# National dishes.



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

In Thailand, India, Malaysia, Japan - in fact, in almost every country in Asia - there is a distinctive, internationally acclaimed cuisine.

The Philippines though, is a rare exception. While Filipinos love their food, few foreigners have tasted or even heard of the country's signature dishes like abobo, sinigang, lumpia and pancit.

It is a situation that chef Rolando Laudico is desperate to change.

"Philippine food is as rich and varied as other Asian cuisine - even more so," he says confidently, as he sits by the window of his chic restaurant in the heart of Fort Bonifacio, Manila's new business district.


BBC News - Philippine chefs look to take national cuisine mainstream

I work with Filipinos and have of course tried a great variety of local cuisine and sad to say I am not too keen on it.. What do you think of national dishes?


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Some of the local foods are actually pretty good. I've been here over nine years now and enjoy a lot of the available food. Some are beyond what I would be willing to try but that's okay, I don't think I'm really missing anything - Hahaha...


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## Gator (Aug 24, 2012)

Gene and Viol said:


> Some of the local foods are actually pretty good. I've been here over nine years now and enjoy a lot of the available food. Some are beyond what I would be willing to try but that's okay, I don't think I'm really missing anything - Hahaha...


I hate to admit this and may be unbelievable but I happen to like Balut when i drink beer. If you pick the correct eggs it's not too bad at all. Of course I was raised on Deer, Squirrel, Rabbit meats etc. I have eaten monkey, dog, horse, cat while overseas. So I guess you can say i will eat just about anything. My favorite is Dinuguan, Bicol Laing with rice and bagoong (fermented shrimp & salt paste).


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## rj.uk (Aug 30, 2008)

Lechon, pancit molo, kinilaw, Philippine mangoes,pancit bihon, sinigang, Kari Kari, hopia na baboy and my favourite apan apan are some of the things I ate when I last went home


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## starlightexpress (Jul 9, 2012)

I enjoyed the food when I was in the phillipines although it didn't seem to be as distinctive as say, Thai food is. I do enjoy the inasal chicken and the atay skewers I had there. I've never had the nerve to try balut..


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

starlightexpress said:


> I enjoyed the food when I was in the phillipines although it didn't seem to be as distinctive as say, Thai food is. I do enjoy the inasal chicken and the atay skewers I had there. I've never had the nerve to try balut..




One of my chaps uses dry fish daily!!! much to the disgust of the rest of the staff.. I have asked him to limit its use as the smell is quite offensive if it's not to your taste..although saying that I have a Bangladeshi works for me and it is nothing but curry smells from him, lol


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## starlightexpress (Jul 9, 2012)

oh yeah.. I tried the dried fish. Once. I think that's the key fact that gives away what I thought. I also smelled the durian fruit. And that was the end of that encounter.  Given that you're in egypt...and from Scotland... why are you moderating a forum on the phillipines? I'm just curious and since I'm new here I thought I would ask..


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

starlightexpress said:


> oh yeah.. I tried the dried fish. Once. I think that's the key fact that gives away what I thought. I also smelled the durian fruit. And that was the end of that encounter.  Given that you're in egypt...and from Scotland... why are you moderating a forum on the phillipines? I'm just curious and since I'm new here I thought I would ask..




we are like superman.. we can go anywhere


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## starlightexpress (Jul 9, 2012)

ah I see. no specific affiliation then.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

starlightexpress said:


> ah I see. no specific affiliation then.




No unless of course it's to the one and only Glasgow Celtic lol,


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## jilllianicc (Sep 17, 2012)

I think it's cool that Filipino food is slowly making its mark in international global cuisine. I guess Andrew Zimmern wasn't just leading us on when he predicted that Pinoy food would be the "next best thing".


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## Mug (Sep 28, 2012)

A few Filipino restaurants and grocery stores have opened and then closed again here in Lehigh Valley, PA. Seems the only reason they stayed open as long as they did is because of the local Phil-Am population. We have used them all, and the only non-Filipinos we ever saw there were married to a Filipina. Guess it might take more time for the general public to catch on. Most the people I speak to raise concerns about eating baluts and pig blood, so there seems to be a lack of education here.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

For me, I suppose like any other type of food, it depends on who made it. I only really like the Filipino food my wife and her family makes and just tolerate others. I guess their family style has different dashes of this and that; and then its also what I'm used to.


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## JoeDanAlca (Feb 21, 2013)

Gator said:


> I hate to admit this and may be unbelievable but I happen to like Balut when i drink beer. If you pick the correct eggs it's not too bad at all. Of course I was raised on Deer, Squirrel, Rabbit meats etc. I have eaten monkey, dog, horse, cat while overseas. So I guess you can say i will eat just about anything. My favorite is Dinuguan, Bicol Laing with rice and bagoong (fermented shrimp & salt paste).


I moved away from Philippines when I was 2.5years old. I just visited Philippines for two months and just recently got back. I've always had filipino food but never had to guts to taste Balut. I'm too "Canadian" 

The idea of eating a fetus is 

How does it taste like and how's the texture? thanks


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## raconnor (Oct 30, 2012)

JoeDanAlca said:


> I moved away from Philippines when I was 2.5years old. I just visited Philippines for two months and just recently got back. I've always had filipino food but never had to guts to taste Balut. I'm too "Canadian"
> 
> The idea of eating a fetus is
> 
> How does it taste like and how's the texture? thanks


The flavor is just a very rich duck/poultry flavor (seems obvious but there's really no surprise). The texture is what gets a lot of people. To me it's sort of like a thick, chunky soup.


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## Mug (Sep 28, 2012)

Try the Gator method, drink a few beers first.


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