Expect fresh and delicious food at The Corner Market, The Podium's new food hall

Inside Podium's newest food hall The Corner Market, everything feels fresh — from the interiors to its vibe, the aroma to the choices.

Setting it apart from all the other food hubs are kiosks that offer fresh produce, meat and seafood. There's a stall that let's you pick your own basil for your dish, another offering fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers from its farm.

 

The 1,200 square meter- market and food den is the country's first-ever indoor farmer's market. It is inspired by Barcelona's La Boqueria, The Torvehallerne Market in Copenhagen, and Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, Australia but with 17 food merchants offering fresh and healthy grub, it's almost tempting to say The Corner Market is an elevated and healthier version of Dampa dining.

By the way, dishes here are offered P300 or less.

 

The brains behind Podium's newest food hangout is Linfred Yap, the managing partner of Relish Group.

 

If you're craving for something fresh and delicious below are 12 things that comprise The Corner Market's opening salvo.

[Ed's note: The remaining five stalls will begin operations post-opening of The Corner Market, in a staggard manner]

1. Gusto

One of first few stalls you will encounter is Gusto's eye-catching booth. How refreshing to the eyes! Flowers, check. Fresh fruits, check. Vegetables and goodies, check. All of these are sourced from the family farm in Rizal, and everything is locally produced.

Owner Pia Ojeda, said they would just join bazaars to sell their flowers, fruits and vegetables. But when they were offered to put up Gusto in Podium, they thought it would be a a good way to promote healthy and "happy" eating.

"We wanted to really bring fresh and local produce to the market and at a reachable price. It's hard to get healthy or clean food these days, that you have so much to pay for, when it can actually be pretty affordable," Pia told GMA News Online.

Apart from promoting healthy and happy eating, Gusto also wants to promote local produce like adlai, "which is a grain that's super big right now similar to rice but high fiber, high protein," Pia said.

She said Gusto's objective is to make people think that eating healthy isn't supposed to taste bland. "We wanted to make people realize that they don't have to be sad when they eat healthy food. We want to bring full satisfaction and happy food basically to people while being able to eat healthy ."

Pia said all of the ingredients are natural. "it's healthy, it's natural, we don't use preservatives or MSG, but it tastes really good."

2. Catch of The Day by Cold Storage

Craving for something fresh off from the sea? No need to drive all the way to the seaside. Catch of The Day by Cold Storage offers a delightful selection of seafood to satisfy that craving.

Catch of The Day's owner also manages a fishing and retail business called Cold Storage, they distribute their seafood products to groceries and supermarkets.

Their salmon skewers, both flavorful and fresh, are definitely off the hook.

 

 

3. Ca Phe Saigon

Not just another Vietnamese restaurant, Ca Phe Saigon brings healthy and delectable Vietnamese food. With servers wearing the icon rice hat, Ca Phe saigon gives out the Vietnamese feels.

Beside the counter is a hanging vertical garden of basil where diners can pick and cut leaves for their dish. The Vietnamese-Filipino owner of Ca Phe Saigon, Apple Bonifacio, says all the dishes feature basil in them. "Some of the [other] herbs are also are from our garden din," Apple told GMA News Online.

 

She said the gardening part of their business is done by her dad who does it as a hobby, while the recipes are from her Vietnamese mother. "'Eto 'yung mga usual recipes that we have at home when we were growing up. Since my mom's Vietnamese, mas comfortable siyang lutuin 'yong mga Vietnamese food as our staple, instead of Filipino dishes. Adobo, kare-kare we don't usually have that at home. What we have is Vietnamese food," Apple shared.

 

Because they're too good to be kept to herself and their family, they decided to share it to Pinoys through Ca Phe Saigon who are currently becoming more health conscious with what they eat.

4. The Meat Depot

Before becoming The Meat Depot, the family started as a butcher shop, and because one of the brothers is into culinary arts, they decided to put up a retail shop with a restaurant. Hello, The Meat Depot!

 

At Meat Depot, you can select what cut you want to have for your steak. It also has refrigerators full of meat you can buy raw.

 

They opened their first two branches in Banawe Avenue in Quezon City and Aguirre Avenue in Parañaque City.

5. Sundays

Always leave room for dessert, yes? Sundays is the latest incarnation of Merry Moo and its polvoron-flavored soft served is incredible.

According to Kelvin and Maggie Ngo the power couple behind Sundays and Merry Moo, it all started seven years ago when Maggie brought Kelvin to Singapore. "There were a lot of artisan ice cream concepts there and I thought why not bring it here in Manila," Kelvin tells GMA News Online.

 

Maggie said they put up Sundays to create a "more intimate experience with customers" and see their consumers' initial reaction after their first taste. "We decided to do soft served so they're forced to eat it, we can see it immediately their reactions," Maggie said.

 

Why the  name sundays? Says Maggie, "We wanted to make it Sundays kasi para mas refreshing mas cool. It's  our favorite day of the week, growing up it was our favorite time spending with our parents so now we have kids, so parang may personal passion namin siya."

6. Char

Craving for something savoury? Char offers a variety of Chinese comfort food. Apart form the best-selling Charsiew that melts in your mouth, Char also serves Crispy Roast Pork Belly, Kampong Soya Chicken, Buttered Chicken, Prawn Paste Fried Chicken and Quareter Roast Duck.

 

They also have noodles, set meals, snacks and vegtables.

7. Birdhouse

But of course! The chicken place you should not miss, especially their star dishes, the Honey Butter Chicken Sandwich and Salted Egg Lava Chicken Sandwich. Also on offer are flavored chicken wings, chicken set meals and side dishes!

 

8. Inari by Hamaru

Hamaru inside The Food Hive on Tandang Sora is one of the best food park finds ever. At The Corner Market, comes Inari by Hamaru, a modern Japanese restaurant with a contemporary menu. Much like the original, it offers exceptional Japanese dishes like the Black Rice Sushi Rolls that is served in flavors like Spicy Tuna, Salmon Skin, Torched California, Eggplant Miso and Catfish.

 

On their menu they also have tofu pocket, grilled or fried skewers and sides. Delicious!

 

9. Barcelon de Calderon

From the makers of Calderon, the famed Spanish joint in San Juan comes...Barcelon de Calderon. Croquetas, tapas, flavorful chorizo, and their chief dish paella. We're loving the availability of solo servings of paella for only P150.

 

10. Stockwell Cafe

Before exiting the food hub, cap off your meal with Stockwell's third wave coffee. Stockwell brews it in five different ways.

Aside from coffee, they also serve alcoholic beverages and even meals too like pasta and rice dishes.

Stockwell Cafe opened their first branch in Tomas Morato, Quezon City.

 

11. La Taqueria del Chupacabra

You don't have to go all the way to Poblacion in Makati for El Chupacabra, because they brought their dishes at The Corner Market in Ortigas Center! It's the same street side taco goodness plus shawarma, kebabs and moussaka.

 

12. The Rabbit Hole MNL

Yes, it's the same one in Makati! They're taking their mouthwatering desserts, their best-seeling Ube Brazo de Mercedes, freshly baked goodies and savoury rice meals to The Corner Market.

If it isn't your cheat day yet, not to worry, they offer guiltless cakes Keto Brazo de Mercedes, Keto Sansrival, Keto Strawberry Cheesecake and Keto Chocolate Mousse Crunch.
 

 

— LA, GMA News