Hopping Back to IHOP!

One of the main instigators of the all-day breakfast revolution, IHOP has spread its influence far and wide across the metro. A couple of years after the hype and publicity,HOP manages to maintain prominence as the go-to spot for one's breakfast fix.  We recently returned to IHOP after missing their delicious pancakes for a year.

Malagos Hot Chocolate, P145 (+10% service charge)

First off, I have to credit IHOP for tweaking their international menu to offer more local delights.  They currently offer the Filipino favorite silog meals, but I chickened out in trying their versions, for fear they might not get it right.  Nevertheless, one other perfect example is their Malagos Hot Chocolate, made from cacao beans sourced locally from Davao.  Priced similarly with their regular Hot Chocolate, this version is a steal.  Deep and dark yet with light sweet overtones, the Malagos Hot Chocolate was the perfect upper for our meal.  Sip away the holidays, as I believe this is available only for a limited time.

Quick Two-Egg Breakfast, P295 (+10% service charge)

I quickly settled down for a Quick Two-Egg Breakfast, served with 4 pieces of toast.  I picked bacon (finally, real pork bacon after enduring a year of nearly no pork bacon in Singapore) instead of sausages.

The hash brown seemed more generous than the first time I tried it here in the country.  Also, it had a more even crispy exterior than before.  Better than the first time, definitely.  The bacon was heavenly, or seemed so.  Maybe it was because I missed it so much.  Still, after a few minutes it had gone cold and a bit chewy.  Nevertheless, the fat and meat ratio was acceptable.  The eggs were just the usual sunny-sides, done the way I like it - a bit burnt on the underside.

The toast that went with my order were nothing spectacular, and I would have preferred more generous slathering with butter.  Maybe I miss kaya toasts already.  The jam was the grocery staple Smucker's, so nothing fancy here.

Double Blueberry Pancakes, P275 (+10% service charge)

The last fruity pancake we had at IHOP was a disaster - the strawberries were soggy and sad.  Wary of this, she picked the blueberry variant instead.  As always, the pancakes are huge, but appears thicker than previously.

A pleasant surprise was that the pancakes were filled with actual blueberries!  Hooray!  The berries were fresh and lightly sweet.  Topping the stack of flapjacks was blueberry compote, again with real blueberries.  The compote was light and not overpowering, but the whipped cream may have added too much sweetness.  The pancakes itself seemed airier than before, but because of its relatively thicker size, it appeared less fluffy than Pancake House or even the budget favorite Ally's. 

Reunited and it tastes so good...

After the hyped had died down and receiving mixed reviews, IHOP still has steadily spread its sphere of influence.  However, the consequence of jump-starting the all-day "brekky" revolution was that some places now offer better and more varied pancakes at a more reasonable price (think: Ally's).  Still, IHOP's pancakes remain one of the fluffiest (and largest) and pound for pound, better than most for this price range.  With the flexibility to tweak its menu and keep serving sizes Americanized, IHOP is clearly here to stay.

Jones

IHOP (International House of Pancakes)

Ground Floor, U.P. Town Center

Katipunan Avenue, 

Quezon City

(multiple branches across Metro Manila)

https://www.facebook.com/IHOPPhilippines

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Life of Pi: Pi Breakfast and Pies

All-day breakfast places are rapidly becoming the most popular trend in the country today.  What used to be the monopoly of Pancake House is now a wide open market, bolstered by an infusion of foreign brands (IHOP) and local concepts.  It has become so prevalent that even restaurants that don't usually serve breakfast suddenly modifies their menu.  As such, it is now a challenge to search and sift out the really good all-day breakfast joints.

Riding on this current craze, one of my favorite modern Filipino restaurants, Pino, decided to put up their own breakfast spot just adjacent to them.  Thus, Pi was born.  Occupying a small corner of their building, Pi humbly dishes out honest-to-goodness breakfast fare even with a rather limited menu.  Not to worry though, as they also sell baked goodies (breads, cookies) for those who prefer a lighter wake-upper.

But I didn't come here for their baked goodies.  I wanted a good homey breakfast satisfaction.  We perused their simple menu book, and the choices seemed few, particularly the pancake section.  Nevertheless, my eyes zeroed in on one of their best-sellers and it was an easy choice.

