The boyfriend and I decided to hit Manila's latest hot spot, IHOP (International House of Pancakes). Having been introduced to this place through some of the shows I watched and of course, people I know from the States who compares it to our own, Pancake House.

We visited IHOP at 7:30 a.m. and got seated right around 8 a.m. Not too bad of a wait since it was their second day of opening.

Review will start not with the food but with the service. Watching Top Chef, Hell's Kitchen and my current favorite Kitchen Nightmares, I've learned that the reception area is vital in making a restaurant a success. I believe that IHOP relies on the fact that they are currently a hype right now that they have allowed their frontliner to fall behind the service. I only speak from experience but I didn't like at all how agitated and frequently consulting each other the two girls were when we came in and asked to be seated.

It wasn't how I wished to start my day, especially having had no food in my system. I was irritated to put it mildly. And I wasn't alone. There were several patrons who I observed were disappointed with how the two receptionists handled the seating reservation.

But I didn't want that to ruin my day. Base on the photos and reviews of a lot renowned food bloggers, the food are must try.