# what Restaurant food is safe ?



## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

What restaurant food is safe ? What to avoid ?

I figure rice is cooked in boiling water - so the boiling should kill any bad things.

Salad ?
Chicken ?
Fish ?
Hamburgers ?


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Howard_Z said:


> What restaurant food is safe ? What to avoid ?
> 
> I figure rice is cooked in boiling water - so the boiling should kill any bad things.
> 
> ...


Reheated rice can be very dangerous.
Salid washed in dirty water.
Under cooked chicken. I've had food poisoning twice from chicken.
Fish harvested from polluted water
Hamburger kept warm all day.
Sorry but any food in the Philippines is a game of Russian roulette.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

Just go there and try them.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Not always but even chain restaurants have poor management, I got sick several year's ago from a major chained burger spot and we heard rumors of uncleanness and at the time the staff also wasn't knowledgeable on the items they were selling and I'm almost positive from looking at the hamburger I got that I was going to have problems, it appeared to be dropped on the floor and the bun was smeared with something.

New management changed everything and I still eat there, actually something must have changed in the training syllabus with the management positions because the other branches in our region are also good.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

A little like crossing the road if you don't look, hit by some French fries or a whopper. Observation as art has mentioned.
I have never been sick here from food but have succumbed in other first world countries including my own.

Cheers, Steve.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

HEY STEVE

I have been poison from food here in the USA. I was eating at Chipolte restaurant about 3 pm and I thought I would die about 11 pm. I ate spoiled chicken. Most people don;t realize how dirty the kitchen areas are in some restaurants. Like I said i look around and see how clean the area is in front. That don't guarantee how clean the kitchen is, but hopefully it will be clean also. 

art


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Yep, hear you art, matters little the country, while some think that third world countries are worse? I have been knocking around here for 11 years and never a problem while Europe, the US, Australia, other continents I have had belly aches but not food poisoning. Never a problem here.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

In Philippines when you get coffee in a restaurant, is it made with bottled water? or tap water ?


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Interesting question Howard, something I never thought about but I suppose it's like cooking rice? The water is boiled.

Can I ask what part of the Philippines are you intending to head to? To meet your Lady?

Cheers, Steve.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Funny, I thought about your question further. No matter the country I go to I never consider if the coffee I order is made with tap or bottled water, What do you get in the States?

Cheers, Steve.


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

Steve, in the USA coffee in restaurants is made from tap water - but the tap water is safe.
At home I make coffee with distilled water because I want to reduce the amount of fluorine I consume.

I read that in Philippines, nobody trusts the tap water - so I am wondering what happens if I drink coffee at a mall restaurant ?

If I get sick, I may just stay in Makati.
I do not want to be traveling and soil my pants if I am sick.

I chatted with 3 women from Okcupid.
Dasmarinas - we talk everyday, but I think she lies to me. She is 63
Camarines Sur - she has a good job, but is often busy, she has adopted young boy. we don't talk often. She is over 50
I think the 3rd woman is near Manila - but we do not talk anymore. She was over 40.


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## magsasaja (Jan 31, 2014)

bigpearl said:


> Funny, I thought about your question further. No matter the country I go to I never consider if the coffee I order is made with tap or bottled water, What do you get in the States?
> 
> Cheers, Steve.


Maybe not with coffee but drinking tea I can tell in Australia or the UK wether it’s tap or bottled because of the chlorine. 
Currently in Oz visiting one of our kids in the Gold Coast and had to switch to bottled water, as my morning cupper didn’t taste the same.


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

That is an idea. Add a drop of Lugol's iodine to my philippines coffee ?


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

LOL. We have discussed all this before, I drink the water from the local refill station as all do here. I shower, clean my teeth, wash my clothes and dishes in my well water and also mentioned it has a high mineral content as well as E coli and coliforms. I have never been sick from the water or the street foods nor supposed fine food establishments here for the last 3 years full time or the previous 8 years back and forward here. Some 20 plus times.

Another member suggested some time ago that you are overthinking and I agree but will add that perhaps there are more important things to think about.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

bigpearl said:


> A little like crossing the road if you don't look, hit by some French fries or a whopper. Observation as art has mentioned.
> I have never been sick here from food but have succumbed in other first world countries including my own.
> 
> Cheers, Steve.





bigpearl said:


> LOL. We have discussed all this before, I drink the water from the local refill station as all do here. I shower, clean my teeth, wash my clothes and dishes in my well water and also mentioned it has a high mineral content as well as E coli and coliforms. I have never been sick from the water or the street foods nor supposed fine food establishments here for the last 3 years full time or the previous 8 years back and forward here. Some 20 plus times.
> 
> Another member suggested some time ago that you are overthinking and I agree but will add that perhaps there are more important things to think about.
> 
> ...


