MANILA, Philippines – In recent estetik news! San Juan City’s newest neighborhood mall, The Corner House, is growing to be the new, hip hangout spot of foodies, families, and young Tiktok-dancing barkadas looking for Instagrammable photoshoot backdrops, fresh air, good eats, and good vibes.

Located along P Guevarra, corner Recto Street, the multi-level, pet-friendly structure is breezy and spacious, seamlessly weaving indoor and al fresco areas with huge ceiling fans above.

Being just a few months old, the minimalist-inspired mall is still relatively empty, but there are a few mom-and-pop shops already on soft opening for your dining, coffee, shopping, and leisure needs – most of them local names we’ve never heard of before!

Bun Appetit

Originating from Powerplant Mall’s The Grid, seafood-forward stall Bun Appetit has branched out to its first stand-alone store outside of the Makati City food hall.

Bun Appetit is known for its huge lobster and crab rolls, among other seafood sandwiches and hearty snacks. Must-try items: the Salmon Ikura Toast, a crispy slice of sourdough toast smeared with cream cheese and topped with fresh ikura (salmon roe) and dill. As a cream cheese lover, this spoke to me – the salmon roe provided a fresh burst of salty flavor without it being too fishy, plus a squeeze of lemon juice on top tied everything together.

The Smoked Salmon Bagel is also a must-try for smoked salmon lovers; a generous slice of soft salmon is set atop a thick and dense sourdough sesame bagel with cream cheese and the works: red onion slivers, capers, fresh dill, and pickles on the side.

The Garlic Noodles were a surprising hit, too – sweet, savory, with a hint of umami. There’s also the menu-famous Lobster Roll (definitely a splurge for the wallet), Shrimp Grilled Cheese, clam chowder, baos, and more.

Bun Appetit in San Juan is open from 11 am to 9 pm daily.

One World Deli

The neighborhood specialty grocer and café originating from Jupiter Street, Makati City is now at The Corner House, dominating the whole basement 1 level with a ton of specialty goods and meats.

There’s a coffee shop here too, plus a curated and unique selection of imported deli goods, fresh meats, high-quality steaks, seafood, fish, vegetables, beverages, pantry staples, wines, cheeses, spices, coffee staples, chocolates, and more. Dining in is also encouraged, because the food is good too!

One World Deli is open from 7 am to 9 pm on Sundays to Wednesdays, and 7 am to 10 pm on Thursdays to Saturdays. Aside from Makati, One World Deli also has a branch in SM Mall of Asia.

a.m. espresso

New neighborhood café a.m. opened its first pop-up branch at the first floor of the Dining Block, serving fresh brews and bevs from 10 am to 8 pm daily.

The aesthetically-pleasing interiors and setup are perfect for chilling al fresco with friends or working solo with a cup of a.m.’s best-selling Alfie’s Latte (brown sugar, espresso, milk). a.m. also serves specialty coffee-based drinks like Ube Latte, Cold Brew with coconut or vanilla syrup, Orangepresso, Latik, Coconut Crush, and fruit-based sodas.

Tajimaya

Tajimaya Yakiniku Restaurant is now open, serving an “authentic Yakiniku experience” for large groups for dine-in. There’s a grilling station at the center of every table, where diners can cook Tajimaya’s selection of pork, beef, chicken, seafood, and more.

Tajimaya also has branches in Alabang Town Center, Baguio City, Sta. Rosa Laguna, and Resorts World.

Seven Plates

“Explore global flavors from the seven corners of the world with Seven Plates, offering a taste of global comfort cuisine,” is how The Corner House described new resto Seven Plates.

The menu houses a wide variety of hearty meals and appetizers from around the world – soups to kebabs, wraps, salads, burgers, pizza, pasta, steak, lamb shanks, roasted pork, katsudon, fish and chips, and more!

Tamagogo

For some Asian fare, Japanese-inspired food stall Tamagogo is now serving Okinawan Onigiri with various fillings like miso tofu, unagi, sausage, mushroom, spicy salmon, pork floss, sukiyaki, char siu, mozzarella, and many more, sandwiched with egg and Japanese rice.

Aside from these filling, on-the-go sandwiches, Tamagogo also has donburi and soba options with different meats or tempura, as well as tsukemen and other sides. It’s open from 12 pm to 8 pm daily.

Cold Folks

If there’s still room for dessert, why not drop by Cold Folks? They serve handcrafted flavors and waffle cones and bowls, behind all of their ice cream options on display for you to taste and try out.

Cold Folks’ flavors all sound delicious – there’s Dulce de Leche, Chocolate Lava, Hazelnut Chocolate, Tiramisu, Strawberry Basil, Mint Chocolate Chip, Salted Caramel, Matcha Strawberry, and more.

Aside from dining options, The Corner House also has a hair salon at the second floor called Vanity in Progress and a premium barber shop called Maestro.

We’ll keep posted once more shops pop up! – Rappler.com