MODAN, ONE OF THE BEST NEW RESTAURANTS IN TOWN
Chef Jorge Mendez’s time has come. His private dining concept called Mōdan — the Japanese word for “modern” — serves progressive Japanese food like no other.
Japanese cuisine is special for the talented chef, as he was introduced to it through his mother, who learned how to prepare it when she worked in Japan.
The 12-seater restaurant, which he opened with his Byrd Tubs partner Angelo Comsti, is open only for dinner and serves from Friday to Sunday only but, due to its popularity, they have added Wednesdays and Thursdays, too.
Jorge’s 10-course degustation menu is a tribute to people who have played an important role in his cooking career. The amaebi (Japanese sweet shrimp, capsicum, jicama, and tosaka (a seaweed) is Jorge’s ode to his mentor Margarita Forés. He was her research and development chef and Margarita introduced him to flash-cooked shrimps during a trip to Japan.
His bread dish is an ode to bread maker Richie Manapat. The Japanese-style focaccia is slathered with an umami bomb of butter with seaweed products nori and furikake. His ramen with scallops (but we had snow crab instead of the usual scallops that day) is served with matcha (green tea) noodles in a paitan (thick white broth) and was inspired by the Japanese ramen master Kito Nakawara, who taught him how to make ramen.
By the way, Jorge’s other restaurant, Ohayo, has excellent shrimp-bisque ramen!
I enjoyed his starters immensely. He made beef tendon tempura that was crisp on the outside yet firm and still slightly gelatinous inside, which was served with taro cream and onion tea. The toast stuffed with chopped chutoro (fatty tuna) toast with green onion was so to-die-for that I wanted more of it. His version of takoyaki (octopus balls) replaced the octopus with crab. The “takoyaki” was filled with corn mousse and topped with ikura, or salmon roe.
Another standout was the debasaki, or chicken wing stuffed with rice and caviar that was dipped into a soy-cured egg yolk. I was full but couldn’t resist Jorge’s Nabe, grilled wagyu short ribs, and unagi (eel) with rice cooked in a clay pot with edamame (immature green soybeans) and renkon (lotus root). This is the only dish shared on the table and was inspired by Den, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Tokyo where he learned some of the techniques in making this. Tsukeone or preserved vegetables are served with this superb dish to cut its richness.
Jorge dedicates the dessert to his daughter, who “likes to put a lot of things in her food.” He makes the Nagasaki specialty cake castella, adds kuromitsu (mild sugar syrup) and tops it with a thin, crisp sheet of Hokkaido milk. What startled me was the dessert was topped with ikura, which was actually a brilliant addition as its brininess is a wonderful contrast to the sweetness of this dessert.
Mōdan will be closing its doors for the entire month of March for more research and development on their new menu. For me, the meal was mind-blowing. Mōdan is definitely one of the best new restaurants in town. I look forward to trying the new menu in April and strongly suggest that you book in April before reservations are all taken, as a seat here will definitely be the most in demand in the Philippine dining scene.
* * * Mōdan is located at the Ground Floor of Escalades East Tower, 20th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City. Follow them on Instagram @modan.mnl. They are open 6 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday. Call or message (0916) 486-1443.
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