Three words that always brings a smile to my face... "ALL DAY BREAKFAST". Considering how IHOP exploded on to the scene a few years ago, it's clear that we Pinoys have a fascination with the integral morning meal. IHOP brought in their fast casual style restaurant "IHOP Fresh and Go" to our shores, introducing yet another delectable way to enjoy your breakfast, and was the last stop of our mini food crawl around SM NORTH EDSA!
IHOP Fresh & Go is located at the Upper Ground floor of SM North Edsa, giving their the masses a fill of their popular all day breakfast menu, scaled down a bit to more commercial friendly prices. The colorful atmosphere, and friendly service makes it an ideal place to take kids when visiting SM North Edsa.
THE FOOD
Case in point.
Even before she set foot into the restaurant, I knew what Rain's order would be. She LOVES anything with strawberries, so it was clear from the onset that she was going to order the Strawberry and Cream Pancakes.
The Strawberries and Cream Pancakes (P195) includes a short stack of buttermilk pancakes, topped with Caramelized Strawberries and whipped cream, and drowned in Strawberry Syrup. The cream and tartness from the strawberries keep the dish from being overly sweet. Definitely a hit with the kids!
Big breakfast eaters like me will set their cross-hairs on IHOPs Big Breakfast (P295). This heavy platter is a breakfast lover's dream, as it includes morning meal staples such as Bacon, Ham, Sausage Patty, Egg of your choice, and a fluffy Buttermilk Pancake. The patty could have stood to be a little bit more juicy, but if you're like me and liberally use the maple syrup on everything on your plate, then the problem is solved.
The Mexicali Crepe (P175) captured the festive flavors of Mexico. The robust tomato filling was balanced by the light sweetness that the crepe wrapper provided, making it double delicious! I was careful to eat only a few bites because my hyper acidity, but I did enjoy what I tasted.
The Philly Cheese Steak Omelette (P195) was a hearty meal in itself.
Served with slices of Toasted Bread, a rolled omelette is drizzled with Cheese Sauce, then topped with strips of Beef Sauteed with Onions. Rina and Rain loves all things eggs, and this got their stamp of approval!
In an offer to widen its market, IHOP Fresh and Go came up with some rice meals, including some Regional Favorites. We tried the Breaded Porkchop Rice (P165), which was good but nothing really out of the ordinary.
Worth a try if you're craving for rice, I guess, but personally, when dining at IHOP, I plan on sticking to the breakfast based items because that's where they truly excel.
One item I had my eyes on even before visiting IHOP Fresh and Go was the Sriracha Fried Chicken and Bacon Waffle Sandwich (Single P175/Double P275), and it did NOT disappoint. The Chicken Fillet Patty was fantastic, as it was adorned with a beautifully, crisp, golden glaze, and when you take a bite, you get a gentle touch of heat. The smokiness of the bacon feels right at home when paired with the waffle "bun", giving your taste buds a wonderful carousel of "Sweet Meets Savory". There are a few other waffle sandwiches you can try as well, but I have a feeling I'll have a hard time prying myself away from this one again.
For dessert, we had the Sansrival, which was creamy and buttery, a not overly sweet. It had a nice texture to it as well, and soemthing I would definitely order again when I dine at IHOP Fresh & Go!
In case you were wondering what is the difference between IHOP Fresh & Go and the Classic IHOP restaurant itself, here are a few things I noticed:
1) IHOP Fresh & Go is a fast casual restaurant.
You line up to the cashier and order your food, as opposed to how the waiter engages with you at IHOP. It's fast casual not fast food because your meal
is still cooked to order, not pre-cooked, wrapped and ready for serving. As the names suggests, your food is cooked fresh, and ready to go!
2) Prices are definitely more affordable
BUT portion size decreased, although rather modestly. Let's face it, IHOP served huge "American" sized portions, which is great for big eaters such as me, but not everyone can really take on a platter that huge. Scaling it down a little to bring the price down made sense.
3) It has a unique Menu
The menu may not be as extensive as the Classic IHOP, but there are items
served in Fresh & Go, such as the Waffle Sandwiches that aren't available in the original store.
On the whole, I'm looking forward to going to try the other waffle sandwiches in the future, as well as their other breakfast items!
IHOP FRESH & GO
Upper Grnd Flr, Main Building,
SM City North EDSA,
Bago Bantay, Quezon City
IHOP FRESH & GO MENU
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