South East Asian Trips

The Cuisines of Philippines is as interesting as its history. Chinese, Spanish, American, and Malay influences can clearly be seen on the culture and flavors of Philippines. In addition to Chinese, Spanish, Japanese and American dishes, Filipinos are also fond of French, Italian, Middle Eastern, Thai and Vietnamese cuisines. While rice is the staple diet of the Filipinos, gata (coconut milk) is often used as an ingredient. Seafood is widely enjoyed and served as grilled, boiled, fried or steamed with kalamansi (the local lemon), bagoong (a fish paste) or vinegar with labuyo (the fiery native pepper). You can enjoy a selection of specialized seafood in restaurants, offering shrimps, crabs, lobsters, prawns, oysters, tuna, freshwater fish to name a few.

The most famous and widely enjoyed dish in the Philippines is lechon (roasted whole pig), which is especially prepared for fiestas and family celebrations like parties and marriages. If you are a vegetarian, then spicy American salad and a pinakbet (vegetables and shrimp paste) can be a right choice for you. Filipinos also like to enjoy a variety of delicious desserts such as American cakes, fresh fruits, local fruit syrups and baked sweets. Philippine preserves like atsara (a chutney-like vegetable preserve) and the pili nut brittle (a crunchy sweet made with the luscious pili nuts) are enjoyed widely and are important buys for tourists. Shawarma and pastas are also enjoyed widely. Locally brewed beer and tasty Philippine rum are popular alcoholic drinks in the country.