Gridcrosser: Here Comes the Milkfish: IHOP Adds Filipino Breakfast Items

The Breakfast Bangus is pan fried milkfish served with a side of garlic rice and eggs (P295)

Filipino favorite fried bangus or milkfish is one of three new Filipino breakfast dishes now offered at IHOP (International House of Pancakes). The United States-grown, all-day breakfast restaurant, which is known for its pancakes, waffles and French toasts, is endearing itself more to Filipino consumers as it expands its Filipino line.
“We currently have five Filipino breakfast offerings on the menu and are excited to be offering more. It just goes to show how IHOP has made an impact on our local customers. These are distinctly Filipino dishes with IHOP-sized servings and IHOP quality,” said Archie Rodriguez, president and chief executive officer of Global Restaurant Concepts Inc., the local franchise owner of IHOP. “In addition to our Filipino Breakfast lineup, which is now part of our core menu, these three new, limited edition items are about raising the bar and showing what IHOP Philippines can do in terms of innovation in respect to both IHOP International Culinary Team’s standards and our local research and development team’s creativity.”
“These items are both classic Filipino favorites, thus the name, and are very familiar to Filipino diners, but, at the same time, have the signature IHOP stamp on it,” he added.
Prominent among the new additions is the Breakfast Bangus (P295), which is the all-time favorite boneless bangus or milkfish pan-fried. It is served with garlic rice and sunny-side-up eggs. The rice servings are in IHOP proportions—satisfyingly hefty—and these Filipino dishes have linings on fresh banana leaves on the plates, an amusing touch of local color.
Another breakfast favorite is corned beef, and IHOP has Corned Beef Hash (P275), which is corned beef mixed with IHOP’s own hash browns. This is also served with garlic rice and eggs. And lastly, the Longganisa Scrambler (P250) combines the favorite local sausage, the longganisa, and a favorite way of cooking eggs — scrambled with chopped tomatoes and onions. In this scrambled egg dish, the sautéed chopped longganisa is mixed with green bell peppers and onions.
These new items beef up the restaurant’s Filipino Classics line, which was introduced last year and includes the beef tapa, which is the top-seller in this range; chicken and pork tocino; longganisa; and chicken sausage.
“These dishes were developed by IHOP Philippines’ research and development team, and our principals approved and supported them prior to launch. It’s IHOP’s commitment to innovation, to keeping things fresh, current and relevant to the market that really inspires us to push the envelope and come up with product lines that we are sure the Filipinos will love,” Rodriguez beamed.
IHOP Philippines hopes that the Filipino breakfast items will be picked by IHOP in the United States and offer in stores located in communities with a sizable Filipino population.
Meanwhile, the three new items will be available only in the Philippines and for a limited period starting today, March 31. Also being offered together with the new Filipino breakfast items are the summer treats, which are culled from IHOP’s American menu.
The Summer Treats line is offered in partnership with Nestle Philippines and Pepsi, and includes the Ice Cream Waffle Sandwich (P245), or waffles with fillings of vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips and mango ice cream mixed with cheesecake cubes, served on streaks of chocolate and vanilla sauce; Funnel Cake a la Mode (P175), six pieces of small funnel cakes topped with vanilla ice cream, and a choice of cinnamon apple compote, blueberries, or glazed strawberries, whipped cream and powdered sugar; Banana Split Sundae (P225), chocolate, vanilla and mango ice cream balls, candied pecans, and glazed strawberries in a goblet, with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and sliced bananas; and soda floats (P145), soda with vanilla ice cream, drizzled with chocolate sauce and served on a beer mug.
These new dishes mark IHOP’s second year in the Philippines, and this milestone comes with several developments.
“We’ve been doing very well and steadily growing in the Philippines. Since IHOP’s arrival in the local dining scene, I think we can be credited with changing the way people think of their comfort food. IHOP has shown that we can enjoy this concept, that special IHOP dining experience, anytime of the day whether for breakfast, lunch, snacks, or dinner,” Rodriguez related. “To date, we now have six branches in Metro Manila, with the seventh branch soon to open at Ayala Fairview Terraces. We’ve also begun to offer in-house and on-site catering services across these branches.”
“The IHOP experience can be in homes, offices, and venues for parties or get-togethers with the menu personalized for the client. We can work with them based on their need and budget with a professional team managing the spread,” he added.
Additionally, IHOP will also be delivering food starting April 25. It has partnered with Food Panda, which operates food delivery service via a mobile phone app.
“With the launch of our delivery service, we are happy to announce that IHOP’s Fried Chicken Dinner will be available for dine in, take out and delivery in six pieces, eight pieces and 12 pieces starting May 1. This is our answer to the clamor of our guests who love our fried chicken,” Rodriguez declared.

IHOP Philippines has branches in Bonifacio Global City, UP Town Center in Katipunan, SM Mall of Asia, Century City Mall, Filinvest City in Alabang, and Araneta Center. It will be opening its seventh store in Ayala Fairview Terraces soon. Follow their social media spaces on Facebook via IHOP Philippines and Twitter and Instagram at @ihop_ph.

Corned beef sautéed with hash browns served with garlic rice and eggs (P275)

Longganisa Scrambler has scrambled eggs mixed with sautéed chopped longganisa, green bell peppers, and onions. It is served with garlic rice. (P250)

Six pieces of mini funnel cakes topped with creamy vanilla ice cream; crowned with a choice of cinnamon apple compote, blueberries, or glazed strawberries; and garnished with whipped cream and powdered sugar (P175)

Vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips and mango ice cream mixed with cheesecake cubes in between freshly made waffles. It is served on a bed of chocolate and vanilla sauce

The banana split sundae is a goblet full of chocolate, vanilla, mango ice cream balls, candied pecans, and glazed strawberries. It is drizzled with chocolate sauce and whipped cream, and garnished with sliced bananas with a cherry on top (P225).