When Manila was placed under the first COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020, Corner Tree Cafe shifted operations and prepared food for the staff of a nearby hospital. Nourishing and nurturing were the hot meals that came out of their kitchen since the team has been accustomed to preparing for over a decade already.
Owner and general manager Chiqui Mabanta was inspired to open her vegetarian restaurant after visiting her sister in London in the mid-’90s. “It was the first time I had been exposed to interesting vegetarian food,” says Mabanta. “We went to nice vegetarian restaurants where they served wine. It was mainstream.” Vegetarian restaurants in Manila back then were found to be a bit boring. Mabanta started getting obsessed, buying cookbooks and experimenting in the kitchen. It took her years, with some time spent joining organic markets and bazaars to test the waters before she finally opened Corner Tree Cafe in May 2009.
The restaurant was considered a pioneer in peddling vegetarian and vegan comfort food. They did not subscribe to any specific cuisine but instead took inspiration from the best around the globe, whether from Asia or Africa or Europe. “I think of what I would like to see on the menu. I then work with the staff on recipes. I have an operations manager who’s been with me since the start and she is an excellent cook. I basically give her recipes or ideas that I get from everywhere and we play around with them.”
Mabanta and her solid and able staff have been championing the goodness and benefits of vegetarian fare since then. She has no partners, so she makes decisions on all matters—food, style, look, music, and social media. She even took it upon herself to ferry her staff from their homes as soon as they reopened for delivery and pickup with a limited menu in April 2020.
“Stay healthy during quarantine!” was Corner Tree Cafe’s battle cry. They were heard not only by their loyal customers and friends but also by an expanded market hankering for fresh flavors and healthful eats. Mabanta explains how vegetarian fare is perceived: “It has changed in Manila anyway. Before, some people couldn’t get over the fact that there was no meat on the menu. [But now] it’s growing.” They observed increased demand for plant-based dishes over the pandemic. By how much, Mabanta couldn’t give exact figures, what with ever-changing protocols imposed on the F&B industry. “We’re still doing well so I guess that’s a sign that people are looking for healthy food.”
By May 2020, Corner Tree Cafe’s second branch in Power Plant Mall reopened. In the following month, dine-in was allowed, so that helped boost their sales. By July, Corner Tree further innovated by selling frozen versions of their best sellers, including their Arroz a la Cubana served with red rice, fried eggs, and fried bananas as well as the Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna made more indulgent with three types of cheese. They also packed, froze, and sold their life-saving Thai Veg Curry, Veg Dumplings, and North African Veg Stew.
By August, they focused on accepting orders for whole cakes, like their Salted Caramel Chocolate Torte, Vegan Dark Chocolate Cake, and Banoffee Pie. Corner Tree Cafe’s Dark Chocolate Mousse with Dark Chocolate Toblerone has converted customers into fans, so much so that it can get sold out immediately. When the “Ber” months came, they decided to extend operations to a bazaar in Bonifacio Global City. Here, they were even able to launch new menu items like a Picadillo Cubana Pie with a whole-wheat crust.
December saw a demand for party trays. Corner Tree launched a potluck menu inspired by the food people knew and loved—Veg Embutido, Visayan Humba, Lumpiang Shanghai, and Crisp Veg Wontons. The first quarter of 2021 was showing promise. Diets were reset in January, and al fresco dining was allowed by February. Valentine’s was such a big hit that they even had three seatings that day.
From then on, operations have been a heady mix of following strict protocols, adjusting to indoor and outdoor dining guidelines, and launching monthly specials. “Some customers look for party trays but most of our customers just come back to what they know and love,” says Mabanta. Offering healthified, plant-based versions of popular dishes has been a major factor in keeping them top of mind during challenging times. There’s the Vegan Nut Loaf, a soothing “meat”-loaf served with gravy, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and grilled green beans. The Veg Bibimbap is another; it’s a reassuring one-pot dish made of bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, fresh spinach, zucchini, carrots, and house-made kimchi.
Last May, Corner Tree Cafe celebrated its 12th anniversary. It was their second within the pandemic. There’s no denying that the restaurant has cornered the plant-based dining market since its conception, but to say that the movement is capable enough to sustain the restaurant business during this turbulent period—only time will tell.
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