When in Manila and you’re craving for American comfort food, International House of Pancakes (IHOP) has got your back. The US-based restaurant chain known for their fluffy pancakes finally opened its syrupy gates to the Manila public, allowing Filipinos to partake of their breakfast goodness at Bonifacio Global City (BGC).
IHOP has charmed the world with its delicious take on a breakfast favorite, but the restaurant isn’t just known for pancakes. IHOP also has other food items, and When In Manila was invited to try their new addition: the IHOP griddle melts. They’re described as “fluffy omelettes layered with your favorite flavors and grilled between artisan sourdough bread.” Sounds like a lot of fluff. To me, griddle melts are heaven.
The griddle melts are perfect for breakfast, but because of its heft, they are also great alternatives for lunch or dinner. Or…. given the Filipinos’ mentality that a real meal consists of rice, a great snack for pre- or post- shopping excursions at Bonifacio High Street.
The griddle melts come in three varieties, each with their own strengths and characteristics. What the three have in common, however, is that they are hand-crafted and made-to-order. Meaning each griddle melt is made only when you order, meaning each sandwich is fresh and perfect.
The IHOP spinach, roasted, and cheese melt is the most complex melt of the bunch with a medley of flavors
The first variant is the spinach, roasted, and cheese melt. This is perhaps the most “designer” of the bunch, consisting of spinach in a fluffy egg omelette topped with roasted red peppers and onions, melted Provolone, parmesan and pepper jack cheeses on grilled artisan sourdough bread. I did not grow muscles of Popeye proportions, but my eyes did pop at how the spinach blended with the cheese and pepper. It was flavorful and packed a lot of punch. What I appreciated was how IHOP did not scrimp on ingredients and was generous with servings. The bread was also a revelation: it was crisp yet soft and had a delicious flavor that could stand on its own.
The ham and egg melt is a modern take on a childhood favorite
The ham and egg melt is perfect for those whose idea of comfort food is the sandwiches they had during their childhood. The classic flavor and unassuming ingredients of this melt brings back pleasant memories of Sundays with the family – ham and egg sandwiches and board games. While IHOP’s version makes one nostalgic for a bygone age, it is modernized with thick slices of ham and the perfect combination of Swiss and American cheeses that melts in your mouth. I can literally feel my mouth watering as I relive the memory of rolling the cheese around my mouth. There is of course that delicious bread.
The Western melt is a mix of decadence and restraint
Perhaps my favorite IHOP griddle melt is the Western melt, a sandwich featuring smoked ham and sauteed peppers and onions in a classic omelette, topped with sliced ham and melted American cheese. To clarify: on top of the smoked ham are small slices of ham that enhances the eating experience, overwhelming me (in a sexy and delicious way). If the spinach, roasted, and cheese melt is flavor overload and the ham and egg melt is a classic, the Western melt is the in-between, a perfect balance of decadence and restraint.