Steve, Fully agree with your every word.

I have been associated with this part of the world off&on since the Late 1950s with my Marine Corps days and have eaten the foods from many different 'establishments' in different countries. The only time I got food poisoning was in 1985 the USA at a catered function.

Don't make a mountain out of a molehill, Just complicates your life and creates more stress which we can all do with less of.

Fred


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Exactly Fred and no point in banging the drum all the time with regards to trivial things (repeating) as bigger issues are afoot and then some.

Cheers, Steve.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Howard_Z said:


> In Philippines when you get coffee in a restaurant, is it made with bottled water? or tap water ?


City water similar to most countries so tap water, unless you ask for bottled water.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

LOL, can I order a latte made with bottled water please?

Cheers, Steve.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

bigpearl said:


> in my well water and also mentioned it has a high mineral content as well as E coli and coliforms


 How come? Is the well wrong built or to close to such sourse or "downstreams" a big one?


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Lunkan, I live on the beach, if I went downstream 100 metres then I would be pumping fish, squid, crabs and sand worms. My water is fine, I had it tested 3 years ago and well (pardon the pun, none intended) aware of the contents and simply use white vinegar to clean porcelain and stainless to clean the mineral deposits. BTW I am still alive and kicking and my deep well is perfect, 900mm in Diameter and 25 odd feet deep and never ran out of water that comes down from the mountains and flows to the sea as you are aware. The E coli and coliforms come from the septic systems behind me further up the hills and a bit of sh#t never killed anyone unless they have a thin skin.

What do you mean when you say "a big one?"

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Howard_Z said:


> Steve, in the USA coffee in restaurants is made from tap water - but the tap water is safe.
> At home I make coffee with distilled water because I want to reduce the amount of fluorine I consume.
> 
> I read that in Philippines, nobody trusts the tap water - so I am wondering what happens if I drink coffee at a mall restaurant ?
> ...


Makati is where I picked up my food poisoning that put me in hospital for two nights. Being upscale doesn't mean hygiene levels are any higher. The heat and humidity will mean you will be drinking a lot more so you will likely loosen up a bit anyway. Make sure you carry some Imodium and pocket tissues with you. Don't expect to find toilet paper and rarely a toilet seat in most establishments.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

bigpearl said:


> Lunkan, I live on the beach, if I went downstream 100 metres then I would be pumping fish, squid, crabs and sand worms. My water is fine, I had it tested 3 years ago and well (pardon the pun, none intended) aware of the contents and simply use white vinegar to clean porcelain and stainless to clean the mineral deposits. BTW I am still alive and kicking and my deep well is perfect, 900mm in Diameter and 25 odd feet deep and never ran out of water that comes down from the mountains and flows to the sea as you are aware. The E coli and coliforms come from the septic systems behind me further up the hills and a bit of sh#t never killed anyone unless they have a thin skin.
> 
> What do you mean when you say "a big one?"


 YOU are the one being downstream "everything" by being at the beach  Normaly water move from inland towards oceans, underground streams too.

I ment big sourses of such bacteria sourses as e g uncleaned waste from cities/towns. It can be big poultry or pigeries too leting out mire than the soil manage to catch up filtering away.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Yes, exactly and all the sh#t from the neighbours up the hills filters through the rock and sand. As also said our water is within WHO standards and I'm still drinking my Jack Daniels and planning my next projects here,,,,,, Still alive and kicking. 
When are you coming back to take up residency here on your property in Palawan? Will be good to see you living here and bitching like me and the others. Take care always Lunkan.

Cheers, Steve.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Howard, you can buy Imodium over the counter it's dirt cheap so no worries there.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Yeah and you can order a Mercedes taxi from the airport to your hotel as they are safer than than all the local transport and I am going to put some surgical gloves on next time I go to Australia or the States.

Foolish is as foolish does as the records show for thousands of years. Imodium? Cordial works just as well. Point being? How many of us expats used added chemicals in our water? We are still alive and kicking and don't mind the extra head.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

bigpearl said:


> When are you coming back to take up residency here on your property in Palawan? Will be good to see you living here and bitching like me and the others.


