No theme, just local: Inside the Chip & Chong pop-up at James & Daughters
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No theme, just local: Inside the Chip & Chong pop-up at James & Daughters
Vlad Bunoan,
ABS-CBN News
Published Jun 29, 2025 01:47 PM PHT
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Updated Jun 29, 2025 02:01 PM PHT
MANILA -- When Chef Jonas Ng was sent two boxes of cherry tomatoes — harvested by farmers in Benguet and delivered, overflowing and in desperation — he immediately knew what to do with them.
MANILA -- When Chef Jonas Ng was sent two boxes of cherry tomatoes — harvested by farmers in Benguet and delivered, overflowing and in desperation — he immediately knew what to do with them.
They were in the middle of preparations for Chip & Chong, a playful, experimental pop‑up at James & Daughters that’s running for a blink‑and‑you’ll‑miss‑it, three‑day stretch at Estancia Mall until Sunday night.
They were in the middle of preparations for Chip & Chong, a playful, experimental pop‑up at James & Daughters that’s running for a blink‑and‑you’ll‑miss‑it, three‑day stretch at Estancia Mall until Sunday night.
“We were plating the tiger prawn tartare and felt like it needed color,” Ng says, gesturing toward the dish of lime‑tinged local prawns mixed with creamy avocado and now — serendipitously — served with a side of sunburst tomatoes from up north. “It was last minute. They're like, yeah, let's do something with it. Olive oil, sea salt. It worked.”'
“We were plating the tiger prawn tartare and felt like it needed color,” Ng says, gesturing toward the dish of lime‑tinged local prawns mixed with creamy avocado and now — serendipitously — served with a side of sunburst tomatoes from up north. “It was last minute. They're like, yeah, let's do something with it. Olive oil, sea salt. It worked.”'
Tiger Prawns Tartare. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News
Tiger Prawns Tartare. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN NewsThat kind of loose, instinctive cooking defines Chip & Chong, a six‑course cocktail‑pairing dinner that doesn’t follow a theme so much as it chases a vibe. It’s the love‑child of four culinary minds: apart from Ng, there’s Chip, his longtime friend and pop‑up instigator; Jim, a former NYC bartender‑turned‑BGC bar owner‑turned‑Netflix director; and an exacting Italian F&B pro.
That kind of loose, instinctive cooking defines Chip & Chong, a six‑course cocktail‑pairing dinner that doesn’t follow a theme so much as it chases a vibe. It’s the love‑child of four culinary minds: apart from Ng, there’s Chip, his longtime friend and pop‑up instigator; Jim, a former NYC bartender‑turned‑BGC bar owner‑turned‑Netflix director; and an exacting Italian F&B pro.
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Each dish, conceptually patterned after Spanish tapas, feels like a creative detour that somehow landed in the right place. There’s that tartare with tequila‑avocado shots to start. Then comes grilled octopus, originally a delicate carpaccio until the team found the texture wasn’t working and tossed it on the grill. They paired it with a passion‑fruit sorbet — again, a sudden pivot when a box of Benguet passion fruit showed up days before service.
Grilled Pulpo. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News
Grilled Pulpo. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News“All of these dishes were like last-minute decisions,” Ng admits, adding that they'd send ideas to each other on a messaging app. “(Today) is the final day of the pop‑up. And then they'll do a face‑to‑face — the guest chef bartender and the guest chef.”
“All of these dishes were like last-minute decisions,” Ng admits, adding that they'd send ideas to each other on a messaging app. “(Today) is the final day of the pop‑up. And then they'll do a face‑to‑face — the guest chef bartender and the guest chef.”
The tuna crudo, seasoned simply with lemon oil and salt, gets a lift from thin shavings of experimental black radish also sourced from Benguet. It’s not quite ceviche, not quite sashimi. “It’s my favorite,” Ng says. “It’s just... seasoned.”
The tuna crudo, seasoned simply with lemon oil and salt, gets a lift from thin shavings of experimental black radish also sourced from Benguet. It’s not quite ceviche, not quite sashimi. “It’s my favorite,” Ng says. “It’s just... seasoned.”
Tuna Crudo. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News
Tuna Crudo. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN NewsThen there’s the Thai‑inspired chicken spring roll with peanut sauce — not the sweet‑and‑spicy Thai version, but rather a playful, nostalgic riff using good old Filipino Lily’s peanut butter. “That was the request of the chef: I want Lily’s,” Ng says with a laugh. “This Italian guy, he's been here for a long time. So he knows what Filipinos like flavor‑wise.”
Then there’s the Thai‑inspired chicken spring roll with peanut sauce — not the sweet‑and‑spicy Thai version, but rather a playful, nostalgic riff using good old Filipino Lily’s peanut butter. “That was the request of the chef: I want Lily’s,” Ng says with a laugh. “This Italian guy, he's been here for a long time. So he knows what Filipinos like flavor‑wise.”
Thai Chicken Spring Rolls. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News
Thai Chicken Spring Rolls. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN NewsThe beef skewers — tender Japanese saikoro cubes — are served with a base barbecue sauce Filipinos will immediately recognize and freshly grilled veggies, again from the mountain farmers. The beef is a collaboration with a young couple who are trying to break into the local market.
The beef skewers — tender Japanese saikoro cubes — are served with a base barbecue sauce Filipinos will immediately recognize and freshly grilled veggies, again from the mountain farmers. The beef is a collaboration with a young couple who are trying to break into the local market.
Beef Skewers. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News
Beef Skewers. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN NewsAnd finally, dessert: tiramisu. But not quite. Instead of pricey mascarpone, they made their own cheese — a tangy, whipped goat’s‑milk version that lends a fresh, citrusy zing. “It’s a little tart, a little creamy,” Ng says.
And finally, dessert: tiramisu. But not quite. Instead of pricey mascarpone, they made their own cheese — a tangy, whipped goat’s‑milk version that lends a fresh, citrusy zing. “It’s a little tart, a little creamy,” Ng says.
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Tiramisu. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News
Tiramisu. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN NewsIf you’re the kind of diner who needs a concept tied in a bow, this pop‑up might confuse you. It’s not themed. There’s no clear cuisine. It’s not “Filipino,” though almost everything is local. It’s not strictly fine dining, but it’s certainly not casual either.
If you’re the kind of diner who needs a concept tied in a bow, this pop‑up might confuse you. It’s not themed. There’s no clear cuisine. It’s not “Filipino,” though almost everything is local. It’s not strictly fine dining, but it’s certainly not casual either.
“It’s just a cocktail pairing,” Ng shrugs. “We're trying unique experiences. For us, it's just a way to connect food and people, right? But for them, it's a way to try ideas. It's a way to try different things.”
“It’s just a cocktail pairing,” Ng shrugs. “We're trying unique experiences. For us, it's just a way to connect food and people, right? But for them, it's a way to try ideas. It's a way to try different things.”
And that’s really what Chip & Chong is: a gastronomic jam session. Three nights only — then it’s finished.
And that’s really what Chip & Chong is: a gastronomic jam session. Three nights only — then it’s finished.
The Chip & Chong pop-up runs at James & Daughters in Estancia Mall until June 29 for dinner. The six-course pairing set is priced at P2,695. You can choose to have the food only for P1,390 and cocktails only for P1,695.
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