Too cute to eat! Miffy is the star of Gram Cafe & Pancakes’ new dishes

MANILA, Philippines – Miffy is almost too cute to eat, but Gram Cafe & Pancakes (“Gram Pancakes” for short) makes the world’s favorite cartoon rabbit look super delish in its latest collaboration!

The Japanese café released a limited menu of Miffy-inspired dishes and drinks in May, available to order until August. Miffy is a rabbit from the picture book series of the same name, written and illustrated by Dutch artist Dick Bruna. The character grew in popularity throughout the decades, from her creation in 1955 to the present, having been featured in more than 30 books.

The whimsical menu includes the Ebi Furai in Curry Sauce, Tori Katsu Curry, Warm Hug Chocolate, Iced Chocolate, Summer Fruity Pancakes, and Strawberries and Cream Pancake Parfait. What makes the menu special is the adorable rabbit-shaped food adorning each dish!

Hailing from Japan, Gram Cafe & Pancakes first opened its doors in the Philippines in February 2020 with a branch in SM Megamall. Two years later, in April 2022, they opened their second branch at Serendra, Bonifacio Global City. The café’s menu hosts a myriad of treats like salads, sandwiches, French toast, Japanese-European entreés, super jiggly soufflé pancakes, and other classic café fare. 

Meeting Miffy for the first time

We visited the Serendra, Bonifacio Global City branch at noon. Gram Pancakes’ bright lighting is owed in part to the sunlight coming through the tall windows at the storefront, but the warm ceiling lights bouncing off the white walls do well enough to illuminate the grub on the table. Artificial vines dangle from above, adding to the green accent of the interiors. Paper decorations of Miffy characters also hang from the ceiling to celebrate the café’s new menu items.

Gram Pancakes’ al fresco dining area brings patrons out to the rest of open-spaced Serendra, though it might not be ideal to have your steaming cup of coffee in the summer heat.

We opted to stay indoors, hoping to try both the Warm Hug Chocolate, the Iced Chocolate, and the Strawberries and Cream Pancake Parfait, but these weren’t available during our visit. For the rest of the Gram Pancakes x Miffy menu, expect a wait time of 20 to 30 minutes, as the place is packed during the typical peak hours of lunchtime and dinner.

We tried the Tori Katsu Curry (P425), with its cute flower-shaped potato and carrot cutouts, tori katsu (deep fried chicken cutlet), and Miffy-shaped rice. The tori katsu was savory; tender inside and crunchy outside, going well with the sweet Japanese curry. The cheese sauce, served in a small sauce boat, adds a layer of richness to the dish, which paired well with the rice.

The Ebi Furai in Curry Sauce (P465) is plated similarly, but with the ebi furai (fried shrimp) in the place of the chicken cutlet. Five pieces of shrimp sounds underwhelming, but with how big each piece was in addition to the crunchy breading, it was very filling. While the shrimp itself tasted only lightly salted, the curry sauce, which had a very mild heat to it, gave it flavor. Both dishes were worth their prices – with ample servings, a fair rice-to-flavorful viand balance, and effortful plating techniques.

For dessert, we had the Summer Fruity Pancakes (P425). Though the rabbit-shaped pancakes were a bit dense and dry (as compared to the jiggly, fluffy pancakes), they paired well with the whipped cream, which was light and creamy but not too sweet. The mint leaves provided a slightly earthy freshness that was surprising to the palate, but still very much welcome. The strawberry and mango slices added a fruity tartness to the dish that I really loved. Only downside was that I wished there had been more bits of fruit and more pancakes for its price.

With good service, clean plates, and fare that delivers flavor and visual appeal, Miffy and Gram Café and Pancakes is fit for patrons of all ages!

Gram Café and Pancakes can be found at 3/F Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong and G/F Serendra, Bonifacio Global City. – Rappler.com

Sophia Gonzaga is a Rappler intern.