 As it seem now it will be never by "specialists" at my basicly rather common injury - but A BIT different which make these idiots dont understand whats close to obvious. NURSE there I know what it is but not the idiot doctors!!!  
The LEAST bad said to me:
-I dont know what it is and by that I dont know if a surgery would make it better, so I donrt give you a surgery...

All the other "specialists" I have met are TOTAL idiots... 

So I kind of gave up - well close to  I still try alternative methods not approved by the Swedish health system,
and started from DISTANCE some of the things I had planned to start being in place, by I didnt want my plans get wasted.. And if my injury get solved, then I have saved some years  by starting at distance. 

/Started so far is my origin planned to be SECOND business by its some less hard to lead at distance and my business partner did know big part of how to handle it allready  (He knew allready big part of handling the "third" and a bit of "first" too, but missed some knowledge about general business leading - and capital  He had started a tiny such by himself when we got contact.)
/Researching a rather big exbantion of the started "second" and perhaps add allready the planned to be added years later THIRD business type (Its related refining the second a step more.) It was suppoused to get final researches done this week, but is postponed some by my business partner in place got fever, but he seem recovering.
/We have started discussing a bit if starting the suppoused to be FIRST too, BUT its complicated by experimenting and testing will be needed to check IF my idea of much cheaper method of one - and the most expensive normaly - of the production steps can make top quality. (It can sure make common domestic quality but I want to make top export quality.)
/And we have started talking about making a Swedish Midsummer type fiesta  for the villagers when future business profits can finance it.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Ah.

Cheers, Steve.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

When I lived in Tagum city just north of Davao city, I would go to a privately owned restaurant and Brew house every day for coffee. One day they had the coffee machine torn apart. there were roaches at the bottom of the machine. I never drank coffee there again.

art


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

Ill try anything that looks palatable.......But......what I dont do is share the community utensils at get togethers like 1 fork in the food for 15 guest to share..ick...nonononono. I have been asked "stevie arent you gonna eat"?
I replied i think I have the flu or trankaso so I dont want to give it to everyone. No questions!!!!!


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

hey lefties

I agree with you.
art


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

I think food poisoning can happen at a lot of places. I think it is a lot of carelessness. Employees not doing the right thing with food. the manager not being alert to where the food is at. I have been sick 3 times from spoiled food and the 1 time I thought i would die.

art


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## expatuk2016 (Mar 20, 2016)

Been living here for 11yrs now, when we go shopping in our area we only eat at a well known local chicken shop, if its a burger then its Jollibee, their champ is cooked while you wait.
We often go to S&R Nuvali or Lipa then its Mcds coffee and fries.
Water , we use a local refilling station for water for cooking and making coffee, and Absolute
For drinking water and i use it also for ice cubes and making iced coffee.
Our mains water supply is a joke, very low pressure and at weekends none at all .
So we invested in a water pump connected to the hand pump and a pressure tank 
Its luxury having a shower in our bathroom on the 2nd floor .
The local water company recently sent out flyers saying how the water was safe to drink 
And was better to drink than bottled water ! They forgot to mention the yellow colour it turns the sink and the sediment in the hoses is black !
One point to remember is that if you drink brewed coffee most coffee machines dont actually boil the water as brewed coffee is brewed at a certain Temp , when i make brewed coffee i always boil the water first then add it to the machine,still tastes the same but i do like my coffee hot, i like iced coffee but warm coffee yuk!
Street food for me is a no no especially from the local market.
We eat well ,US burgers,Aussie Angus beef pies, Birdseye fish from Aus we buy minced beef and chicken breasts by large trays then seperate them before putting them in the chest freezer
But thats just us


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

I don't even drink tap water in the USA. they claim it is safe to drink with all the chlorine in the water. I hate the taste of the chlorine. I buy bottled water.

art


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

What do you shower in, wash your clothes in, clean your teeth in, wash your dishes in art?

Cheers, Steve.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

steve,

i said in my post i hate the taste of chlorine. I don't eat my clothes. hahaha There is no chlorine taste on my dishes after drying them and stored away. I use bottled water to brush my teeth. Here in the USA chlorine in the tap water get very strong at times.

I never said the tap water was unsafe. I said I hated the taste of chlorine.

art


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

art1946 said:


> I don't even drink tap water in the USA. they claim it is safe to drink with all the chlorine in the water. I hate the taste of the chlorine. I buy bottled water.


