Over the last long weekend, my siblings and I decided to make a trip to Alabang (we live all the way in Quezon City, so driving to Alabang with our traffic situation feels like an out-of-town roadtrip many times). It also happened to be the opening of a new LEGO Certified Store in Alabang Town Center that same weekend, so it was the perfect time to drop by.
But before hoarding new LEGO sets, we decided to have lunch at one of our favorite sandwich places, introduced to us by our relatives, the Zorrilla family. Prior to this visit, only my sister and I had been there before (we ate there sometime in May), but it would have been the first time of my brother, Chuck, my sister-in-law, and my nephew.
Located on the ground floor of Commercenter in Alabang, Elbert's Sandwiches is pretty easy to spot. The mall's layout is fairly straightforward and it isn't a big mall either, so you shouldn't have a hard time finding it.
The first thing we ordered was their Beer-Battered Onion Rings (PhP 80). As expected, the coating was flaky and crunchy, but the onions themselves weren't rubbery or gummy. It was fried well and tasted good! My siblings are very particular about their onion rings, and they liked this one.
My nephew, on the other hand, preferred to skip the rings, and headed straight for the ketchup.
My sister, brother, and I got their Truffle Burger (PhP 500) with provolone cheese, mushrooms, black truffle mayonnaise and a sourdough bun. This is one of my favorite burgers in the metro, not only because of its truffle flavor. The beef patty was so juicy and flavorful, and the truffle mayonnaise complemented the provolone that was used. Make sure to tell the server your preferred temp for the beef (I usually choose either medium rare to medium)!
Thanks to the 2014 movie Chef, a lot of restaurants and food kiosks in Manila have been trying to recreate or come up with their own versions of a Cuban sandwich. And Elbert's version is one of those successful ones. Their version, simply named Cubano (PhP 340), has slices of roast pork and smoked ham, coated with Dijon mustard pickles, and Emmental cheese, sandwiched in between an 8-inch baguette. This was what my sister-in-law ordered and shared with my nephew. It had a nice balance of textures, and sweet and salty flavors. If you get to finish off the entire thing, your tummy will not only be happy, but definitely full (I can't finish this by myself).
A new item on the menu, their Fully Loaded (wasn't able to note the price; I'll do better the next time I feature a restaurant!) has crispy chicken and bacon on the inside, a signature sauce, lettuce, and tomatoes. I took a bite of this from my aunt's sandwich. The bun was flaky but soft, while the chicken is crunchy and juicy at the same time. A good alternative to burgers, without sacrificing good flavor.
There are a lot of other sandwich options that you can try out (for starters, you can look through their menu here, though I don't know how updated it is): from burgers to Sheboygan sausage sandwiches; from premium sandwiches to dessert items and drinks. It was just too bad that we were too stuffed with our own meals that we had no more room to order other items from their menu.
On the two occasions I was able to visit Elbert's, we had a great dining experience. The cook on our sandwiches — whether beef, chicken, or pork — was spot-on, and the flavor combinations were amazing. I would definitely go back the next time I'm in the Alabang area and bring some friends (or my triathlon teammates).
A semi-word of warning, though: it's generally pricey, given the ingredients used to make their sandwiches and burgers. Not your everyday lunch or dinner indulgence (unless PhP350-500 per meal is within your budget), though I would say that it's a good payday treat, or a place to hang out with friends or family for special occasions.
As a bonus, if you decide to watch a movie in Commercenter, you can order from Elbert's and they'll deliver your orders straight to your seat!
See you again soon, Elbert's Sandwiches. Please save some of that truffle mayo for me!
Elbert's Sandwiches
G/F Commercenter Building,
Filinvest Ave. corner Commerce Ave.,
Muntinlupa City
Filinvest Ave. corner Commerce Ave.,
Muntinlupa City
(+632) 519 5943
@elbertssandwiches
