theyHOPPED, weHOPPED at IHOP

they say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. and that people should eat hearty during breakfast to perform well throughout their day, hence the term "breakfast of champions."

just recently the 1st branch of IHOP (International House Of Pancakes) in the Philippines opened their doors to Filipino customers. so far, the outcome was as usual as it could be. people lining up for hours just to try out something new that's well known in foreign countries.

and so, with all the buzz going on, I went with the trend and felt like trying it out. so, I asked 2 of my running mates to join me in finding out what the fuzz is all about at IHOP. probably to also learn if their food would be as good as they claim it to be.

on one Tuesday morning, we hopped on our way to IHOP to have a "hearty breakfast." surprisingly, we were lucky enough to see a rare phenomenon when the IHOP had no line, despite the fact that we came in an hour after they opened, which from what I've heard was very rare. as we came in the food factory, we were greeted with smiles and a very warm service crew that you'd enjoy giving your orders to.

 

we decided to get 3 different items off the menu so that we could try out  more food. I ordered the breakfast sampler. my friend ordered a pick-a-pancake combo. and another friend ordered a waffle combo.

my order impressed me a lot (simply because, it made me so full after consuming it). their scrambled eggs were cooked great with its eye-popping yellow colored fluffiness. their hash brown was cooked perfectly, not too salty and it's texture in your mouth was excellent. the sausages were ok which compliments the saltiness of the hash. as well as how the scambled eggs neutralized the saltiness of the ham which was part of my platter. and the main event of my plate was the bacon, from flavor to texture, it was simply divine. if ever I could say something negative about the bacon, it would be "there's not enough of it." my order also included a plain pancake which surprised me a lot because, all this time, I never knew that the original pancake was supposed to be salty. (you can't blame me, I got used to the pancakes in a box that are purchased from groceries....hehehe!!!) I had to put on some syrup which I don't normally do on my pancakes. their variety of syrups were good, but I loved the butter pecan among all the rest.

my friend's pancake combo included 2 strips of IHOP's heavenly bacon, a well cooked hash, and 2 eggs which she had cooked over-well. the pancake she picked was seasoned with cinnamon and drizzled with stripes of vanilla on top. the impact of the cinnamon on the pancake was perfectly executed that the flavors of a bit of saltiness and the mixture of cinnamon and a hint of vanilla plays inside of your mouth. you could eat this pancake as it is, without putting any syrup on top.

my other friend's waffle combo also included 2 strips of their yummy bacon (notice, that I can't get over IHOP's bacon....ahahahah!!!), a evenly-cooked hash, and 2 eggs which she also had over-well. the big ass waffle that was the star of her order was so scrumptious. it had an outer layer that was lightly crisp and once you sink  your teeth in it, the softness of the waffle explodes in your mouth. together with their selection of syrups, this huge ass waffle is indeed a contender on their menu.

the experience at IHOP was awesome, but what made it perfect was the company I was sharing a bite with. who would ever complain eating breakfast in front of 2 stunning ladies, right? IHOP for me was a hit because of these 2. without them, eating at a place which promotes a family-oriented atmosphere won't be as much fun when you it alone.