 You can do as I = Put tap water in open container. The chlorine go away by itself after a while. At least some "health people" say so. You can test and see if the chlorine taste go away. Its better for health to drink room temp water anyway specialy NOT drinking COLD water in HOT climate, because then the body get signal to HEAT UP, which isnt so good in hot climate  
(I dont know if geting the opposite effect with warm water, but I BELIEVE it ISNT a good idea in hot climate by the body work hartd allready to try to cold down.)


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Yep, agree art but the residues are there no different to the minerals in my clothes once washed that I don't eat either. but I eat off the washed plates and shower/bathe in the water here, filtered virgin spring water for your bathing art? Chlorinated water is horrible but all the other added chemicals can be much worse. 

Cheers, Steve.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

I agree Steve but washing my clothes in chlorinated water with washing detergent using softeners I think gets rid of most of the smell. I don't think the chlorine hurts anybody. It is safe to use. Just the taste of it kills me. hahaha Unless a person here has there own well, then most water will have chlorine in it. That is the way of life here!! As for the dishes being wash in the water, after drying and putting in cabinet until used I don't find any smell or taste of chlorine on them. I use to go swimming in a public pool and chlorine was in it also. They used it to neutralized the water from bacteria.

I even hate the bottled water that is purified. I buy the water that is from a spring here. I normally buy Niagara water that is spring water.

art


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Yeah and I live here and shower, brush my teeth, wash my clothes and dishes in well water that has elevated sh#t levels but no chlorine, fluoride or other nasties and I'm still alive and kicking aside from the extra 3 heads.
Some people over react with the simplest things, more important is folding the new 1,000 peso note art, don't do it. big fine if you do, water is now the least of your worries.

Cheers, Steve.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

What? All these worries and no thoughts of being consumed by aswang? (ghost or demon)


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

As someone else posted if you are this afraid of everything the philippines is the wrong place for you. Are you for real? I think not. Actually,i would love to see you 6 months into the philippines. Why even post this garbage?


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

Over the years, I have visited Israel 3 times as a tourist for 2 weeks each visit.
Everytime I became sick and needed Loperamide.

The 4th visit to Israel was only for a 3 day weekend to bury my mother in Jerusalem.
That visit I did not get sick - but it was a short visit.

And Israel's water has a good reputation, yet I always bought bottled water.

Interesting thing about Israel's bottled water: sodium bicarbonate is listed as an ingredient, and the acidity of the water is also printed on the label - approximately ph of 7. Israel adds bicarbonate to make the water the ideal acidity - something USA water companies do not bother to do.

Regards
H




lefties43332 said:


> As someone else posted if you are this afraid of everything the philippines is the wrong place for you. Are you for real? I think not. Actually,i would love to see you 6 months into the philippines. Why even post this garbage?


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Howard_Z said:


> Over the years, I have visited Israel 3 times as a tourist for 2 weeks each visit.
> Everytime I became sick and needed Loperamide.
> 
> The 4th visit to Israel was only for a 3 day weekend to bury my mother in Jerusalem.
> ...


To all intents and purposes Israel is a modern western country. I think two or three visits hardly count. Now if you said you bad been to somewhere like South America it would be closer to what you would experience in the Philippines.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Might just be easier to wrap ones self in cotton wool, lock all the doors and stay put.

Easy to post lots of (at times meaningless) questions but not listening to and taking onboard the responses from those expats that live here? Why ask? 

Could this be some sort of new trolling? Only a thought.

As always OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

nice!!!!


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

If you're an expat living in the Philippines, then you should consider 99.9% of all outdoor eateries to be off limits to you. Never eat at roadside cantinas, because the workers in such places don't have access to soap and water to keep their hands clean, and even touristy outdoor restaurants can be a problem due to flies coming in from surrounding squatter areas. My favorite restaurant in the Philippines is Sun Burst located inside the SM Cebu Mall, they have the best fried chicken in the world. If you don't mind spending a little bit of money, then the Water Front Hotel in Cebu used to have a very good restaurant, but I'm not sure if it is still open due to Covid. Beyond that, most McDonald's, Burger Kings, and KFC seem to have good food safety standards, but the chicken at KFC seems a bit oilier than what I'm used to, and sometimes the employees don't seem to know how to properly cut up a chicken. Also, one time I ate at a local pizza franchise whose name rhymes with Green Brich, and I got the worse case of LBM afterwards. Those little food kiosks you see inside the grocery stores are really hit and miss, and I've learned to avoid them, because they just aren't worth the risk.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Interesting what you say Maxx, perhaps you had a few bad runs? (pardon the pun) Or maybe I have been lucky?

