| When it comes to food the Philippines has it all -- a | | | | vegetables) cooked in vinegar and spices. |
| fabulous mix of foreign cuisine plus its own | | | | Arroz Caldo: the Filipino version of Chinese Congee -- |
| mouth-watering delicacies. | | | | a thick rice soup with chicken, and flavored with ginger |
| Background | | | | and garlic. It is usually served with a squeeze of |
| As a result of its successful mix of Eastern and | | | | calamansi. |
| Western cultures and cuisine, the Philippines is | | | | Bangus: the Philippines National fish, milkfish. It is usually |
| considered the melting pot of Asia. Philippine food is | | | | grilled and is often served boneless. |
| the result of Malay, Spanish, and Chinese influences | | | | Bulalo: Bone-in beef shank with marrow and |
| going back over 400 years. These influences, | | | | vegetables. |
| combined with Filipino ingenuity, have created an array | | | | Caldereta: Goat meat stew. |
| of food that is totally different from the neighboring | | | | Pancit Canton: Noodles with pork and vegetables. |
| Asian countries such as Thailand, China, Korea, and | | | | Chicken Tinola: Stewed chicken cooked with ginger, |
| Japan. | | | | onions and garlic, and served with vegetables. |
| Some people say that Filipino food is bland by | | | | Sinigang: Soup soured with tamarind and patis (fish |
| comparison with other Asian food, especially the hot | | | | sauce). The soup can be either vegetable, meat, or |
| and spicy Thai food. However, doing away with the | | | | seafood. |
| hot spices allows Filipino food to develop its own | | | | Lechon sa Kawali: Deep fried pork. |
| delicious taste without the overbearing, eye-watering | | | | Crispy Pata: Deep Fried Pork Leg with a very crispy |
| sting of red hot chilies. The very mildness of Filipino | | | | skin. |
| food makes it suitable for those with appreciative and | | | | Kinilaw: Raw seafood, marinated with either vinegar or |
| sensitive taste buds. | | | | calamansi juice. |
| Filipinos love to eat and, like other Asian countries, rice | | | | And of course there are famous Filipino desserts. Here |
| is the staple food and is served with most meals. | | | | are just a few: |
| Filipinos typically eat three main meals a day, plus a | | | | Halo-halo: (Known as the Queen of Desserts)-- an |
| morning and afternoon tea called merienda which | | | | exotic mix featuring fruit, vegetables, coconut, all |
| literally means "snack." These "snacks" however, are | | | | colourfully stacked under shaved ice and topped with |
| often as filling as main meals. | | | | a dob of ice cream. |
| In the Philippines you cannot escape the temptations of | | | | Bibingka: a popular dessert of pudding made of ground |
| food; you are literally surrounded by it. Take a stroll | | | | rice, sugar and coconut milk. |
| down a beach and the chances are you will find | | | | Cassava Cake: made from ground cassava, a |
| vendors selling everything from barbecue sticks to | | | | starchy root rather like sweet potato. |
| balut -- boiled, unhatched chicken or duck eggs. | | | | Worldwide Cuisine |
| Filipino restaurants come in many guises, from small | | | | The Philippines is also a showcase of worldwide |
| roadside stalls or canteens to large restaurants like | | | | cuisine. You don't have to go far to find food from |
| The Seafood Market in Ermita where you choose not | | | | other Asian countries plus the best from Europe, |
| only your seafood, but also how you want it cooked. | | | | America, and even Australia. |
| Regional Variety | | | | And the Philippines hasn't missed out on the fast-food |
| Many regions in the Philippines are famous for specific | | | | chains either. Here you will find McDonald's and KFC, |
| foods: Bicol is famous for its Bicol Express, a fiery pork | | | | plus the Philippine's own fast-food chain, Jollibee. Jollibee |
| dish; Pampanga for its Tocino, a honey-cured pork; | | | | is an American-style fast-food chain, a pseudo |
| Leyte for its sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves | | | | combination of McDonald's and KFC, but leans |
| (although this is common all over the Philippines now). If | | | | towards traditional Filipino tastes. |
| you are traveling to different regions in the Philippines it | | | | And there is Max's Restaurant -- "The House that |
| will pay to sample the local specials -- you will be | | | | Fried Chicken Built" -- which has been operating since |
| pleasantly surprised. | | | | 1945, even longer than KFC's franchise. |
| Main Dishes | | | | So there you have it! The Philippines has it all ... a rich |
| Many dishes are named to describe the way they are | | | | history, night life, tropical islands, white sand beaches, its |
| cooked. For example adobo is meat stewed in vinegar | | | | own delicious cuisine, and even Western fast-food |
| and garlic; kilawin is raw seafood; sinigang is sour soup. | | | | chains. |
| Here is a small list of Filipino food delights: | | | | All this is waiting for you just around the corner. Come |
| Adobo: probably the most popular dish in the Philippines. | | | | and discover it now! |
| It is pork and/or chicken (sometimes seafood and | | | | |