Wagyu Beef Sirloin Tapa, PHP 245

My beloved humble beef tapa deserved a little pimpin' with Pi's rendition of this cult favorite.  Tender slices of wagyu beef sat gloriously on top of garlic kimchi rice, served with a whole, soft boiled egg.

The beef was tender as advertised, with no trace of grittiness or toughness. I loved the level of sweetness it exuded, the way I prefer my tapsilog.  It's the Paranaque way, I believe, with the beef served with a hint of sugary glaze instead of saltiness a la bistek.  There were slivers of fat on some portions, cloying with its meaty taste.

The atchara soaked in mildly sour vinegar was perfect as both a dip and mix-in to the rice.  The rice itself was a revelation, with hints of spiciness from the kimchi.  Although I would have preferred a sunny-side up egg (in retrospect, I could have ordered it that way), the soft-boiled egg was perfect - runny yolk and smooth exterior.  The common man's hearty breakfast was now all dolled-up in meaty glory.

Banana Nutella Cream Cheese Pancake, PHP 145

The missus was in the mood for pancakes, but the options paled in comparison to other breakfast joints, such as Ally's just across the street.  Believe me, she would have easily crossed over had it not been the surprising sight of numerous parked cars outside Ally's.  Strangely, (perhaps sensing the rivalry), our waitstaff offered us the freedom of modifying this waffle choice into a pancake.  

And so, this creation came out.  Three average-sized flapjacks lathered with nutella and then smothered with chocolate syrup, all topped with fresh slices of banana and a dollop of whipped cream.  A pretty sight indeed.  The pancakes, however, seemed just simple and nothing spectacular.  It was soft but overcooked in some places.  The nutella, though, was generous, coating the layers in between.  But, the chocolate syrup was overkill.  After just a few minutes, it was a challenge just to cut through the pancake.  It almost became like eating a steak, probably because the syrup was too thick and quickly turned it into a coagulated mess.  There was an interesting taste at some bites, as the cream cheese suddenly bursts into your mouth with its distinct bitterness.  However, whatever flavor it had was overpowered by the chocolate syrup.

Mombana Hot Chocolate, PHP 75

As if we hadn't had our fill of chocolate, I picked a hot drink to go with my meal.  The Mombana Hot Chocolate was comforting and good.  It had just the right thick consistency and the perfect mix of sweet and bitter taste.

Breakfast of champions.

In keeping with the methods of Pino, Pi has admirably re-invented our classic favorites into their own quirky creations.  Although their pancakes are a tad behind other breakfast joints, the Wagyu Beef Tapa is enough to keep patrons coming back (and not settle for the rival across the street).  I would come back and try their other rice meals and their pies, which I heard are also best sellers.  But for now, look for Pi to keep the breakfast scene interesting and more vibrant than before.

Jones

Pi, Breakfast and Pies

39 Malingap Street, Teacher's Village

Quezon City

https://www.facebook.com/breakfastnpies

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Think Happy Thoughts: Food For Thought

Finally getting some downtime, I realized I still had one more backlog post from my stay in Singapore.  With breakfast being my most favorite meal of the day, trying out a brunch spot was a fitting finale for my food adventures in the sunny little island.

Come to think of it, Singapore seemed to lag behind the Philippines when it comes to all-day breakfast places.  (Wow, that's a first for my country!).  The "brekky" revolution was already sweeping the Philippines years ago, when almost every corner boasted of an all-day breakfast menu.  It came in all shapes and sizes: from the classic Pancake House, to the classy Breakfast Club, even to the downright dirt-cheap carinderia (hawker) style Kanto Freestyle Breakfast.

That's why it seems Singapore is poised for its own "brekky" revolution.  And I just had to experience it before it went full blast.  The difficulty in finding a brunch spot is that most places there offer a typical English breakfast, instead of the usual greasy American breakfast I was more acquainted with. Nevertheless, after scouring the web for hours, I found a good place tucked nicely in a botanic park.

Located right smack in the entrance of Singapore Botanic Gardens, Food For Thought boasted of a serene and tranquil dining experience. Unfortunately, we arrived on a holiday and quite late, so the place was absolutely packed. 