On and off here for 11 years and never a belly ache, can't say the same for some supposed 1st world countries in my travels. We buy from the local wet market (early in the morning while they are setting up, never after 9am) we eat in roadside cafeterias, local restaurants, family gatherings and occasionally fast food chains, street foods all the time, at least once a week. 
So a year living in Manila and 3 years here full time and 20 plus visits between and never a problem with the food, service can leave a lot to be desired though.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

bigpearl said:


> Interesting what you say Maxx, perhaps you had a few bad runs? (pardon the pun) Or maybe I have been lucky?
> 
> On and off here for 11 years and never a belly ache, can't say the same for some supposed 1st world countries in my travels. We buy from the local wet market (early in the morning while they are setting up, never after 9am) we eat in roadside cafeterias, local restaurants, family gatherings and occasionally fast food chains, street foods all the time, at least once a week.
> So a year living in Manila and 3 years here full time and 20 plus visits between and never a problem with the food, service can leave a lot to be desired though.
> ...


Same with me steve


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Must be that Steve's have cast iron stomachs? I have had belly aches in many countries but not in Asia yet, mind you I haven't been to India yet, bucket list.

Cheers, Steve.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Maxx62 said:


> If you're an expat living in the Philippines, then you should consider 99.9% of all outdoor eateries to be off limits to you. Never eat at roadside cantinas, because the workers in such places don't have access to soap and water to keep their hands clean, and even touristy outdoor restaurants can be a problem due to flies coming in from surrounding squatter areas. My favorite restaurant in the Philippines is Sun Burst located inside the SM Cebu Mall, they have the best fried chicken in the world. If you don't mind spending a little bit of money, then the Water Front Hotel in Cebu used to have a very good restaurant, but I'm not sure if it is still open due to Covid. Beyond that, most McDonald's, Burger Kings, and KFC seem to have good food safety standards, but the chicken at KFC seems a bit oilier than what I'm used to, and sometimes the employees don't seem to know how to properly cut up a chicken. Also, one time I ate at a local pizza franchise whose name rhymes with Green Brich, and I got the worse case of LBM afterwards. Those little food kiosks you see inside the grocery stores are really hit and miss, and I've learned to avoid them, because they just aren't worth the risk.


Good point on the local pizza. Money changer, we use sometimes, I told him that Dominoes just opened up and he said Ohh it's too dry he likes that Green Brich Pizza spot it's juicy so they like juicy pizza lol, it's more like sweet sugary sauce and other sauces, it's close though but you won't find me eating that version of pizza even the crust, no thanks, I do prefer Pizza Hut deep dish, followed by Dominoes and then Shakeys.

KFC in our area isn't greasy and is the most delicious spot to go along with Mcdonald's but I prefer KFC, they also cut the pieces correctly but the local fried chicken chains that sound like SugaryB use tiny chicken pieces and seem to cut up the breasts, and the meal items seem all sugary, sugary local spaghetti, their burgers won't do it for me, to say the least, but if you're hungry for meatloaf then it might not be so bad. ChowingFood seem to have full or larger pieces but I think the breast again are cut in half they over-fry their chicken, and it doesn't seem like they use a pressure cooker, it tastes great at first and then it quickly wears off when you start gnawing on the chicken.

Always be wary of local burger spots in the Malls or mini burger spots, don't be fooled it's not a Western burger but they sure make it look juicy and appetizing with the photos, and then enjoy that weird mystery meatloaf patty and a light an unappealing bun... Many lessons learned appetite ruined, so it's either Burger King or if there's no Burger King then it's gonna be Mcdonald's and watch out for the exclusive Philippine style burger known as the "Burger McDo", its 10 pesos cheaper and the employees claim its a real beef patty, don't be fooled.

20 years in the US Navy and I know what mystery meat tastes like especially when you have trouble getting the ship food supplies.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

I love angels burgers as thin as the meat is. I bought by the sackfulls and took home.
I guess im not picky filling my stomache.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

lefties43332 said:


> I love angels burgers as thin as the meat is. I bought by the sackfulls and took home.
> I guess im not picky filling my stomache.


