iHop - Meh

IHOP or International House of Pancakes has caused quite the ruckus since it opened in the Fort.  Crazy queues for a table like lines in an amusement park have been a source of curiosity for me each time I would walk by.  "pancake lang yan" was in my thought bubble as without fail people were trooping their to pay homage to the new mecca of pancakes in Manila.  It really shows how nuts we Pinoys can be at anything American that we or our friends and family see abroad or relatives abroad like.  Its not like Pancake house is new and Flapjacks has been around (well, was around for the most part).  Heck Maya pancake mix is pretty good and do you remember Karo syrup? I remember my one trip to the US and trying the mythical In and Out burger to think to myself "Jollibee?" when I bit into it.  People told me that I didn't know the secret menu blah, blah, blah whatever.  But, I will admit that someone once brought me Krispy Kreme and one bit into that made me see heaven.

I was with a group of 8 people last Tuesday and we figured we could see if we get a table.  There were already people waiting but apparently they had a big table ready so we sat right away.  The oddball that I am wanted the fried chicken with masshed potato and a biscuit, I always order the pan chicken at Pancake House and never the pancakes so go figure.  But I do love Pancakes and was looking forward to cutting off a piece from someone else.  They didn't have the fried chicken so I ordered the Bacon and Cheddear hashbrown stack which even had an egg.  Everything is better with egg!

 The selection of syrup or Pancake Sauce as I like to call them

 Buttermilk Pancakes

Club sandwich with onion rings and that is not me! 

 Smokehouse Combo

The pancakes were good, nothing mindblowing, the novelty of choices in syrups at the same time made me pour then bite, pour then bite and so on.  I recommend the plain maple flavored syrup and maybe the strawberry.  The blueberry and butter pecan tasted a bit artificial, all were artificial but those two were more unnatural in taste.

The sausages, egg, ham and bacon with scrambled eggs were great but nothing really memorable.  I had bits and pieces of everyone's food and nothing really gave me an impression.  It felt like hotel breakfast buffet, everything is of quality, something you feel you do sometimes but not something you do often.  IHOP is everything breakfast done well but I didn't see what the fuss was about.