Pound by Todd English has just opened its eighth outlet in Metro Manila, but this one is a bit more special because it brought along its sister restaurant, Flatterie, to the party. Pound has been one of the most successful restaurants in the country and its rapid expansion is a testament to how diners just love its juicy, no-nonsense burgers.
You can find its newest branch at the second floor of Greenbelt 3 in Makati. Pound X Flatterie is the first time that FooDee Global Concepts will be co-locating two of their brands in a single space. It actually makes sense because the menus of both restaurants complement each other and you can easily cross-order from both establishments whether you are craving for burgers, pizza, or pasta.
The restaurant comes with its usual black and white checkered floors and marble tables, together with its dim lighting and masculine leather couches that spell luxe sophistication and ambiance. This is the eighth outlet for Pound and the second outlet of Flatterie, which has its first branch at the S Maison in Conrad Manila. I had my first Pound experience at their SM Megamall branch (Read: Pound By Todd English Opens Second Branch at Mega Fashion Hall) and I continue to enjoy their meaty offerings. The other area further inside is where you can see the open kitchen and bar.
One of the most popular items at Pound is their Amsterdam Burger (P280). This mouthwatering burger comes with their house ground beef patty plus fried onions, gruyere, sauekraut, relish, T.E. sauce, and a big slice of pastrami in between their toasted homemade brioche bun.
But my favorite order at Pound is always the Pound Foie Gras Burger (P700). This beauty comes with their house ground beef burger which now comes with two patties instead of just one. I already loved this before so how much more can I love this now? It also comes with tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, crispy and caramelized onions, mustard relish, T.E. sauce, and most importantly, 50 grams of Seared Foie Gras on top.
Since this is my first time to try Flatterie, I wanted to sample more of their appetizers and pizza menu. The Jalapeno Popper (P180) has fried chilis stuffed with cheese and pepperoni served with aioli. This one is really spicy so it is only for the big spicy food lovers.
The Spinach and Artichoke Dip (P260) comes with a creamy spinach artichoke cream and mozzarella that is served with flatbread crostini on the side. It’s a healthy and delicious way to start a meal.
I really liked the crunchy Frito Misto and Potato Crispy (P320). This is a deep fried sampler of seafood goodness with fried calamari, shrimp and Flatterie potatoes. Squeeze some of the lemon on top to give it even more flavors.
For pasta lovers, try the Penne al Telefono (P220) which comes with penne pasta in a rich tomato cream sauce finished with mozzarella.
Flatterie specializes in their flatbreads with various flavors such as the Classic Margarita (P180), Carbonara (P200), Sausage+Mushroom+Egg (P250), Roast Beef (P270), and Smoked Salmon (P290). The "Selfie” orders are good for 1-2 persons while the bigger “Groupie” orders can serve up to 4.
You can see the burnt edges on the crust of their flatbreads which is the authentic way of cooking and preparing these pizza. The crust is light and crunchy, with a smoky flavor and aroma coming from the oven.
If you are really hungry, go for their ultimate flatbread, the Indulgence (P890). This is a giant pizza that comes with truffled steak and foie gras on top of parmesan and onions. You can’t go wrong with truffled steak and foie gras, so this is definitely my favorite flatbread on the menu.
They also have an ongoing promotion where you can get their regular flatbreads for only P100 each. This is available only until April 25, 2019.
For desserts, Pound has the ever-reliable T.E. Sundae (Full-size P180) which has two scoops of Vanilla ice cream topped with Betty White and OMG brownies then sprinkled with caramel and chocolate sauce plus rock salt. Flatterie has their own dessert pizzas to cap off your meals. The Banofee Flatbread (P240) has dulce de leche, fresh bananas, coffee whipped cream and chocolate sauce on top of a soft flatbread.
Pound X Flatterie gives its guests more options to choose from so it is definitely a big advantage for us diners. Sometimes, it’s hard to decide whether to go for a burger or a pizza, so now we can order both on the same table. Visit them at Greenbelt 3 and enjoy the best of both worlds.