They were okay and (ours closed down, poor management) the burgers were okay but I preferred the footlong hot dogs so now we only have a Minute Burger spot but I just don't go there much plus many of these spots are 24hrs anymore, I prefer to travel much further and get the real deal.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

I had a chicken burger yesterday for lunch from our local Jolliebee and I want another, the burger/chicken was perfect but the bun? Typical of most fast food chains, full of sugar and doughy. I will eat again though.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

bigpearl said:


> Interesting what you say Maxx, perhaps you had a few bad runs? (pardon the pun) Or maybe I have been lucky?
> 
> On and off here for 11 years and never a belly ache, can't say the same for some supposed 1st world countries in my travels. We buy from the local wet market (early in the morning while they are setting up, never after 9am) we eat in roadside cafeterias, local restaurants, family gatherings and occasionally fast food chains, street foods all the time, at least once a week.
> So a year living in Manila and 3 years here full time and 20 plus visits between and never a problem with the food, service can leave a lot to be desired though.
> ...


No one eats street food, it is garbage, and if you do eat it, there is a good chance you'll pick up a parasite, chemical poisoning, or at the very bacteria. I've gotten ill from street food in Mexico and the Philippine, and there's just no reason to do it. May as well drink water from the gutter.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Perhaps it wasn't just the family and property issues but the food as well mate, why you went home? My extended family and the food never gave me a hard time, perhaps as said my cast iron gut and a decent lot of relations keeps me here? I'm still alive eating street food after 11 years and 10 years of outlaws. Why so negative against this country all the time?

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

Darn,now i want angels burgers!!! Also footlongs!!! and sago"s(sagu"s)


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

lefties43332 said:


> Darn,now i want angels burgers!!! Also footlongs!!! and sago"s(sagu"s)


I miss staying up late, riding the bike to Angels Burgers, and sitting down outside having a burger and a very low-cost fresh hot meal but it went bankrupt and then the Minute burger doesn't have any chairs and isn't open 24hrs yet.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Sounds like I missed out with the Angels Burgers given the recommendations here.

Cheers, Steve.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

years ago in Canada they use to sell chocolate coated ants. I don't know if they still sell them or not. I never tried them but a couple friends of mine said they were okay. Very sweet tasting.

art


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

bigpearl said:


> I'm still alive eating street food after 11 years and 10 years of outlaws.


Sorry, but as someone who has been hanging around the Philippines since the later part of the 1980s, I'm finding it awfully hard to believe that one. There's no such thing as having a cast iron gut, and if you eat dirty food, you're going to get very ill period, no ifs, ands or buts about it. 


bigpearl said:


> Why so negative against this country all the time


I'm not being negative, I'm telling it has it really is. Why? Because I don't want some newbie to walk out of the airport and get deathly sick from eating street food, after he reads your bum advice.


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)




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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Some of the meats from the food chains are sold unscrupulously, or like in the video you posted they cannibalize the meat out of the trash bags at the landfill but this is not legal and then they make other meals with it, this also isn't common either and mainly going to be in Manila or a major city squatter area.

And then what about the cooking stalls, they probably aren't checked frequently by health inspectors, I see many vendors selling refried chicken and chicken skin and it's not so fresh but makes for a quick meal without preparation, we used to order the chicken but not anymore I use an air fryer cooker and do it myself.

The closing of our mini chained local burger spot was due to people finding hair or stuff in their burgers and possibly other issues... I won't go there, and so they closed but then again I don't know the complete story, for sure poor ownership and probably bankruptcy, sadly I do remember that some of the workers seemed to work 24hr shifts also.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Very sad and bitter indictment against the country and people that you apparently lived in and I'm sure called home for some 30 odd years Maxx? Heard you whinge for a couple of years now and only when things went sour with family, maybe you have been only buying pagpag (leftover food) to save a few pesos? Not my fault and don't question me and my ability to eat local food for 11 years, You sir have been eating it apparently for over 30 years and now you complain?

It seems to me that not only you but given what our supposed impartial moderator just said that you guys are eating in the wrong establishments, perhaps the same ones.
Your crack here won't put me off eating the local food, I do remember some belly aches in the US a couple of times but never here. Time now to move on and let the bitterness come from the people that actually live here. I have a long memory and remember your story Maxx. Filling in time?

Sorry to be blunt and to the point but at times some people need to pull their heads in. I don't partake in Balut nor dried fish but I don't carry on like a pork chop because the locals like and we must remember we are guests here,,,,,, well some.

OMO Mr. Moderator but some people ask for it.

