MŌDAN

The story

MŌDAN: Modern Japanese Omakase in Quezon City – Michelin Recommended

A Progressive Japanese Experience

At MŌDAN, the name itself signals the approach: Modern in Japanese. Chef Jorge Mendez has built a restaurant that is both forward-looking and deeply rooted in tradition. The degustation menu is a study in contrasts—bold flavours delivered with delicate restraint, local and Japan-sourced ingredients shaped by neo-traditional techniques. The setting is intimate, omakase-style, with counter dining that puts the kitchen’s work on full display.

Recognition and Awards

MŌDAN’s rise has been swift. It was named Best New Restaurant by Tatler Dining in 2023, and Chef Jorge Mendez was awarded Rising Star Chef that same year. In 2024, he was named Chef of the Year by SPOT.PH, and Esquire Philippines followed suit in 2025. The restaurant earned a place on Tatler’s Best 20 Restaurants in the Philippines in 2025, and now it holds a Michelin Recommended distinction—a testament to its consistent quality and vision.

The Current Menu: Tabidachi

The latest menu, Tabidachi, is a farewell. The Japanese word means “to set off,” and it marks the end of MŌDAN’s time in Cubao before a move to a new space. Each course honours the memories and milestones shared in this first location. As the team writes, it is “a farewell to one chapter, and a toast to the next.” The menu remains true to the restaurant’s character: fish lip tempura, beef tongue yakitori, and a buttery miso XO sauce have been highlights in past press, reflecting the kitchen’s ability to surprise and satisfy.

A Restaurant in Transition

MŌDAN is closed for now, but will reopen soon in a new location. For those who have yet to experience Chef Mendez’s cooking, the wait will be worth it. This is a kitchen that has earned its awards through precise technique and genuine creativity—a modern Japanese restaurant that feels both intimate and ambitious.