Pound X Flatterie
Level 2, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati City
Other Pound Branches: Bonifacio Global City, SM Megamall, Robinsons Place Manila, Mall of Asia, Eastwood Mall, Alabang Town Center, Ayala Malls Vertis North
Pound by Todd English Opens 7th Branch in Ayala Malls Vertis North
Burger lovers have another reason to rejoice as Pound by Todd English opens its seventh branch at the Ayala Malls Vertis North. This highly successful gourmet burger restaurant has captured the hearts of foodies and burger aficionados around the city and this is so evident with its rapid expansion. I remember visiting their newly-opened outlet in SM Megamall less than a year ago (Read: Pound By Todd English Opens Second Branch at Mega Fashion Hall) and I can’t believe they are now up to branch number seven in that short period.
Pound by Todd English is a spin-off from the popular Todd English Food Hall which opened at the SM Aura Premier in 2014. Chef Todd English is known for his interpretation of rustic Mediterranean cuisine and Todd English Food Hall is generally considered as the first Celebrity Chef Restaurant in the Philippines. With the success of this venture, FooDee Global Concepts, the local owners of this collaboration, decided to expand the restaurant by spinning off its famous burger creations into their own brand. The rest, as they say, is history. You can find the newest branch of Pound at the open grounds area of Ayala Malls Vertis North where most of the other restaurants are located.
The restaurant comes with its usual black and white checkered floors and marble tables, together with its dim lighting and masculine leather couches that spell luxe sophistication and ambiance. Similar to their other branches, the one at Ayala Vertis North is somewhat small, with a seating capacity of around 30-40 diners both inside the restaurant and at the al fresco dining area. I think given their popularity, they should go for a bigger space, but maybe they prefer to expand into more outlets rather than into bigger restaurants.
They also have an open kitchen where diners can see how their burgers are transformed into mouthwatering creations. The aroma of the burgers and the sound of the sizzling grill will definitely whet your appetite.
The menu at Pound by Todd English has generally remained the same, except for a few additions since I last visited like the OMG Chocolate Milkshake (P120). This yummy milkshake is made with OMG Brownies, Chocolate Ice Cream, milk, whipped cream, chocolate sauce and rock salt. This is a great beverage to accompany any meal.
Pound by Todd English also offers sodas, tea, red and white wine, plus local and imported beers like this bottle of Asahi (P150) Japanese beer.
The Truffle Fries (P160) is still an exceptional starter or side dish to go with your burgers. Its well seasoned house-cut potato fries are cooked with truffle oil and serve with truffle ketchup.
Those who like their fries gooey should order the Bacon Poutine (P210) instead with its fresh cut fries, cheese, and house cured bacon drenched with home made gravy on top. This is how the Canadians like their fries and it has made its way to a lot of restaurants here as well.
Onion Cubed (P90) is Pound’s take on the classic onion rings raised to the third power. This huge onion brick is deep fried to perfection and comes with a sweet savory sauce. Imagine this big serving for just P90? That’s one of the best deals you can find in the city.
But it gets even better because Pound’s amazing $1 Dollar Deals is back! You can get as many orders of the following items for only P52 pesos! This includes the Truffle Fries and the Onion Cube plus their sliders as well. It’s available until the end of March for dine-in customers only.
If you like pasta, their Caramelized Bacon Alfredo (P130-Solo Serving) is a good choice with its creamy pasta topped with candied pork belly bits.
But the highlight at Pound is of course, their beefy and sumptuous burgers. The Backyard Double Cheeesburger (P380) comes with two house ground beef patties, cheddar cheese, iceburg lettuce, tomatoes and onions. Their burgers are big and juicy with an amazing smoky flavor that diners really love.
If you are on a diet, then just go for their Secret Sliders ($1 each) which are part of the Dollar Deal menu. These small slider buns still come packed with meaty goodness together with caramelized onions and yellow cheddar.
One new item that I found on the menu is a rice meal called the Sizzling Pound Moco (P180). This is basically a burger steak but Pound by Todd English upgrades it to a whole new level. The house ground beef patty is seasoned to perfection and it comes with garlic rice, peppercorn gravy, and sunny-side up egg served on a sizzling skillet. Add a 25g piece of foie gras (+P250) to make it more interesting.
