Ten years is a long time in the food industry. Throughout this period, it’s easy to fall into the trap of too much experimentation that you end up losing your identity. Not so for Elephant Grounds.
The Hong Kong-based cafe concept remains as enticing and exciting as ever in their 10-year existence. Even today, they know exactly who they are as well as what their market demands just by looking at the new signature drinks and dishes launched to celebrate a decade into the business.
Crafted by Toyo Eatery alum and now Standard Hospitality Group chef Gabriel Garcia, the new additions to the menu fit right into the Elephant Grounds vision as the “as the go-to destination for quality specialty coffee, artisanal ice cream, and Asian-inspired comfort food.”
Ten years is a long time in the food industry. Throughout this period, it’s easy to fall into the trap of too much experimentation that you end up losing your identity. Not so for Elephant Grounds.
First up, the Americano Air—a velvety micro-aerated iced Americano—is “a cross between a cappuccino and a black” that’s meant to be an introduction for people who usually drink milk with its body and hints of sweetness.”
Listening to Garcia, you just know that he means it. “We put the coffee in a steaming cup with ice and we steam it. So what that does is all the volatile compounds in the coffee lifts up.” In visual terms, the Americano Air looks more like a beer with frothiness on top before the foam cascades down the side of the glass to create an aesthetically pleasing effect.
The Elephant Grounds cheeseburger that could
The EG Cheeseburger meanwhile is perhaps the star of the show in its simplicity and sincerity. “It’s very close to my heart,” says Garcia. “When I was a kid, I used to go back and forth between the US and here. I always got sad [when I had to return and], I would tell my mom, ‘oh no, no more good burgers.’”
It doesn’t mean that there’s a dire lack of actual good burgers in Manila, clarifies Garcia, just that “I really wanted something all-American” stripped off the blue cheese and foie gras trappings that sometimes weighed down burgers at one point in Manila.
Gabriel Garcia’s most recent creation raged against the fancy burger trend by focusing on the hand-shaped meat (made with 70 percent top sirloin and 30 percent beef short plate) kept in temperatures that don’t go above -1C and then cooked medium.
His most recent creation raged against the fancy burger trend by focusing on the hand-shaped meat (made with 70 percent top sirloin and 30 percent beef short plate) kept in temperatures that don’t go above -1C and then cooked medium.
It’s then sandwiched in between neutral house-baked buns to retain its structure, lubricated by a simple savory sauce that has smoked paprika and garlic before finished off with pickles (originally intended to be on spears), lettuce, thin fries, and a slice of American cheese.
“I was aiming for it to look like a Krabby Patty,” says Garcia with a smile. “And [the buns] don’t take anything away from the patty because brioche is a little eggy and buttery… I don’t think the bun has to be as rich as everything else.”
The result is a beefy burger done well that looks as if it’s on the smaller side but, after a few bites, is rightly satisfying enough. The ratio of the sirloin and short plate, the patty and the buns, the burger and the sides allow the idea that, yes, these “classic” burgers are classic for a reason. No over-the-top fanfare needed, just a simple cheeseburger done well.
“It’s a product that’s close to my heart and took nine months to develop, Garcia says. “That’s not a negative thing.”
Elsewhere, the new milkshake line complements the burger with varying degrees of relatable sweetness—toasted rice that reminds one of Japanese genmaicha, a fruity acai, and the current crowd favorite hazelnut. “You’ll see the influence of American diners, too, since we use metal tumblers and make our milkshakes with a hand blender.”
Judging by Garcia’s intent to do a burger done well (“There’s nothing else to say about it. It is what it is”) and new items that complement it, Elephant Grounds seems to have fulfilled their celebratory objective.
The milkshakes tap on their melted ice cream consistency more than an icy drink feel to wash down the greasiness of the burger. “So at the end, your mouth is ready for another bite,” says Garcia, rounding off the 10th anniversary celebration with the return of pretty ice cream cones in Original, Red Velvet, and Charcoal for your ice cream dessert.
Judging by Garcia’s intent to do a burger done well (“There’s nothing else to say about it. It is what it is”) and new items that complement it, Elephant Grounds seems to have fulfilled their celebratory objective.
“I hope see you where I’m coming from when you do eat it,” says Garcia.
