Flapjacks
Breakfast All Day
By E.O. Azucena

“We wanted to come up with a place that provides the right food at the right serving size at the right price.”

So says Amy O. Palisoc, director for corporate planning of the Bistro Group Restaurant Concepts (BGRC), which established Flapjacks as the “venue that offers good food all day,” Palisoc says.

NEW CONCEPT. With people now eating late, serving breakfast all day is a fine idead, indeed - something that, surprisingly, not many relatively upscale restaurants have been doinguntil recently.

BGRC is, of course, the Philippine franchise holder of American brands TGI Friday’s (TGIF), Italianni’s Restaurant (IR) and Outback Steakhouse (OS), and Singaporean brand Fish & Co. With the establishment of Flapjacks, “it took us some time to set up a local brand because we wanted to perfect the execution of this concept, we wanted to (prove first) that we can do things our own way,” Palisoc says. With the success in the Philippines of BGRC’s franchises (there are now eight TGIF branches, three OSs, 11 IRs, and four Fish & Co. branches), “I believe we can say we have proven we can (do it our way) already.”

Doing it their own way, in Flapjacks’ case, is to respond to the “lack of restaurants offering all day breakfast, (especially since) Filipinos love to eat eggs and bacon and pancake (and other breakfast regulars) anytime of the day,” says Lisa Ronquillo, BGRC marketing director. “Flapjacks’ concept is promoting breakfast as the most important and most energizing meal of the day. The concept specializes in everything we love about breakfast. It is an ultimate comfort food and Flapjacks will be the place where one can happily enjoy favorite breakfast items at any time of the day. It is a place that will perk you up, give you that much needed boost and feeling of enjoying the warm sunshine even when the sun has decided to call it a day.”

Flapjacks, as an expression, refers to the American slang for light and fluffy pancakes, which are made using baking powder that causes them to rise. But even if pancakes, with omelettes and French toasts, are the staples in Flapjacks, the menu actually boasts of “everything,” Ronquillo adds, with the choices varying from the traditional American breakfast favorites to Filipino specialties and international favorites, their preparation spearheaded by corporate chef Jun Jun de Ocampo.

Among the choices are the Fluffy Pancakes (light and fluffy pancakes stacked in threes, fives or eights, topped with whipped butter and served with maple syrup), there are the double blueberry, toffee banana, triple chocolate chips, strawberries and cream, and peanut butter and jelly. Ultimate Omelettes choices include the Triple Bacon and Mushroom Melt (bacon, bacon, bacon, cheese and sautéed mushrooms), Ribeye Steak Omelette (tender ribeye steak slices, bell peppers, onion and cheese), and Four Cheese Overload (cheddar, mozzarella, pepperjack and cream cheese).

There are also the International Favorites, such as the Country Fried Chicken Steak (breaded and fried boneless chicken breast, topped with creamy milk gravy, served with scrambled eggs and griddle potatoes), Ranchero Burger (seared all beef patty, topped with gravy and sunny side up egg with tomato salsa and fries), and Baby Back Ribs (half rack barbecued baby back ribs served with coleslaw, fries and sweet corn kernels).

And then, of course, there are the Filipino Favorites, including the beef tapa (choice of classic, or sweet and spicy), chicken or pork tocino, garlic longganisa, and pork adobo.

“(Since) consistency in execution (of dishes) remains a challenge among restaurateurs, this is what we will always focus on (in what we offer, since) we believe this is what will set us apart,” Ronquillo says, stressing that “guests come back for the taste of food and the experience they get (in any venue), and this is what we have that we believe will make our guests come back again and again.”

This early, Flapjacks is already looking at franchising the concept (from P1 million, plus build-up costs, but only to “people with the same passion as we do for the brand, to really grow it and make it the best dining place offering the best value,” Palisoc says). And this is because Palisoc says Flapjacks, as a concept, is something that the market needs now. “People want to eat good food at a good price in a good place,” Palisoc says. “We believe Flapjacks responds to that.”

Flapjacks is at Greenbelt 2, Ayala Center, Makati City. For inquiries, call (+632) 8957277.