in a 20-something-seater restaurant and has grown steadily through a combination of genuine cooking and a clear creative identity rather than rapid commercial expansion.

The Opus Mall location is the brand's most visible site to date, positioned within one of Metro Manila's newest dining hubs and designed with a level of spatial ambition that reflects Some Thai's growing confidence as a restaurant group.

The Design at Some Thai Opus Mall: Woven Aesthetics and Leeroy New's Möbius Weave

The interior of the Opus Mall branch draws its design identity from the concept of weaving, a theme that runs from the sand-textured walls and street-like paving patterns on the floor to the lighting fixtures inspired by crab nets, which cast layered shadows that shift with the time of day. The space feels contemporary while remaining grounded in Southeast Asian visual references rather than reaching for a generic international aesthetic.

The centrepiece of the restaurant is a large-scale installation by Leeroy New titled "Möbius Weave," constructed from woven bamboo, rattan, and red acrylic shards. New, one of the Philippines' most internationally recognised contemporary artists and designers, brings a work that occupies the visual centre of the dining room and completes the woven concept at a scale no interior design element alone could achieve. The installation's combination of natural materials and vivid synthetic colour gives the restaurant a singular visual identity that sets the Opus Mall branch apart from its Tomas Morato predecessor.

The Menu at Some Thai Opus Mall: Branch-Exclusive Dishes and Established Favourites

The food programme at the new branch is built in two layers, established Some Thai signatures that regulars will recognise alongside dishes developed specifically for the Opus opening. The Tod Mun Goong, a crispy shrimp starter topped with ikura and served with a Thai-spiced vinegar dip, opened the launch dinner alongside a glass of tamarind juice, tart, bright, and calibrated as a palate-setting introduction to the meal rather than a simple accompaniment.

The Bagoong Fried Rice is among the branch-exclusive developments and one of the most discussed dishes from the opening. Inspired by Thailand's khao khluk kapi, a fermented shrimp paste rice preparation, the Some Thai version deepens the savory notes and finishes the dish with crisp pork belly that adds both textural contrast and richness. The combination of a Thai reference point and a Filipino ingredient vernacular, bagoong being a deeply embedded component of Philippine cooking culture, is the kind of creative move that defines what Some Thai means by bringing its own perspective to the cuisines it honours.

The Thai Grilled Green Curry Chicken takes a lighter approach, pairing tender grilled chicken and vegetables with a fragrant green curry sauce layered with herbs and aromatics. The Thai BBQ Pork Ribs are slow-braised, finished with a smoky-sweet Thai barbecue glaze, and served with a spiced vinegar dip that provides acidity and cut against the richness of the preparation. Classic Some Thai staples including Papaya Salad and Tom Yum also appeared at the launch, anchoring the new menu in the dishes that established the brand's reputation.

Desserts and Seasonal Ice Cream at Some Thai's Third Branch

The dessert programme at Opus Mall is one of the branch's most distinctive contributions to the Some Thai menu. The Thai Coconut Crepe Cake layers delicate Thai milk tea crepes with coconut cream and pandan custard, a dessert light enough in texture to avoid overwhelming a diner who has come through several substantial savoury courses, while rich enough in flavour to make a strong closing impression.

Three seasonal ice cream flavours were also introduced at the launch: Coconut Pandan, Thai Milk Tea, and Kaffir Lime, each drawn from classic Thai dessert ingredients and collectively representing the kitchen's confidence in applying Thai flavour conventions to a format that is accessible and familiar across a broad dining audience.

Jorge Mendez on Some Thai's Philosophy and Growth

Speaking at the Opus Mall launch, Mendez reflected on the distance between Some Thai's modest Tomas Morato beginning and the scale and ambition of the third branch.

"A few years ago, we opened a small, twenty-something-seater restaurant in Tomas Morato," said Jorge Mendez, chef and owner of Some Thai. "At the time, we were simply focused on cooking food we believed in and creating a space that felt honest and personal."

He was clear that the restaurant's growth has not changed its founding creative intent, an approach that treats Thai cuisine as an inspiration rather than a script to follow to the letter.

"Our goal was never to chase authenticity for authenticity's sake. It has always been about respecting and honoring the cuisines that inspire us, while bringing our own perspective and creativity into the experience," said Jorge Mendez, chef and owner of Some Thai. "That's where discovery happens. When tradition meets instinct, and familiar flavors become something unexpected and new."

Some Thai Opus Mall is located on the ground floor of Opus Mall in Bridgetowne, Quezon City. The restaurant is now open.

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