(SPOT.ph) In recent years we've seen many nostalgic comfort eats—think doughnuts, fried chicken, and so on—go back into fashion, albeit with some form of modern uplift by way of remixed presentation or use of better-quality ingredients. So, too, has the humble egg sandwich—particularly its Japanese iteration, dubbed the egg sando, that's popular at convenience stores in the Land of the Rising Sun. And as with many popular Japanese eats, it's made its way to our shores as well with the rise of purveyors offering their own take on the sandwich. Here's one to try from a relatively unexpected source: the excellent (egg-cellent?) Egg Sando of Omotesando Koffee.
Also read:
Manila, Say Hello to Omotesando Koffee at Power Plant Mall
Japan Drops RT-PCR Requirement for Triple-Vaccinated Tourists
Omotesando Koffee in Rockwell is home to a sublime Japanese egg sandwich:
Since making their highly anticipated Philippine splash in December of 2021, Omotesando Koffee's become the go-to spot for specialty coffee in between shopping trips in Rockwell. And apart from great cups of joe, the Japanese coffee shop also serves a short selection of sweet and savory bites—which includes the Egg Sando (P350).
An order gets you a folded carton box—plus points for its sleek and minimalist visual—that you can opt to nosh on in-store or get for takeaway. Open the box and peel off the top plastic sheet; you'll find three pieces of the egg sandwich cut into rectangles. Consider this the good kind of cookie-cutter, though. There's a charm to the way all the elements fall into perfect place. The way the sandwich is cut—pin-straight, crusts taken out—showcases its picturesque cross-section, and in particular, its mesmerizing filling.
Japan, of course, has a well-documented love of eggs and the many ways to make use of them. Typical egg sando would generally have great-quality eggs simply boiled, chopped, and bound together with Japanese mayo (similar to the Western version, sans other mix-ins like pickles or onions), then spread in between pillowy slices of shokupan a.k.a. white bread. Another variation has eggs turned into a thick omelette of sorts, similar to tamagoyaki. It's this style of egg sandwich that Omotesando Koffee's version takes after—although rather than a rustic rolled omelette per se, it's got a slab of what's best described as a savory egg flan or custard that's about half- to three-quarters of an inch thick.
The filling is comparable to that of egg pie or even leche flan, but gone the savory route—and if its uniform consistency, pale-yellow hue, and subtle sheen is anything to go by, it is smooth. Think of it as the omelette's more suave, sophisticated cousin, with zero air bubbles and even coloration all throughout. Which is to say, they really took the time to mix, strain, and cook (perhaps steam?) this right. Rightfully, it delivers a velvety bite, with just the right amount of bounce to keep it from being overly decadent—but retaining an overall silky texture that's hard not to fall in love with.
The flan itself has a whisper of umami, likely from dashi, to bring out the telltale taste of the egg. Further, you'll find a thin swipe of Japanese mayonnaise to keep the flan bound to the shokupan sandwiching it. If anything, the mayo makes for a slightly messy situation in that the flan tends to slide out of the bread when you try to pick a piece of the sandwich up—but hey, this is a minor inconvenience given the subtle richness it adds to the equation. (The author also swears there was some sort of wasabi or karashi element there that lent a hint of zing to offset the said richness.)
Along with the sturdy yet fluffy bread that cushions against the other elements? You get a god-tier whole that's perfect with their 12-hour Cold Brew (P215) pretty much any time of the day. Heck, throw in an order of the Kashi (P60/piece, P300/box of five)—Omotesando Koffee's signature baked custard, similar to a cube-shaped canele—while you're at it, for a sublime sweet meal-ender.
The Egg Sando is available at the Omotesando Koffee's outpost at Power Plant Mall. The weekend's coming right up; you know what to do.
Omotesando Koffee is at UG/F Power Plant Mall, Lopez Drive, Rockwell, Makati City. For more information, check out OMOTESANDO KOFEE's Instagram page.
Also read:
We Love Arci Munoz's Cozy Yet Cool Tourist OOTDs in Japan
Avocado and Egg Sandwich
Hey, Spotters! Check us out on Viber to join our Community and subscribe to our Chatbot.