Cheers, Steve.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

My favorite spot and I do trust their food is the "Chooks-to-Go" mini-chained vendors, their rotisserie chicken is delicious, they opened up about 4 years ago in our Municipality.

We had another major mini rotisserie chicken chain open up during the first year Covid hit and sadly they went out of business they used charcoal as heat and I ordered from them but the chicken was a little raw and so I wasn't too impressed with the flavor or lack of any flavor, I mentioned this new chicken chain to an in-law and he said that was the #1 spot to get a chicken local style and so my high hopes were dashed.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

We have chickens to go here and 99% of the time fine but like you say? Once or twice we have hit chook in the micro wave for another 2 to 3 minutes but their flavour is good, sadly they only do chicken and no chips. Cook here or grab them from Jolliebee.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

M.C.A. said:


> Maxx you make some excellent points, some of the meats from the food chains are taken out of the chained restaurant food spot garbage and recooked for hot healthy delicious meals for Expats.
> 
> And then what about the cooking area, rat, cat, bat turds, cockroaches Yum....hair, insects... these spots are not checked by inspectors, I see many vendors selling refried chicken and chicken skin and these stands don't look like they ever get washed but they look so good late at night with lights, check them out n the daytime.


It's not just the meats, it is


M.C.A. said:


> My favorite spot and I do trust their food is the "Chooks-to-Go" mini-chained vendors, their rotisserie chicken is delicious, they opened up about 4 years ago in our Municipality.
> 
> We had another major mini rotisserie chicken chain open up during the first year Covid hit and sadly they went out of business they used charcoal as heat and I ordered from them but the chicken was a little raw and so I wasn't too impressed with the flavor or lack of any flavor, I mentioned this new chicken chain to an in-law and he said that was the #1 spot to get a chicken local style and so my high hopes were dashed.


I wouldn't really consider Chooks-to-Go to be street food, and the worst I've gotten from them is a chicken that was a little bit too dry, that's about it. They are usually pretty good.


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

bigpearl said:


> Very sad and bitter indictment against the country and people that you apparently lived in and I'm sure called home for some 30 odd years Maxx? Heard you whinge for a couple of years now and only when things went sour with family, maybe you have been only buying pagpag (leftover food) to save a few pesos? Not my fault and don't question me and my ability to eat local food for 11 years, You sir have been eating it apparently for over 30 years and now you complain?
> 
> It seems to me that not only you but given what our supposed impartial moderator just said that you guys are eating in the wrong establishments, perhaps the same ones.
> Your crack here won't put me off eating the local food, I do remember some belly aches in the US a couple of times but never here. Time now to move on and let the bitterness come from the people that actually live here. I have a long memory and remember your story Maxx. Filling in time?
> ...


Sorry, but now you're just resorting to ad hominem personal attacks against me, and you're not really adding anything worthwhile to further the conversation.


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

I see there is a "Subway" shop








SUBWAY, Makati - 3/F RCBC Plaza-Podium 3 Ayala Ave - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor


Subway, Makati: See 13 unbiased reviews of Subway, rated 4 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #478 of 1,633 restaurants in Makati.




www.tripadvisor.com





Do you think it is safe ?
Or likely the vegetables were rinsed in tap water ?


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

BENI'S FALAFEL, Makati - 5343 General Luna St - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor


Beni's Falafel, Makati: See 423 unbiased reviews of Beni's Falafel, rated 4.5 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #11 of 1,633 restaurants in Makati.




www.tripadvisor.com


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

You can't really say a restaurant is safe or not, it only takes an off day.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

I agree Gary. I try to look at the surroundings and see how clean the place is there. Hopefully, if the outer areas are clean then the kitchen will be clean. No guarantees one way or the other. 

art


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Gary makes a good point, I have had mostly positive stories when eating out or even the mini food stands but they could have a bad day and also poor management, lackadaisical owners, owners that shouldn't be in the restaurant business (main problem I feel), and staff that work on their own, make their own rules. 

After Covid, many of these staffing management issues in our region have changed for the better but then again it's a tough go in our small Municipality, many of the restaurants will fail even the mini-known chains if they don't provide affordable food that everyone will buy, the donut shops always seem to fail.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Howard_Z said:


> I see there is a "Subway" shop
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Safe Howard but a little pricey and not like the US. Our nearest Subway in the SM Mall Calamba Laguna went out of business because it's not a food that people here in our region can afford to eat, they prefer fried chicken mainly when eating out in restaurants or lower-priced meals that are offered by the major fast food chains.

