Pancakes 'til you drop at IHOP

 

Probably a common childhood memory among many would be waking up to the smell of freshly-made pancakes. Our parents, or grandparents, would whisk them from scratch then serve them warm and smothered with butter and syrup to hungry kids who’d down them with milk or fruit juice. Pancakes are high on the list of our most cherished comfort foods.

 

The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) is known the world over for, well, pancakes. IHOP has almost 6,000 restaurants, including outlets in Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Many Filipinos, on their travels abroad, have fallen in love with IHOP and have been wondering when an IHOP would finally open here.

 

That day has come.

 

On February 15, 2013, the first IHOP in Asia opened at the W Global Center, Fort Bonifacio, Global City, Taguig. DineEquity, Inc., parent company of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar and IHOP Restaurants, has partnered with InterDine Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Restaurant Concepts, Inc., which has already successfully brought several other popular US restaurant brands to the region. 

 

Before opening day, they invited members of the media for an 8-course brunch. It was a full house. Like the many Pinoy fans of IHOP, the members of the media, obviously, have been waiting in anticipation for the arrival of the world-famous pancake.

 

There is a small dining area on the ground floor, but the space upstairs is cozier and larger. On Media Day, the breakfast plates steadily appeared from the kitchen: big servings of omelettes covered with melted cheese, fluffy pancakes topped with whipped cream, French toast with sweet fruits, and thin crepes stuffed with vegetables and spices.   

 

One needs to remember, however, that IHOP offers much more than breakfast. Ana Hernandez, Director of International Marketing, says, “We serve breakfast, lunch and dinner—sandwiches and hamburgers, dinner plates, soups and salads.” The menu carries signature, made-from-scratch breakfast options as well as a range of meals below 600 calories, for the health-conscious diners.

 

Breakfast to make you happy

 

We started with the Big Steak Omelette (P325) and it was gone in a flash. This was definitely a favorite at our table. The dish is made of tender strips of steak, hash browns, fresh green peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes and cheddar cheese. It came with fresh salsa. The highlight of this dish? It’s got to be the soft, rich-tasting meat.  Another sure winner is the Spinach and Mushroom Omelette (P265). It’s made with fresh spinach, mushrooms, onions and Swiss cheese rolled in a fluffy omelette, then topped with rich hollandaise sauce and diced tomatoes. The spinach leaves are so fresh, and blends beautifully with the mushrooms and onions for that healthy green taste. 

 

The Quick 2-egg Breakfast (P295) is simple, yet still gets the thumbs up. It’s basically a dish with two eggs, hash browns, and two crispy bacon strips (or two pork sausage links). The hash browns are so crispy and the meat strips so crunchy, it’s really worth waking up to. This breakfast plate is served with toast. 

 

Two fluffy buttermilk pancakes loaded with creamy, rich cheesecake pieces and crowned with cool (and plump!) strawberries, powdered sugar and whipped topping make up the New York Cheesecake (P285). Buttermilk pancakes is what IHOP is known for. They have their own formulation and their unique proprietary recipe. 

 

For kids, and kids at heart, there's the Funny Face (P165) which has a big chocolate, chocolate-chip pancake with powdered sugar, maraschino cherry eyes, and a whipped topping smile. The chocolate pancake is so soft and fluffy and yummy that you’ll feel like a kid again! Definitely worth a try. If you want, you can have the buttermilk version instead of chocolate.

 

The Cinn-A-Stack (P235) was the last dish served to us and we would have finished it to the last crumb if we were not so full already. It’s basically a stack of two buttermilk pancakes layered with cinnamon roll filling and topped with cream cheese icing and whipped topping. Order this only if you like cinnamon as the spice is really the accent here.

 

Another healthy-tasting option is the Garden Stuffed Crepe (P325). One serving has two crepes stuffed with Swiss cheese and eggs scrambled with fresh spinach, mushrooms and onions, then topped with rich hollandaise and diced tomatoes. The crepes are thin and light, which go very well with the veggie stuffing.  The Stuffed French Toast Combo (P365) is so unlike the French toast we’re all used to. For one, it’s richer and more complete. It’s made of cinnamon raisin French toast with a sweet cream filling, crowned with whipped topping and any of these three: cool strawberry, warm blueberry compote, or cinnamon apple compote. The dish is served with two eggs, hash browns, and your choice of two bacon strips or two pork sausage links.

 

To wash it all down, there's the all-you-can-drink Never-Empty Coffee Pot, regular or decaf, at P125 or the freshly brewed iced tea at P95. I like tea, hot or cold, and the IHOP brew is not bad at all.

 

Not a coffee or tea drinker? Then opt for the IHOP Splashers—sparkling, fruity and refreshingly delicious: the Splashberry, a blend of IHOP’s juicy red strawberries, lemon-lime soda and premium orange juice; or their Tropical Island Twist, a blend of lemonade, lemon-lime soda and tropical mango syrup. But curious diners may want to postpone a trip to IHOP anytime soon, unless they want to wait for an hour or more. The lines are long, with Pinoy foodies wanting to be among the first in their circle to try the resto's comfort food. —KG/BM, GMA News