5 Steps to Success according to the gospel of Food.

The really long queue was both an encouraging and upsetting sign: it was evidence that the food should be spectacular, but the wait would be epic.  As with most shops in Singapore that don't charge for service, we had to line up before ordering, thus adding to the hunger pangs.  I just crossed my fingers and hoped it was worth all the effort.

Slow-Roasted Pulled Pork, SGD 9.00 (approx. PHP 310, GST included)

I was craving for brunch worthy burger, and the Slow-Roasted Pulled Pork seemed to fit the bill.  This huge sandwich barely kept itself together.  The pork meat was bursting out between the hapless buns, topped with a creamy vegetable slaw.

The messy, merry mix was draped in a sweet tangy barbecue sauce, and added both zest and body to the sandwich.  The pork meat was a bit inconsistent: soft in some parts, too big and tough in other portions.  The flavor also seemed to be concentrated in some morsels but lacking in other parts.  The slaw was a good contrast in flavor, adding a little sourness to it.  The potato fries (add SGD 2.00) that came with it were quite good - none of that fast food flavor, that's for sure.  

House Works, SGD 15.00 (approx. PHP 518, GST included)

A leveled-up version of McDonald's Big Breakfast, the House Works was a colorful and enticing sight to behold.  It served the whole package: carbs, proteins, and some greens.  The butter brioche was made in-house.  It was soft on the inside and toasted perfectly on its sides, slathered on the surface with butter and caramel kaya.  Being a fan of kaya toast, I absolutely loved it.

United colors of breakfast.

The bacon was also divine - it was pork, finally!  Crisp on the edges, it tasted more heavenly than before, perhaps because of our long separation anxiety from bacon.  The scrambled eggs were fluffy and had the right saltiness, although it seemed too watery.  Nonetheless, it paired well with the bread and bacon.  The greens were fresh and crisp and surprisingly enjoyable, drizzled lightly with sweet vinaigrette. 

The pleasant surprise, however, was the marble-sized hash browns.  It was quite unusual for these to be cooked like this, and it tasted fabulously.  Deep-fried to perfection, the inside was surprisingly mushy and salty.  It was a shame there were only a few pieces, since it was highly addicting and I could certainly eat a whole bunch of it.  The House Works was indeed the full package, and my only gripe was the butter they used was Anchor.  For this price tag, I would have preferred something like Lurpak.  Heck, the barbecue guys in Maxwell FC could serve Lurpak with their dinner rolls, so what's stopping Food For Thought, right?

Pancakes with banana and walnuts, SGD 14.00 (approx. PHP 483, GST included)

No all-day breakfast will be complete without your typical slappy cakes.  Sadly though, the choices were limited to two options, although one can add a few more toppings.  We went for our favorite mix of banana and walnuts.

One interesting variation in their pancakes is that they use gula melaka syrup instead of your run-of-the-mill, off-the-grocery-shelf maple syrup.  Their syrup thus was milder in sweetness, and felt healthier!

However, they seemed to have scrimped on the syrup as the pancakes felt a tad dry in some parts.  I usually prefer my pancakes nearly soaked in syrup.  The fresh cream compensated for the milder sweetness of the syrup.  The banana was also underwhelmingly flavored, perhaps not yet ripe enough.  The walnuts was a good contrast in texture, adding crunch to the fluffiness of the pancakes.  The pancakes itself were light and soft.  It was akin to the ones in IHOP, save for the milder sweetness.

Despite its farther location from the city center, Food For Thought in the Botanic Gardens is worth the trip.  Away from the hustle and bustle, the tranquility leads one to leisurely enjoy a hefty and hearty breakfast while taking in the sunshine and the breeze from the lush garden.  Prices are commensurate with the serving size, especially noting that service charge is nil. There were some hits and misses with our orders, but overall, Food For Thought is perhaps the best value-for-money for an all-day breakfast place.  It was a fitting finale as I closed this chapter of my life.  And whenever I want to reminisce on my stay in SG and think of happy thoughts, Food For Thought will always be remembered.

Jones

Food For Thought

Singapore Botanic Gardens

1 Cluny Road, Tanglin Gate

#B1-00

www.foodforthought.com.sg

https://www.facebook.com/FFTsg

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Secret of the Alley: Ally's All Day Breakfast Place!

