Hey #FOODIES! So today, we'll take a virtual food tour of a restaurant that's fairly well known in Asia. My experience with Elephant Grounds started many years ago in of my trips to Hong Kong. It was a welcome surprise of course when they announced that they would be opening a branch in Manila, and in BGC no less. While it doesn't have that neighborhood cafe vibe like the one in Causeway Bay, it still proved to be really popular when it opened here since the Philippines has so many coffee enthusiasts (me and my BF included). So anyway, let's get to it!
We started our meal with some Truffle and Parmesan fries. The truffle taste was pretty noticeable, which is pretty good considering many of what other restos sell-off as truffle don't really taste truffle-y. The shaved parmesan also gives it that extra salty umami flavor that you want with fries, which was complemented well with the tangy dip.
For my coffee, I went with my usual Iced Mocha. As you can see from the photo, they really didn't skimp on the chocolate. The flavor was balanced enough to not mask the coffee with just sweetness, which is usually what other coffee shops do.
The photo above it their take on the local Tapa, which is a cured beef that's usually eaten in the morning. They call it Tapa Donburi cause they used Japanese soy sauce and condiments to flavor the meat, which gives it a different flavor profile from the usual Filipino Tapa. They paired it with some tomato and onion salsa as a palate cleanser and an egg, which are the usual sides to the classic dish.
For the next two dishes, I'll just talk about them in the same time as the only difference between the two are the sides. The first photo is the Bacon-Steak and Eggs Sourdough while the second one is the Bacon-Steak and Eggs Waffle. A bacon-steak is just a thicker cut of the bacon that you usually get from the grocery. I do prefer it thicker as the thinly sliced ones can sometimes get too crispy for my liking. The ones here are just the right thickness and had a good flavor in them. For the sides, the sourdough was pretty standard, although you might wanna order butter or cream cheese if they have it. For the waffle, its crisp on the outside but soft and slightly sweet on the inside. The syrup is also pretty good and it doesn't taste like the overly sugary ones. The eggs and the mushrooms were really well cooked and were seasoned well so no complaints there either.
As for me, if you've been reading my past posts, you would know that I usually order the same thing for breakfast, Eggs Benedict. Their version is called the Yuzu Salmon Eggs Benny cause apparently their hollandaise is infused with yuzu. Although, to be honest, I didn't really notice the yuzu, which is supposed to be noticeable. Other than that, the eggs were poached perfectly and the smoked salmon tasted just how it should be. I personally prefer english muffins for my Eggs Benedict but the sourdough was fine. The salad is also a plus for someone like me who doesn't get to eat many veggies lol.
So that's it for this particular visit to Elephant Grounds. They do offer their local takes on classic Filipino dishes so it's still worth a try if you've gone to the HK or China branches. Overall, it's still good value for money and pretty filling to the stomach. They also have al fresco dining if like me, you're still not that comfortable dining in an enclosed space. I also recommend to come early as it can get quite full or try to call in for a reservation. Anyway, that's it for now, if you enjoyed this post do consider following me for more food and travel posts. Hoping that you're safe wherever you are! Till next time!