The same mall the Dairy Queen also went bankrupt and there again their price is too high for citizens, you'll be blessed if you have a Subway or Dairy Queen near you, I sure don't, I also wish I lived much closer to Burger King they have that long chicken sandwich on sale again.

Are you a fan of hot peppers? if so add those more to your diet just in case or if there's a concern.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Howard_Z said:


> BENI'S FALAFEL, Makati - 5343 General Luna St - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor
> 
> 
> Beni's Falafel, Makati: See 423 unbiased reviews of Beni's Falafel, rated 4.5 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #11 of 1,633 restaurants in Makati.
> ...


Howard take all these reviews with a grain of sand because the local palate is different from our Western taste for foods (my personal opinion) if there's an Expat that gives the review I'd follow that especially when it comes to burgers but if you compare the various reviews you'll see a pattern.

The food seems to always be sweetened that's my critique and even those Swarma burritos are a sugar fest. I miss the Gyros I would order in California but I'm not sure if there's anything remotely close to that taste here.


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

Are more expensive restaurants more likely to be safer ?


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

In which country?

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Howard_Z said:


> Are more expensive restaurants more likely to be safer ?


No.
There was a report a couple of years ago where a top politician threw a bash and they had an outbreak of food poisoning amongst the guests. Can't remember the numbers now but it was very high.

here it is








Philippines: 231 in hospital after 'food poisoning' at Imelda Marcos party


Hospitals in the Pasig area of Manila have been inundated with patients vomiting and experiencing diarrhoea and dizziness.




news.sky.com


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

More expensive restaurants have nothing to do with it being safer. It will depend on the management. If the management cares about the place and the customers, then he or she will make the restaurant safer to eat at. I have been in real expensive restaurants and find them dirty.

art


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

Howard_Z said:


> I see there is a "Subway" shop
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If they are located in Makati, then most likely the business has a commercial grade reverse osmosis system. Of course it all depends on how well the employees maintain the system, and clean they keep the food prep area. Everything is a calculated risk, but I would wager that the business owner in Makati is smart enough to realize that reputation is everything. On the other hand, he cannot be there we monitor his employees 24/7.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Exactly and who has more to lose? Mum and Dad cafeterias or some establishment in a high end area? High passing trade while Mum and Dad rely on the locals and we all know what Tsismis means.

OMO, Cheers, Steve.


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

Howard_Z said:


> Are more expensive restaurants more likely to be safer ?


I would say generally yes, but it is still not a one hundred percent guarantee. One of the things I liked about eating at the Water Front was that you got to see a lot of VIPs and other dignitaries eating there. I would imagine that the last thing they'd want to do is to make one of those people sick, because then there would be real "H" to pay. The above food poisoning incident was probably due to some catering company which didn't keep some of the dishes sufficiently chilled. Probably had a five gallon bucket of egg salad sitting in the back of a truck for several hours, and that is what did it.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Chooks Chicken is about the best flavored of the local chicken places we have here in Iloilo and we get some now & then. Jolibee burger steak and Burger King have been my go-to for decent beef until recently. Had been going to a place called "Uncle Tom's" on Diversion Road for a long time because of their delicious Blue Marlin, recently noticed they had Hamburger steak on their menu and decided to give it a try. Served on a sizzling dish covered with gravy with rice as a side - just out & out super good. Fully cooked with no gristle. Will for sure do that again. I do enjoy the Empanada (made locally) and whatever they are called, the banana slices deep fried on a stick. Mostly we eat in as my Asawa is a good cook and enjoy all different types of things she makes, even though I can't even pronounce what they are. When she makes the "stinky little fish" I find something else to eat, also won't eat her Baluit that she likes on occasion. 

Fred


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

Blue Marlin is one of my go to"s and Dorado fresh(dolphin fish) I eat many of the native foods....even the stinky little fish.(love it)we just dont keep it inside the house.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

lefties43332 said:


> Blue Marlin is one of my go to"s and Dorado fresh(dolphin fish) I eat many of the native foods....even the stinky little fish.(love it)we just dont keep it inside the house.


That's what the dirty kitchen is for, the dried fish, fish, and shrimp paste fry "Bagong". I like the Danggit dried and salted fish.

I wish we had those types of fish in our area, it's mainly fresh water fish and some salt water.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

world class torta made from dulong.....tiny tiny fish made into patties.


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