Ask anyone about their favorite meal of the day, and probably 9 times out of 10, breakfast is the easy choice.  That one who chose otherwise might even pick brunch, so technically, it's still breakfast.  Personally, I could eat breakfast fare any time of the day, even midnight!  But, for some strange reason, breakfast food tastes so darn good when you have it just around noon, when your stomach is growling angrily, your mouth salivating copiously, and your vision getting dim.  It's the perfect time to pig out and break the "fast", pun intended.

The strongest evidence that breakfast is widely popular is the burgeoning food fad of the all-day breakfast.  Long before IHOP stepped on our shores, local joints like Pancake House were already dishing out your favorite silogs and waffles and pancakes at your whim.  Soon however, local entrepreneurs got wind of this craze and established their own novel shops.

Located in the heart of the vibrant food center that is Teacher's Village, Ally's All Day Breakfast just recently opened its doors to the hungry public.  As a common practice nowadays, these newbies in the food scene offer discount vouchers on group buying websites.  So I grabbed one when I saw it, having read about Ally's on some food blogs.

Can't miss the sign.

Barely occupying half a block, this quaint little spot appears to have sprung out of somebody's house along Malingap Street.  Yet despite its diminutive location, its bright orange and yellow pastel signage attracts attention even at high noon.  I would have missed the spot if not for that sign.  Inside, the cheerful vibe bursts forth with the yellow plastered walls and orange plastic seats.  The shop is indeed small, seating only around 16 to 18 people inside and perhaps 10 more outside.  It was a humid day, so we picked the seats inside.  Plus, it's more colorful there.

Breakfast will break your diet.

Someone's got an eye for the jar of M&Ms.

In keeping with its simplistic theme, the menu is quite straightforward.  On one side, the familiar silog rice meals and pancakes dominate the page.  On the reverse, waffles and all sorts of sweets tempt the weak of heart.  At this time of day, rice meals are the easy choice.  

Only Oreo.  Makes me weak on the knees.

Even though it labels itself as a breakfast place, it was surprising to find a few items that seemed a bit out of place, like french fries and spring rolls.  Nevertheless, everything appeared honest-to-goodness and homey.

Classic Beef Tapa, P130

It would be a mortal sin not to order the Filipino all-time favorite tapsilog.  It's obvious that in our country, each shop in each area has their own version on the beloved tapa, with each one of course claiming to outdo the other.  Ally's version isn't flashy and appears to stay true to tradition (hence, the "classic" label).  

All members of the trio are present, with two eggs done your way, an ample serving of beef, a small portion of tomato and bell pepper sides, and of course steamed rice garnished with crunchy garlic bits.  A colorful and complete meal indeed.  The beef was tender and soft, thankfully.  However, after a few bites, especially without any rice, the saltiness goes overboard.  Maybe it's just me, but I prefer my tapa on the sweeter side, having grown up in Paranaque where it is typically sweet and even shredded into a flaky texture.  Adding the garlic on top of it must have enhanced the salty taste, almost transforming it into beef salpicao.  With eggs.  Nevertheless, there's nothing our friendly Datu Puti couldn't resolve, and a few dips on the vinegar eases away some of the briny taste.

Sweet Pork Tocino, P130

Of course, no Filipino breakfast would be complete without the porky partner of the tapsilog.  The Sweet Pork Tocino marries luscious cured pork, two eggs done at your whim, and a heaping scoop of garlic rice.  By some accident, my order of eggs got mixed up and it came out scrambled.  Never did I regret it.  The scrambled eggs were moist and fluffy, nay, even dreamy.  

But the tocino stole the show.  The serving was generous and aptly portioned, with just the right amount of cloying fat, its edges perfectly charred into a crisp texture.  The meat itself was sweet but not overpowering, tender and freshly pink.  Perfectly executed, I must say, the way the Filipino tocino should be.

Iced Tea

Each meal already comes with a cold glass of their house blend iced tea.  It wasn't too sweet, and a bit on the bitter side, exuding the leafy goodness of real tea.  But, this was not the only sweet treat for that day.  