But the biggest and baddest monster at Pound is still the Pound Foie Gras Burger (P700). This beauty comes with their house ground beef patty, tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, crispy and caramelized onions, mustard relish, T.E. sauce, and most importantly, 50 grams of Seared Foie Gras on top of Foie Gras Mousse. If that isn’t indulgent enough, then go add a sunny-side up egg and a roasted bone marrow!
Just look at that burger! The half-pound beef patty for the Pound Foie Gras Burger is almost double the size of the regular burgers so this is definitely a mouthful. This is what I really go for when I am craving for burgers and foie gras. You can also add a Roasted Bone Marrow (P130) to complete your delicious adventure. This big chunk is soooo good with its melt-in-your-mouth bone marrow topped with garlic bits.
They only have one dessert on the menu but it’s highly recommended. The T.E. Sundae (Full-size P180) is a sweet and cold sundae that has two scoops of Vanilla ice cream topped with Betty White and OMG brownies then sprinkled with caramel and chocolate sauce plus rock salt.
Pound by Todd English is now so easy to find with the opening of their seventh outlet in Ayala Malls Vertis North. From Alabang to Quezon City, Pound has made gourmet burgers accessible to foodies everywhere. This is the best time to get their succulent and juicy burgers, especially with the $1 Dollar Deals, so hurry and grab your favorite burgers now at Pound by Todd English.
Pound By Todd English
Level 1 Ayala Malls Vertis North, Quezon City
Branches: Bonifacio Global City, SM Megamall, Robinsons Place Manila, Mall of Asia, Eastwood Mall, Alabang Town Center, Ayala Malls Vertis North
Pound By Todd English Opens Second Branch at Mega Fashion Hall
With the success of their first branch in Bonifacio High Street, Pound by Todd English is expanding its reach into Metro Manila with the opening of their second outlet, this time at the more accessible SM Megamall. I have passed by their BGC restaurant a couple of times before but had never been able to try their gorgeous-looking burger creations yet since I do not usually linger around that area. But now, this gourmet burger joint has opened a new place much closer to the city so that more diners can enjoy their mouthwatering but very affordable specialties.
Pound by Todd English is a spin-off from the highly successful Todd English Food Hall which opened at the SM Aura Premier in 2014. It was one of the first celebrity chef restaurants in Manila which led the way to the opening of many other celebrity chef-inspired establishments in the city. With the success of Todd English Food Hall, the local owners of this collaboration - FooDee Global Concepts, decided to expand the restaurant by spinning off its famous burger creations into their own brand. Gourmet burgers are now easily within reach as Pound launches its second outlet located on the second floor of SM Mega Fashion Hall.
The SM Megamall branch actually has two separate areas with the open kitchen and a 16-seater dining space located near the elevators. This small area has a more rustic and sophisticated tone similar to its first branch which opened last year at Bonifacio High Street. Consider this as their private VIP dining room where you can see the chefs preparing all the specialties.
The other larger dining space is located just a few steps away in the middle of the shopping lanes with a brighter and more casual ambiance. This is where my friends and The Hungry Kat were hosted by FooDee Group Marketing Head Ariane Valinton who showed us all the amazing appetizers, gourmet burgers and side dishes that you can find at Pound by Todd English.
We started our culinary adventure with the Truffle Fries (P160) and its well seasoned house-cut potato fries cooked with truffle oil. I could can smell the truffle flavors even before the servers placed it on our table. Good thing she put it down near me because I really enjoyed picking on these crunchy delectable fries which are also served with truffle ketchup. This first appetizer is already a winner!
Those who like their fries on the wet side should order the Bacon Poutine (P210) instead with its fresh cut fries, cheese, and house cured bacon drenched with home made gravy on top. This is how the Canadians like their fries and it has made its way to a lot of restaurants here as well.
For a healthier alternative, try the Crispy Goat Cheese Salad (P150) which has fresh mixed greens, baby heirloom tomatoes and deep fried goat cheese ravioli sprinkled in raspberry vinaigrette. I’m not really a salad lover so I had to skip this to make room for the other more interesting starters.
