9 Foods You Have To Try When Travelling To Philippines

The Philippines is best known for island hopping, snorkelling and breathtaking beaches. While it maz not be my favourite food destination, it offers some amazing authentic Filipino food that are worth trying. The dishes that in the Philippines are quite different from those in other Southeast Asian countries. Additionally, Filipino restaurants are rare in the UK, making it worth trying some authentic Filipino food for the experience.  

Dishes To Try In The Philippines

In this blog, I will share with you some of my favourite food that I tried in the Philippines and the dishes you should be prioritise during your travels. 

Adobo  

This is the most common Filipino dish you'll see served in almost every restaurant. It features lots of black pepper, soy, and a bit of vinegar. Depending on where you go, it might be made spicy or with coconut milk to make it creamy. It can be stir-fried with pork, chicken, seafood, or vegetables and is typically served with rice. My most memorable experience with this dish was eating a squid version on a hidden beach in El Nido in a beach hut. Absolutely delicious and highly recommended.

Kare Kare  

This dish is exceptionally unique, similar to a curry or stew. It's nutty and sweet, cooked with peanut butter and sweet potato. It can be made with various meats and vegetables, but many places use offal. It's a very comforting dish that will certainly fill you up for the day. If you're a big fan of peanuts, I definitely recommend trying this dish.

Sisisg  

This was my ultimate favorite dish in the Philippines. It's made from minced parts of the pig. Be warned, it includes all parts of the pig, but it's so delicious that you won't even mind. It's served in a skillet, and the minced meat becomes super crispy and smoky. It's then topped with a fried egg. Packed with flavor, lots of chili, and a wonderful smoky char, this dish never disappointed and was always full of flavor.

 Lechon  

Now this dish is not for the faint-hearted but it tastes SO good! Extremely popular in the Philippines, it could be a strong contender for a national dish. Originally made for royal celebrations, it is now made every day to meet demand. A whole pig is stuffed with different herbs, the skin is coated in soy sauce, and then it's rotisseried over an open fire for hours. The result is super crispy skin and succulent, flavorful meat. You can eat it on its own or with rice, and it usually comes with the Filipino dipping sauce. This is a dish you can't miss when traveling to the Philippines. If you're heading to Cebu, definitely prioritize trying it there, as they have the best versions of the dish.

Insaal  

This is one of the simpler dishes in Filipino cuisine, but it is delicious and always hits the spot. It's basically marinated chicken in different spices, then barbecued to get a lovely smoky char on the skin. It's served with a Filipino dipping sauce made of soy, vinegar, calamansi, red onion, and chili, which is honestly the best dipping sauce - I could have drunk it! You also get rice served with it. This dish is great when you're not feeling adventurous or are recovering from an upset stomach.

Fresh Seafood  

Like any beachside place, the Philippines offers some of the best seafood you'll ever have. It's always super fresh, as they catch the fish every morning. Various restaurants sell their morning catches each evening. You pick what you want, and they barbecue it for you with their special seasoning. They have whole fishes like red snapper and mullet, as well as lots of shellfish like prawns and clams. One of the best meals I had was in a restaurant in El Nido right on the beach, featuring spicy clams, garlic prawns, and spiced red snapper. There's nothing better than eating fresh seafood while hearing the waves crash.

Kinilaw  

I am an absolute sucker for raw fish, I think it’s so much more flavourful and so delicate. So if you love raw fish like me, this dish is for you. It's similar to sushi or poke bowls and is absolutely delicious. Typically made with raw tuna cut into small cubes, it's mixed with coconut milk, tomatoes, red onion, and calamansi. It's packed with flavor, refreshing, and just what you need on a hot day.

Gabo gabo  

This is a unique kind of salad made with a variety of boiled vegetables. It's served with a boiled egg and peanut satay sauce. It's a great side dish and a good way to get some vegetables in while traveling.

Halo Halo  

This dish is a bit like marmite you are either going to love it or you are going to hate it. In Asia they don’t have many sweet dishes, so it’s really rare to come by. So this is not like a dessert you will have had before. It’s similar to a sundae in its own unique way. There will  be ice cream, little bits of jelly and cream on top, which sounds fairly normal. Now comes the weird bit, inside they’ll be red beans and sometimes sweetcorn… Now I know you are going to be repulsed or intrigued right now but it is definitely worth trying when you are in the Philippines. I definitely recommend getting the ube version which will have ube ice cream. Ube is like a purple sweet potato. It’s really delicious and you’ll become addicted to the flavour. You’ll be craving an ice cream sundae in the heat of the Philippines, so you might as well try this version at least once. 

Conclusion

The food in the Philippines is super unique and I definitely recommend trying all these different dishes. I think the setting in the Philippines really adds to the atmosphere of the food. So make sure to eat in the beach huts where you can see the sunset on the beach. For the most authentic experience, I would also recommend finding the small restaurants serving traditional food rather than going to Western restaurants. 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog and it will help with your travels to Philippines. If you did like this blog make sure to send to your friends and family, so it can help them with their foodie adventures as well!