At Ally's, you can opt to create your own pancake!  Once you've decided to order, the servers hand out a small piece of paper to tick your choices, complete from batter to toppings and guilty add-ons (M&Ms and whipped cream, anyone?).  We elected to go for a more conservative approach.  Those who are too lazy to even think of their own concoction can just pick their specialty pancake creations, ready-made for your degustation.  Here's our creation, the Banana Nutella mix!

Our own concoction: Banana Nutella Pancake (2 pcs.)

To start off, the pancake itself was divine.  It was fluffy but not too airy, and sweet on its own.  Remarkably, it resembled the fluffiness of IHOP.  Yes, IHOP.  Believe me when I say it.  If not for its thinner texture, it could masquerade as the cheaper version of IHOP, without sacrificing the taste.  It's that good.  The slices of banana were fresh and plump.  The Nutella spread was, well, Nutella (surprise, surprise!).  Sadly, they scrimped on the spread, lathering the top pancake only while completely forgetting the other one.  Even the top spread was too thin for the price tag (P35), I would say.  We topped off our creation with chopped walnuts and crushed graham for a contrast in texture. Oh yes, crushed graham goes well with Nutella and maple syrup.  That was a sinful combination.

The wall says it all.  Breakfast love!

Ally's All Day Breakfast Place is a homey, down-to-earth addition to an already muddled competition of all-day breakfast joints.  With a smaller up-keep, a strategic location, and a more directed target market, it has found a niche despite its young age.  The create-your-own pancake concept is novel and simple (I would rather have them cook it for me rather than me doing the cooking, take that Slappy Cakes!).  But the praises for the cakes don't end there, as their batter is light and fluffy, reminiscent of the more famous versions.  The rice meals are probably hit and miss, but likely more hits.  But just for the pancakes, I would definitely come back.

Ally's manages to avoid redundancy in the already repetitive world of breakfast places.  Its cozy spot attracts those who wish to avoid the crazy lines and even crazier price tags of the popular breakfast places.  It's comfort food done well.  It's breakfast you can have any time of the day, as if you were simply at home.  Or maybe, this is home.

Jones

Ally's All Day Breakfast Place

50 Malingap Street, Sikatuna Village

Quezon City

https://www.facebook.com/AllysAllDay

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Sunny With A High of 75: Milky and Sunny!

There's something about having a big breakfast on a lazy weekend.  Somehow, it gets one rejuvenated and re-energized after a long boring work week.  Other times, it's the perfect wake-me-upper for a whole night of Friday partying.  Still in some, it's just plainly something to fill the starving stomach and appease the voracious appetite.

No question about it, we love breakfast.  And with the food fad nowadays centering on all-day breakfast joints, it helps to carefully select which shop to choose.  Some offer unique creations, while some choose to stick to the basic staples, like silog meals.  Of course, there are those in between, twisting and manipulating the common breakfast meals into a crafty masterpiece.

I have long planned on dropping by Kapitolyo in Pasig to just try any of the restaurants and shops littered along the whole stretch of the street.  What better way to start my food trip with a big breakfast at Milky and Sunny.  This quaint shop has often been the talk of food blogs, earning both praises and criticisms.  I had to try it for myself to see what the fuss was all about.

As always, pastel colors mean delicious food.

To start off, indeed there was a lot of fuss.  We got there just past 11AM on a Saturday, but the place was already packed!  Luckily, one table became available just when we arrived.  The place was really small and felt cramped, but could comfortably seat 35 people or so.  The pastel blue colors contrasted by white was a welcome treat for the eyes, as well as the big photos of their breakfast selections.  The fixtures were simple yet colorful.  It almost felt like a pre-school classroom turned restaurant.

Eat, drink, and be chubby.

The food is the star.

I hope the serving size is as big as that.

The menu was straightforward yet extensive, offering the typical Filipino breakfast silogs, omelettes, pancakes, and even pasta!  But, a major letdown was that they did not have hot chocolate on the menu.  Who doesn't love hot choco in the morning?  Beats me what kids get to sip here.  It's almost a crime not to offer a piping cup of hot chocolate in a breakfast joint!  There are milkshakes on the selection, but not everyone can tolerate a cold drink for breakfast.

