A.K.A. the only things worth getting up for in the morning.
sausage mcmuffin
My dad's love language is asking me some mornings if I want a sandwich, and by sandwich, he means a Sausage McMuffin. We've had this ritual since I was in elementary school, when he would pass by the drive-thru to get me one as a treat from time to time. (Sometimes I would even save it for recess or lunch.) Now it's a go-to before Zoom meetings, usually with a crunchy, oily hash brown and orange juice.
Sometimes to mix things up I would order the sandwich with an egg, but the better choice is obviously the Cheesy Eggdesal or the Cheesy Eggdesal with sausage; I always love how the gooey melted cheese runs out when you bite into the scrambled egg. But there's nothing like a fresh Sausage McMuffin, when the buttery toasted English muffin in crisp outside and uber-soft to the bite, the sausage patty is juicy and tender, and the cheese is halfway melted inside but still a little cold on the edges. A classic that, for sure, is worthy of becoming a symbol of love.
toast and brew
This little joint is my best-kept secret, and always worth the P179 delivery fee on Grab. They use very good English muffins that are softer than McDo's, and have a great, diverse menu of everything you could want on your breakfast sandwich: scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, tuna, ham, corned beef, Nutella, what have you, with a base price of about P70. My favorite is the sausage patty (this one's a little smokier and more Filipino-style) and cream cheese (with extra cream cheese, sometimes).
I also order a bacon egg melt — there's an option to layer on any other topping you want, and it's so cool that Grab lets you choose to add strawberry or blueberry jam to a savory sandwich like this, because just like that, you can order j-hope's Hope Toast as a secret menu item of sorts. I was so happy when I discovered this, because I've whined for years about coffee shops and other restaurants failing to capitalize on his golden creation. I was worried they wouldn't honor the request, but they did, and I've ordered it every time since. Tangy, sweet, cheesy, eggy, delicious.
breakfast sausage king
I'm not a fan of using burger buns for breakfast sandwiches, but it's easily forgiven when the scrambled eggs are generously portioned, with cheese, a thin layer of mayo, and a sausage patty that's a bit more on the sweet side. I like ordering this with hash bites and a Mocha BK Joe, criminally underrated for how creamy it is without being cloying. The spam, egg, and cheese sandwich is another favorite, and it would be perfect if they crisped up the spam just a little more.
cheesy egg sandwich from pancake house
Introduced almost a year ago and quietly discontinued a few months later, this sandwich still haunts my dreams thanks to the high-quality bread and caramelized onions that really gave it a leg up beyond the fluffy scrambled egg, cheese, and special sauce.
tuna grilled cheese from new bistro deli
My favorite way to eat tuna is on bread, I'm realizing. This take is simple and everything you expect: the tuna spread is chunky and creamy, and there's a lot of fresh onion bits that add an extra crunch and umami. I also tried their grilled donut sandwich a couple of years back, with sausage and cheese, and it was a pleasant surprise, especially with the honey glaze crystalizing and adding to the (surprisingly chewy but complex) texture. A great sweet and savory meal, if a little heavy.