It's inspiring stories like this that make the local dining scene so much more interesting. When a former banker turned chef along with his wife follow their culinary dreams offering comforting local staples, you have a story that delights both the palate and warms the heart. Welcome to Borgy's at The Corner House...
From their sumptuous All-Day Breakfast to savory mains, grilled and deep-fried specialties to hearty soups, Borgy's at The Corner House brings familiar local staples to the table with a no-frills and uncomplicated approach to rich and unrestrained flavors. Each dish is lovingly prepared by a driven and determined husband and wife couple for a homey and even nostalgic spin on familiar staples for a refreshing and comforting dining experience. Step inside Borgy's at The Corner House and feel right at home...
Located in the quiet neighborhood of San Juan, the vibe is visibly evolving with new structures making its mark. One of these is The Corner House. The Corner House is an airy, modern design with clean lines and a pristine white facade atop a mound of lush greens setting it apart from the more dated and traditional properties of the neighborhood. Inside The Corner House, a variety of shopping and dining options are waiting to be discovered.
The new neighborhood hub is also home to tempting dining spots and if you're craving for comforting local cuisine, there's one place that should be on your list of dining destinations in San Juan. That's Borgy's at The Corner House.
Established back in 2018, the inspired story began with that innate and nagging desire to pursue a dream you've always believed in going as far back as those childhood memories spent in a mother's kitchen. For Chef Borgy, the dream was sparked by those countless moments in the kitchen discovering flavors many summers back as a child. And it continued to burn passionately in his adult years as a successful banker. Then one day, Chef Borgy decided to take that bold step and follow his dream encouraged by his supporting wife Melissa. What followed was a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs beginning with a home-based operation. But the global pandemic changed what could have been the perfect start.
Like many small home-based businesses, the pivot to food delivery and online orders kept Chef Borgy's dream alive and even flourish during the long days of quarantine anchored on their specialties like Lemon Peppered Chicken, Baked Herb Salmon, Rosemary Garlic Chicken, Liempo Time, Borgy's Crispy Pata and Rosemary Chicken. Together with his wife Melissa, the couple gradually built their menu and explored the next step in establishing a more permanent brick and mortar operation sometime after the pandemic. That moment came and the couple promptly seized an opportunity at The Corner House early this year.
The couple's journey to The Corner House was a fateful and even serendipitous one, but everything seemed to fall in the right place like it was always meant to be for Chef Borgy and Melissa. At Borgy's at The Corner House, the kitchen is fired up for homestyle cuisine that comforts both the heart and palate with an extensive menu.
Start with the refreshing Dalandan Juice (P 75) to open up the palate. Other equally refreshing options include Borgy's Iced Tea (P 80), Calamansi Juice (P 68), Sago at Gulaman (P 80), Sugarcane Juice (P 180), Buko Juice and Salabat.
A few more sips and the first of three dishes was served starting with their popular Crispy Hito (P 320), deep-fried whole catfish drizzled with crisp garlic bits. Chef Borgy recreates the simple yet rich flavors and textural contrasts of the popular local staple perfectly...
...from that first crunchy bite all the way to the last. Chef Borgy keeps it simple, and that works all the time when it comes to comforting flavors. The delectable crunch and mildly sweet subtle notes of the catfish combine for rich and hearty bites...
...best paired with the Ensaladang Mangga (P 245) with homemade alamang, tomatoes, onions and chilies. The traditional local green mango salad brings sweet, salty notes and just a whisper of soothing heat from the chilies in a delicate and balanced weave complementing the crunch and flavors of the Crispy Hito. Borgy's at The Corner House also offers a winner fried chicken on the menu with the Borgy's Fried Chicken (P 440).
The Pork Binagoongan (P 250) by Chef Borgy will have you going for extra rice. Tender slabs of pork belly slathered in a rich shrimp paste sauce is comforting and satisfying as it gets, hitting all the right notes with each bite followed by a heaping spoonful of rice. Each succeeding bite becomes more intense than the last, releasing even more flavors from the tender pork and shrimp paste sauce. Tomatoes, eggplant and chilies complete the dish.
Other savory options from the menu include the Bistek Tagalog (P 370), Kare-Kare (P 530), Beef Kaldereta (P 599), Pinakbet (P 425) and Sugpo sa Aligue (P 699).
From their All-Day Breakfast menu, the Tortang Talong with Chicken Tocino (P 349) is one tasty combo you just can't pass up at Borgy's at The Corner House. The sumptuous dish includes garlic rice topped with an eggplant omelette sprinkled with fresh spring onions, a side of fresh and tart salsa, banana ketchup and fork-tender chicken tocino for a complete meal in itself.
Each component complements the other in a festive play of simple yet hearty flavors in one plate. The tortang talong is perfectly executed with its delicately light and crisp edges to its soft and fluffy center and the subtle sweetness of the eggplant. It's simple, uncomplicated flavors like this that transforms any dining experience. The chicken tocino is tender delivering a burst of rich notes with a mildly sweet finish. I'll have this any time of day at Borgy's at The Corner House. Other must-try Breakfast All-Day options include the Borgy's Bangus (P 359), Homemade Bacon (P 379), Beef Tapa (P 379), Beef Pares (P 379), Corned Beef (P 349) and Vigan Longganisa (P 250).
Fresh, clean and uncomplicated flavors at reasonable prices, Borgy's at The Corner House is a welcome addition to the emerging and changing culinary landscape of San Juan.
There's a lesson to be learned from Borgy's at The Corner House, and that's to listen to your inner voice and follow your dream. For Chef Borgy and Melissa, this is proof that following your dream pays off. It's never easy and even challenging and difficult, but the sense of fulfillment cannot be measured. Experience and share the couple's dream at Borgy's at The Corner House with a sumptuous meal from the comforting menu to feed and warm both your palate and heart...
Borgy's at The Corner House is located at the Ground Floor of The Corner House. P. Guevarra Street, San Juan. You can also visit their FB Page and IG Feed at https://www.facebook.com/p/Borgys and https://www.instagram.com/borgys_at_the_cornerhouse/ for more updates.
Dude for Food is now on Facebook and Instagram, check out the FB Page, IG Feed, Twitter and YouTube for regular updates on good eats. Better yet, click "Like" and "Follow" and enjoy the ride...just look for the FB and IG widgets on the right sidebar.