Having no hot chocolate is a crime, nay, a sin!

Nevertheless, we sought to compensate for our disappointment by ordering a lot!  It took us a while to pick our orders.  It would have helped if the menu book had nice pictures of the food they served.  I imagined Banana King Kong to be a heaping pile of chocolate french toast in the mold of a gorilla.  Of course it wasn't.

Blueberry Honeypie Pancakes, P140

First to arrive was the Blueberry Honeypie, a stack of hotcakes sandwiching a thick blueberry spread.  For that price, you get enough bang for your buck.  Each cake was large and perfectly round and thick, a pleasing treat to the eyes.  However, the cakes were not fluffy like that of IHOP or Pancake House.  Hell not even close to McDonald's.  There were sections that were too thick and a bit tough.  The saving grace though was the blueberry.  This was not your run-of-the-mill straight from the bottle jam.  It tasted homemade, and there were real whole plump blueberries in it.  I had never tasted such a blueberry spread before.  Often the berries were turned into mush by food processing.  But this was way different.  Another plus was that in between each layer was a generous spread of blueberries, plus you get a shot glassful of maple syrup to suit your sweet desire.  This would have been the star if not for the thick and tough pancake itself.

Banana King Kong, P150

This glorified French toast was a delectable treat.  Two large slices of white bread done in the usual French toast way, but slathered with a thick banana compote in between.  A drizzle of chocolate syrup adds a touch of sweetness.  The bread was good and sweet but not overpowering.  Some parts though had a burnt taste.  I was a bit surprised to find a banana compote filling instead of real fresh bananas.  Not that the filling was not okay, but it might have been better to use fresh ones.  The filling had a texture of mashed sweet saging na saba, which I'm not really a fan of.  Despite that, this dish was more hits than misses.

Bacon, Mushroom, and Cheese Omelet, P150

This trio of bacon, 'shrooms, and cheese was a perfect mix of flavors and texture.  The omelet was large enough to accommodate all three, and it was stuffed to the brim.  They did not scrimp on the bacon, although it was not crisp as expected.  It was rather soft and chewy.  I preferred the crunchier variant.  Although we could have ordered it the way we wanted it.  Also, some of the mushrooms included were old and tough and fibrous, questioning the freshness of the ingredients.  More so, it wouldn't have been too much to serve a slice of toast to along with this omelet.  But for the generous amounts of bacon, this was already a good meal in itself.

An explosion of flavors.

I was torn between the tapsilog and tosilog, but in keeping with the sweet overtones, I chose the tocino instead, expecting a sweet savory blend.  Bad move.

Tocino, P130

For some strange reason, despite its temptingly sweet appearance, it was not.  Instead, the tocino was garlicky and mildly salty.  I picked at each piece, trying in vain to perhaps get a bite of a touch of sweetness, but there was none.  Not even a trace.  You know how a good tocino with its crisp burnt caramel edges should taste like?  Well this was the exact opposite.  I was fooled by the burnt appearance and the glistening coat.  Still, the meat was pink and fresh, and the serving just enough for the cup of garlic rice.  However, I for one believe that tocino should be made on the sweeter side.  If I want garlic I would have chosen the tapa instead.  On second thought, maybe the tapa here was sweet, which is how I prefer that to be.  On all accounts, several other tosilogs out there best this version handily.

Breakfast is always the biggest meal of the day.

Milky and Sunny clearly has all the right formula for success: a tantalizing mix of savory dishes and sweet blends.  Its homey feel and laid-back vibe appeal to the surrounding neighborhood and offices.  As evidenced by the early Saturday crowd, it already has its loyal fans trooping from even the far reaches of the metro.

Understandably, it also has its critics.  Milky and Sunny is probably not at par with the big shots IHOP and the like, but for this price range, the food is quite good.  Still, it would help to tweak some of their recipes, aiming for a fluffier pancake or fresher fruits and such.  Oh and that hot chocolate should be added. No excuses.  Despite all that's been said, the forecast for Milky and Sunny remains bright, a gratifying getaway on a rainy day.

Jones

Milky and Sunny

9 East Capitol Drive, Barangay Kapitolyo

Pasig City

https://www.facebook.com/milkynsunny

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