New seafood, brunch, and art-focused menus unlock what’s next in F&B
The last couple of months have launched a sneak peek into what the rest of the year might look like in the food and beverage industry, and possibly even well into 2026.
Now Now Canteen’s Renown series comes to mind first with the fermentation-focused restaurant’s quarterly portrayals of food in art and art in food, then a Marikina outpost capitalizes on Filipino consumers’ robust demand for local and sustainable seafood in their diet. And finally, the talented tandem of Mikee Lopez and Alex Tan traverses into brunch territory that tap leisurely lifestyle preferences.
Local sourcing done right at Leo Sea House
The latest tasting menu of Leo Sea House in Marikina has a similar foundation to that of many restaurants and chefs in the metro. And no, it isn’t just the fact that it is inspired by their hometown of Capiz.
Returning chef consultant Francis Lacson built a menu that looks to Margarita Forés as their primary source of inspiration. “This menu is a tribute to her invaluable work in championing Capiz producers and showcasing our region’s exceptional products in her restaurants,” says Lacson.
The nine-course menu called Buon Appetito unfurls the fruits of the Visayan seas and the seafood meals they grew up with, filtered through their brand of Neo-Italian cuisine.
Lacson is adventurous throughout and at times outlandish—like turning the raviolo squid ink sheet into an Italian flag using onion, celery, and carrots, or transforming parmigiana into “cappuccino”—and while some dishes can be a hit or miss, his commitment to seafood-forward creativity remains constant.
“This is the most technically challenging menu we’ve ever had,” says Lacson.
Sensory, immersive dining with Now Now and Celine Lee
Months after its debut, Now Now’s Renown series is back for its second staging. This time, it tucks into heftier, heavier, and more multilayered concepts with multidisciplinary visual artist Celine Lee as the central force of the collaboration.
Akin to her towering art called “A Mass,” Lee’s touches are found everywhere. But they are cultivated carefully and then revealed in layers.
“When you are in gastronomy, you sort of tickle the senses, and for me, this is like food for the soul. Like, when we consume media, we react to it; in the same way with food, we don’t eat just to eat.”
Lee’s statement not only displays the breadth of the food landscape they’ve created, but it also highlights customers’ cravings for sensory maximalism, in which all the senses are stimulated.
There are only four dishes on the menu, but each is treated like a precious secret, revealed in separate acetate sheets to ultimately form the molecular structure of the conceptual dinner’s underlying theme: rice.
But somewhere in between courses is one of the night’s most interesting expressions: a functional fortune cookie that holds the code to a piece of Lee’s art.
This is a culminating moment that feels like Lee completely giving away a part of herself on all fronts—food, memory, nostalgia, and a one-off tangible art that essentially serves as an ample reminder of Renown’s delicious style of sensory communication.
Flavor innovations at Tandem’s new brunch menu
There’s never been any better time to heave a sigh of relief than now: Tandem is open for brunch—at least, once a month for now.
“The long-term goal is really to open for lunch, but brunch is something we both enjoy,” says chef and co-owner Mikee Lopez.
Fun is one way to describe the new Tandem brunch menu. Cerebral is another. Lopez and partner Alex Tan are both always thinking, conceiving ideas, and reimagining classics into brazen brunch confections.
“When people hear brunch, they kind of expect a certain kind of food already,” says Tan. “So that’s why we have to play with a lot of eggs… a bit of light sandwiches but in terms of the flavor components, it’s the same as a la carte in the sense that we don’t really have any rules.”
That said, this rules-free mindset highlights the push and pull between classic and contemporary, tapping into the retro-innovative inclinations of diners today. Want nostalgia and freshness? The best of both worlds? Tradition and modernity? Tandem has it.
Despite the short menu, the great flavors at play make up for the lack of immensity. Ramping up the morning action is something you don’t often see locally: a Dutch baby, which can also be called a German pancake and is similar to a Yorkshire pudding, only baked and not fried.
Their cheddar and scallion scones, meanwhile, display a bit of swagger.
But the couple doesn’t just lean on innovative takes; there’s plenty of familiar favorites rehashed into premium experiences, too.
And while the initial rollout of the brunch menu unfolds only on the last Sunday of the month, expect it to be Tandem’s new growth engine as a thriving appreciation for daytime socializing and lifestyle shifts continues to move into 2026.
