WHEN I was a kid, I remember waking up to the sound of my mom’s insistent but comforting voice, as she forced me out of bed to get ready for school. I would usually beg for an extra five minutes, then another 10. Anything more than a 15-minute extension would end up ugly because that meant I would not have time to eat – and I’m sure you can relate to how moms are so sensitive about skipping breakfast. I recall the sound and smells of breakfast while I got dressed. Although everyday was a struggle to get me out of bed, my mom’s breakfast more than made up for the extra minutes in bed. It was, in a word, heaven.

          Sinangag, tocino, tapa, daing na bangus, longganisa, tuyo, tinapa, pritong itlog and pandesal are all-time favorites on the Filipino breakfast table. Certain combinations have become so bagay we’ve even coined words for them: tapsilog (tapa, sinangag, itlog), tocilog (with tocino) and longsilog (longganisa).

          For weeks now, I’ve been strolling past an all-day breakfast place that had little to do with the almusal of my childhood but seemed to promise the same heavenly comfort I experienced with my Mom’s. Standing outside, I would browse through the menu each time, and every item seemed utterly tempting. The place was packed even during merienda time.

Adventurous choices

          So I finally strolled into Heaven ‘N Eggs and realized that I could be adventurous with my breakfast and still experience the same high my tapsilog used to give me whether I had breakfast at lunch, merienda, or dinner. Later, I’d realize that it would be the only place that could set my mood right, any time of the day.

          Two years after it first opened, Heaven ‘N Eggs has added more stuff on their menu to become an all-day dining place serving every kind of food imaginable. For instance, when we popped in, my friend and I opted for the Manila Salad (P215), refreshing and light and made up of greens, adobo flakes, almonds, cherry tomatoes and the famous Filipino street favorite – kwek-kwek (quail egg coated with batter). Tossed in sweet-sour cream dressing, this appetizer reminded me of a delicious ranch salad while the kwek-kwek took me back to my college days in La Salle where vendors sold the delicacy in abundance.

          My friend then ordered the Lexington’s Chuckwagon (P195). Served on a large platter, it resembled a Salisbury steak but there was more to the thick patty of minced beef. Cayenne and oregano complemented the lean and tender beef which went really well with the generous sidings of spuds, veggies, rice or bread and eggs of your choice.

          While my friend enjoyed his Chuckwagon, I had fun picking through my Ilocandia Slammer (P165), Heaven ‘N Eggs’ version of the Vigan empanada, ukoy, pinakbet and eggs, even made better when drowned in Knorr seasoning and vinegar.

Room for dessert

          Stuffed, we calmed ourselves with a cup of tea. We spent the next hour or so exchanging stories until we were ready to take our “first dessert” which, again, consisted of eggs! I remember a scene in the chick flick The Prince and Me where the prince had Eggs Benedict for breakfast. Personally, I find poached eggs boring but Heaven ‘N Eggs’ Eggs Popeye (P198) changed that as the creamed spinach and smoked ham topped with generous hollandaise on English muffins gave a layer of lovely subtle flavor on what would’ve been bland eggs.

          Our “second dessert” consisted of pancakes. The Banana Fosters (P165) was a pancake stack topped with bananas and walnuts caramelized with rum. It seemed very Filipino, as it tasted like turon. Nonetheless, it completed the entire meal and sent us off full, happy and every little thing that annoyed us earlier was surprisingly gone. It was as if we were starting our day over at 9 in the evening.

          Truly, with places like these, life – or at least, your day (and night) – will always be sunny side up.

          Heaven ‘N Eggs is located at the Glorietta in Makati, Market! Market! in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig; Fuente Circle in Eastwood City, Pasig; Trinoma Mall at North Avenue, Quezon City, and Tomas Morato corner Scout Rallos Streets in Quezon City.