In the heart of Metro Manila's Bonifacio Global City, La Chinesca reimagines the contemporary Mexican dining experience through a multicultural, urban lens. Designed by JJ Acuña / Bespoke Studio for Chef Bruce Ricketts and his restaurateur wife, Jae Pickrell, this 92-square-metre space draws inspiration from corner-shop culture, taco trucks, New York delis and Hong Kong’s cha chaan tengs — casual teahouses known for their mix of Chinese and Western comfort food — creating a dialogue of influences that feels both rooted and forward-looking.

Resin-infused stone aggregate, corrugated steel, micro-cement and Obrastone floors printed with graphic motifs form a rich material tapestry. Locally fabricated furniture — tables of corn husk, resin and concrete — adds texture and experimentation, while bold signage, an acrylic pick-up window and a retail wall merge brand, architecture and street energy.

Compact yet dense with detail, La Chinesca blurs boundaries between kitchen, street and dining room. Photographing this space meant chasing motion and reflection — the rhythm of neon on steel, light glancing off resin and the pulse of a city translated into space.

My lens has followed JJ Acuña’s designs across the Philippines and beyond — explore more of my work capturing his inspired spaces at home and abroad.