Flavors
Filipinos like sweet and salty flavors, and garlic is also a component of many of their dishes. Many restaurants in the Philippines will use a mixture of meats, such as adding shrimp to pork dishes.
Seafood
With its numerous coasts, the Philippines offers a variety of seafood dishes. Kanilaw is a popular style for serving seafood dishes. In this style of cooking, raw seafood and fish blend with cooked vegetables, creating a variety of textures. Most dishes incorporate a souring agent such as vinegar to mediate the raw flavor.
Beef
Primarily served with beef, Kare-Kare is a stew that combines stewed oxtail, beef and vegetables in a peanut sauce. It may also include offal or tripe, and its different variations include using goat meat or chicken in place of the beef. Some Filipino restaurants serve spicy Kare-Kare with shrimp paste, also called bagoong, chili and lime juice.
Pork
There are many pork recipes served in local restaurants, but many offer roasted pig, known as lechon. Lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and served with lechon sauce, this dish is a favorite in the Philippines. If you want to try a pork dish with more flavor, you might prefer Bicol Express. Blending coconut cream with pork, bagoong, onion and garlic, this stew exudes local flavor.
Pinakbet
Pinakbet pizza begins with a pizza crust and cheese, and incorporates ingredients such as eggplant, okra, string beans and bagoong. You can also find pinkabet, which is fermented fish, without the pizza crust and cheese.
Fast Food
Jollibee is the Filipino rival for McDonald's. This restaurant chain serves up famous food in Philippines, including dishes made with chicken, spaghetti and beef. The chain is an international one with locations in the US, so you can try it before you head to your Philippine destination.
Dessert
After a long day exploring the natural playground of the islands, you may want to quench your thirst with halo-halo, a Filipino dessert made from mixing fruit with sweet ingredients. The ingredients can include kamote, kaong, milk, nata de coco and sweetened banana, as well as other indigenous flavors.
