Taste Test: A Review of the OG Eggdrop Sandwich from South Korea

(SPOT.ph) I was one of the many people who went down the rabbit hole of Korean dramas during the pandemic. It started with Itaewon Class and Crash Landing On You—then at some point in my ongoing and neverending Hallyu phase, I started watching Hospital Playlist, from its tear-jerking pilot episode down to the very last sunset scene. 

While I have cried, laughed, and at times got frustrated watching this series, I also got very hungry. The thing with Korean dramas is that there are always these food scenes that make you drool, and in the case of Hospital Playlist, it was Eggdrop: a Korean sandwich that father-and-son tandem Ik-Jun and Uju would bond over.

Now, the Korean egg sandwich trend may sound familiar to you already—and it should be since it became widespread in the Philippines—typically found in cutesy cafés, during the pandemic. But let's go back to it again now that Korea's Eggdrop (the OG!) has finally landed on our shores—from South Korea to the Philippines, from screen to real life.

Also read: This Dining Spot in Rockwell is Full of Special Off-Menu Items Waiting to Be Discovered

A Taste Test of Korea's Eggdrop egg sandwiches:

It was back in September when we spotted South Korea's Eggdrop casually dropping teasers that they were arriving in Manila soon. We didn't know back then when it was going to make its Philippine debut, but at least now, we can confirm its first day in Manila is December 19 at SM Mall of Asia.

Eggdrop prides itself as the first—the OG, the catalyst—to this sandwich trend that started in Korea but quickly became a trend in other countries as well, including the Philippines. And judging by its looks, it's not difficult to understand why Eggdrop's sandwiches became popular the way they did (and still are). These egg sandwiches have a distinct visual appeal of thick slices of toasted bread stuffed with scrambled eggs, with varying meats and sauces.

Out of the continuously growing menu of Eggdrop in South Korea, the Philippine branch has brought in the classics and bestsellers for its debut. On the Eggdrop menu are Mr. Egg (P120), American Ham & Cheese (P190), Ham & Cheese French Toast (P190), Bacon Double Cheese (P205), Garlic Baocn Cheese (P205), AvoHolic (P205), Club Sandwich (P205), and Ham & Cheese K-Truck Toast (P190).

I got to talk to Stewart Ong, the franchisee (the same franchisee that brought in M Bakery at Bonifacio Global City and ST. ALi Coffee Shop at Opus Mall), and he says that there are ongoing negotiations on launching a Philippine-exclusive egg sandwich too, somewhere along the lines of a tapsilog-inspired Eggdrop variant (!).

What do Eggdrop's egg sandwiches taste like? 

"Oh, it's basically a glorified egg sandwich," I thought upon my first bite of the Bacon Double Cheese.

As extra as Eggdrop's Bacon Double Cheese looks, taste-wise, it's more or less what I expect them to be. There are no twists, and there are no surprises. Eggdrop's Bacon Double Cheese has bacon, cheese, and scrambled eggs sandwiched in between slightly toasted brioche slices. This is a tried-and-tested combination that has always worked—even beyond a breakfast setting. It came as no surprise that this Eggdrop sandwich was something I'd like but if anything, I wish there was a way to customize the doneness of the bacon and have it a little crispier for more texture and flavor.

The same simplistic "what you see is what you get" concept is applied to the other Eggdrop sandwiches. The American Ham & Cheese has ham, cheese, and scrambled egg; the Ham & Cheese K-Truck Toast has smoked ham, cheese, and fried egg; Garlic Bacon Cheese has bacon, cheese, and scrambled eggs sandwiched in garlic brioche toasts, and the AvoHolic? This has slices of real avocadoes, avocado sauce, and scrambled eggs.

The AvoHolic is the second sandwich I got to taste during the media launch. On one hand, avocado toast is a fairly mainstream (and millenial) brunch dish by now—but I must admit this variant entailed a bit of a learning curve for me, as someone who was brought up in a household where avocados were always in a container swimming in evaporated milk and sprinkled with sugar. (I'm sure the same goes for other Filipinos.) Even so, it wasn't hard to like this fruit in a savory context as it added a creamy texture and a mild sweet, and nutty taste to the sandwich. It's nothing as extreme and controversial as pineapple on pizza.

Need I mention Eggdrop prices? Another aspect I love about Eggdrop is that for a hefty sandwich—a franchised one at that—the prices are reasonable. The most expensive sandwich on the menu is priced at P205 while the most affordable is at P190. Some restaurants and cafés would sell their sandwiches for the same price (or more), and it wouldn't even be half as filling as Eggdrop's.

There is a small caveat: Your sandwich will surely be more expensive should you choose add-ons for your sandwich. Based on the Eggdrop menu, your add-on options are Scrambled Egg (P45), Hash Brown (P70), Avocado (P60), Tomatoes (P20/two pieces), Bacon (P50/two pieces), Ham (P50/two pieces), Cheese (P20/piece), Vegetables (P25), and for your coffee, Sugar Powder (P5).

Should you drop by Korea's Eggdrop's first branch in the Philippines?

Eggdrop’s egg sandwiches may not redefine your breakfast game, but they’re undeniably worth a stop should you find yourself at SM Mall of Asia. With fresh ingredients, competitive price points, and consistently fluffy scrambled eggs every freaking time, these sandwiches strike a delicious balance between comfort and quality.

Skip them? Not a chance. Just make sure to order your Eggdrop egg sandwiches with the Korean Mixed Coffee (P130) which tastes like an elevated Korean-branded instant coffee, or the Pink Strawberry Latte (P130) which has milk and strawberry chunks.

Pro tip: the store's entrance is right beside the Disney Store (at the outside part of the mall).

Eggdrop is at SM Mall of Asia, J.W. Diokno Boulevard, Pasay City. For more information, check out Eggdrop Philippines' Instagram page.

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