These are the other appetizers and side dishes I prefer. The Onion Cubed (P90) is Pound’s take on the classic onion rings raised to the third power. This huge onion brick is deep fried to perfection and comes with a sweet savory sauce. Imagine this big serving for just P90? That’s one of the best deals you can find in the city.
You can really smell the truffle in the air at Pound by Todd English and they offer other truffle specialties like the Truffle French Beans (P120) and the Truffle Risotto Tater Tots (P75). These bite-sized appetizers and side dishes are so good to nibble on while waiting for your main orders to arrive.
The more adventurous diners can also try the Fried Pickles (P75) and Pickled Chilis (P75) to add to your burgers later on or just to keep your taste buds ready.
But the best and most highly recommended item that you should get is definitely the Roasted Bone Marrow (P130). I could not believe that they were selling this for only P130? I have ordered this at other less outstanding restaurants for double to triple that amount. This big chunk of fatty goodness is soooo good with its melt-in-your-mouth bone marrow topped with garlic bits. I loved it so much that I ordered a second serving for myself. I would have gone for more but my doctor would not be too happy about that.
Pound by Todd English also offers a good selection of beverages including sodas, iced tea, imported beers and more to go with these indulgent dishes. If you want something special, go for the Fortant Chardonnay (P270) with its cute bottle holding this 2014 French white wine.
Now it’s time for the main event, the burgers! One of the most popular items at Todd English Food Hall is their Amsterdam Burger (P280) and this is still one of the stars here at Pound. This mouthwatering burger comes with their house ground beef patty plus fried onions, gruyere, sauekraut, relish, T.E. sauce, and a big slice of pastrami in between their toasted homemade brioche bun. I really liked the beefy and smoky quality of their burger which is even better than other burger joints of the same or higher price levels. It is also not too oily or greasy for me. This is how a real burger should taste like.
There are several add-ons you can order to include in your burger like the Seared Foie Gras (P250). It may be a bit pricey but I will never back away from Foie Gras. You can also add cheese, fried egg, bacon, or more beef patties to your delicious burger if you wish.
But if you are really going for the gold, or celebrating a special occasion, then order the most premium item on the menu - the Pound Foie Gras Burger!
The Pound Foie Gras Burger (P700) comes with their house ground beef patty, tomato, iceberg lettuce, crispy and caramelized onions, mustard relish, T.E. sauce, and most importantly, 50 grams of Seared Foie Gras on top of Foie Gras Mousse. Now that is one indulgent burger.
The patty itself for the Pound Foie Gras Burger is almost double the size of the regular burgers. Of course, this half-pound monster is what I ordered for myself because I could not resist having foie gras on top of foie gras. It might not be a burger you can order everyday but it still offers great value compared to the other foie gras burgers from other restaurants.
If you are just passing by for a quick snack, the Bacon and Egg Sliders (P200) might be more appropriate. These two baby burgers come with house-cured bacon, apple aioli and a quail egg on a toasted homemade brioche bun. These would be easy to bring back to the office so you can secretly eat it without being caught by your officemates or the boss.
Pound is also introducing a new pasta item to their menu this month. The Pound Pomodoro comes with roasted garlic pomodoro sauce, confit garlic bulbs and herbed bread crumbs. But the best thing about visiting Pound at SM Megamall this April is that they are offering their $1 Menu Deals from April 1 to 30, 2017. Imagine getting the Pound Pomodoro, Truffle Fries, Onion Blossom, and T.E. Slider for only P50 each! That is definitely a great reason to drop by SM Mega Fashion Hall.
To cap off our hearty lunch, we ended our burger adventure with the T.E. Sundae which is surprisingly the only dessert on the menu. But it doesn’t really matter because I also loved this sweet and cold sundae that has two scoops of Vanilla ice cream topped with Betty White and OMG brownies then sprinkled with caramel and chocolate sauce plus rock salt.
Pound by Todd English is a more accessible and friendly restaurant serving the favorites from Todd English Food Hall at affordable prices. I was really surprised with their offerings and Pound has turned out to be one of the best high quality burger joints that I can recommend for everyone. I haven’t even tried one of their other specialties, the T.E. Crispy Chicken Burger. I’ll be back for that one real soon.
Pound By Todd English
2/F Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong
