Sixteen months is barely enough time for a restaurant to find its footing. In Bonifacio Global City, it can take that long just to be noticed. Yet Brick Corner, tucked into Forbes Town and quietly doing its own thing, has pulled off something few Indian restaurants in the Philippines ever have: a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand for 2026.
Not just any Bib Gourmand, either. Brick Corner stands alone this year as the only Indian cuisine honoree in the country, a distinction that landed it on the Michelin radar just as the guide officially made its Philippine debut. For a dining scene that has long leaned toward Japanese, European, and modern Filipino fare when it comes to international acclaim, the recognition feels like a shift worth paying attention to.
The award was formally acknowledged on Dec. 5 at a ceremony called by the Department of Tourism, where Brick Corner joined a short list of restaurants singled out for delivering quality food at reasonable prices. It was a moment that quietly placed Indian cuisine into a conversation it has rarely been part of in Manila.
Brick Corner is owned and operated by Masala Food Ventures Inc., and from the start, the idea was not to chase spectacle. The space itself sets the tone. Exposed brick, warm lighting, and a modern, unfussy layout create a room that feels relaxed rather than themed. It avoids the visual clichés often associated with Indian restaurants, opting instead for something that feels urban and lived-in, the kind of place you linger in without checking the time.
The menu follows the same philosophy. Familiar dishes anchor the experience, but they arrive with confidence rather than excess. Butter chicken leans creamy and balanced. Mutton bhuna masala is slow-cooked and unapologetically spice-driven. Dal makhani comes velvety and gently smoky, while coastal notes show up in dishes like goan fish curry and prawn karwari, sautéed with garlic, curry leaves, and onions in ghee. These are plates built on patience rather than performance.
What seems to have resonated with Michelin inspectors is not novelty but discipline. The food respects tradition without feeling rigid, and the room encourages ease rather than reverence. It is Indian cooking presented as everyday pleasure, not a special-occasion curiosity.
That balance has helped Brick Corner develop a following in a city where diners are quick to move on. In just over a year, it has gone from newcomer to reference point, often mentioned when conversations turn to where to eat well in BGC without ceremony or excess.
Being recognized alongside other Bib Gourmand honorees, and doing so under the banner of the Department of Tourism, carried its own weight. For the team, it was less about trophies and more about validation that Indian cuisine belongs in the broader Philippine dining conversation, not at the margins.
Brick Corner is not standing still. Plans are already in place for seasonal menus inspired by various Indian regions, cocktail collaborations, and expanded private dining options, with discussions about a potential second location in the future. Still, the core idea remains unchanged: food rooted in tradition, served in a space that feels contemporary, without trying too hard to announce itself.
In a city obsessed with what’s new, Brick Corner’s Michelin nod suggests something else entirely. Sometimes, getting it right quietly is enough to make the world take notice.
