Live in the Philippines

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The Good, the bad and the ugly

Food/Drink / by

I’m going to roam around a bit in my writing today, friends, but please indulge me.  To be honest, everything I am going to write about is related in one way or another, it just probably will not be apparent.  I’ll try to tie it all together though, and in the end you may see how this all relates.

So, I was working on a project earlier today, and my work caused a little thought in my mind about the food of the Philippines compared to the food of the USA where I am from.  As I thought about it, I got to thinking that there is good food and bad food in each place, it’s just a matter of finding it.  So, after thinking about this for a bit, I decided I would write an article about it.  So, as I thought about what I would put for the title of the article, I decided on “The good, the bad and the ugly.”  Of course, back in the 1960’s there was a movie by that title, and one of the characters was played by Clint Eastwood.

When Clint Eastwood came to mind, it brought another thought to my mind which was completely unrelated, seemingly, to the food thought I had earlier.  Last week, I had breakfast with Brian King.  Brian is an American who recently moved to Cebu.  You may remember that Brian recently wrote a guest article here on LiP.  Brian’s article was entitled “A moment of clarity,” and was about how he came to the decision to take the plunge and move to the Philippines.  So, anyway, last week Brian was in Davao for a family function here, and we got together for breakfast.  I had a great time talking with Brian, and spent way more time with him than I think either of us intended, but we both enjoyed it, I think.  Well, after getting home, I posted a picture of Brian and I on Facebook.  One of my Facebook friends posted a comment asking if Brian was Clint Eastwood.  Ha ha.  I hadn’t thought about it, but as I looked at Brian’s picture, I thought to myself that he indeed had a bit of a resemblance to Clint Eastwood, so that is how Brian ties in to this article.

So now, readers, if you’ll permit me, I’ll move on to the main topic of my article today, the food in the Philippines and the USA, and how it compares.  You see, as I said, I have come to the determination that there is good food, bad food and ugly food in both places, and I’m sure in every other country as well.

The Good

As part of the project that I was working on today, I was look at some pictures of a couple of desserts in the Philippines, and I realized just how delicious both of them are.  And, I believe, that both of these are native to the Philippines.  At least I know that I had never heard of either dessert until having moved to the Philippines.

Firstly, there is a dessert called Sans Rival Cake.  Literally, the name means that the cake has no rival, no other cake can compare.  And, I’d pretty much have to agree with that assessment.  Sans Rival is a cake that is made out of meringue.  Like the meringue of lemon meringue pie, but only hardened.  The meringue is the cake part of it, and there is frosting on top of the hardened meringue.  All I can say is that Sans Rival is really a favorite of mine, I really love it.  I rarely eat it, though, as it’s not too good for my diabetes!  But, from time to time, and in moderation, though…

A second Philippine desert which I like equally well is called Brazo de Mercedes.  I’ve put up a video showing the making of Brazo de Mercedes below, it’s in Tagalog, but I am sure you can follow along. Basically, Barzo de Mercedes is a roll or log, made out of meringue, and it is wrapped around a filling ,usually a mango flavored filling.  It is really a sinfully delicious dessert, and I love it.

So these are just a couple of examples of “the good” food in the Philippines.  Of course, there are dozens of other delicious dishes here, and not only desserts.

So, how about….

The Bad

Yes, there is bad.  Stuff that basically every westerner you encounter complains about.  Stinky stuff.  Gross stuff.  Let’s see… how about if I list a few:

  • Balut – Balut is a fertilized duck egg that is hard boiled.  There are duck parts in it, and frankly, even looking at it is difficult for me.
  • Bulad – This is the Bisaya term for dried fish, which is super stinky.  I’ve written about it elsewhere on this site, as have other writers.  Let’s just say it’s not for me.
  • Sweet foods that shouldn’t be – It’s been written about here many times.  Sweet spaghetti.  Sweet meats.  Sweet this and sweet that.  It’s too much.  Makes me sick to even think about it!
  • Hotdogs – the hotdogs here are terrible.  The flavor is wrong, but the main drawback is the texture.  They are not firm like meat should be.  They are mushy, and sickeningly so.
  • many, many other foods that I would consider to be in the “bad” category.

So, what about…

The Ugly

Yes, there are a few of these too.  The Balut that I mentioned above certainly comes to mind.  Oh, well the bulad does too.  Sure, there are lots of ugly foods, but if you taste it, some of it actually tastes pretty good, though.

Now, what about the food in the US?

Well, we have good, bad and ugly there as well.  How about something that is ugly, and smells bad, but is delicious?  How about bleu cheese?  Many Filipinos hate to even think of bleu cheese!  Most westerners love it, though.  Is bleu cheese the “bulad” of the west?  It would seem to be so.

It all comes down to this though.  Even though not all of the food is on my “A” list, I love living in the Philippines.  I’ve got a great life here, and I really don’t have any intention of ever going back to the States, as I’ve mentioned here on LiP many times in the past.  Yeah, I miss some stuff from the States, but if I went back there would be a lot of stuff that I’d miss from the Philippines too.  I suppose that when you move from one country to another, in the end you are sort of “stuck in the middle” and will always be somewhere in the middle.  You will like things from each country.  You will dislike things from each country.  And, I believe, for the rest of your life, you will miss things from whichever country you are away from at any given time.

I’m stuck in the middle, but I’m really leaning toward the Philippines overall.  How about you?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. My grandfather used to eat squirrel’s brains. He would fry them in a pan just like fried eggs. That’s got to qualify as “the ugly” for sure. 😀

    • Hi CY,
      Can I assume you have seen or had squirrel head gravy ? A previous neighbor of mine from the States was from West Virginia and he said it was quite common down there. I was invited to dinner one of the times at his house and his wife Margo handed me the platter first being the guest. She just said it was squirrel so I was going to take a piece and she said, no, take any piece but that one as it was J.D.’s favorite. I took something else and didn’t give it anymore thought other than the fact that squirrel wasn’t one of my favorite rodents to eat. Actually I don’t eat any rodents that I am aware of. I noticed J.D. starting t0 eat this round looking thing by tapping on it with the handle end of his knife like he was cracking open a soft boiled egg. J.D. was almost as deaf as a rock so I asked Margo what he was doing. She said if you really want to know I’ll tell you. Of course I had to know as this was all a new experience for me. She then told me it was the squirrels head and he was cracking open the top of the skull to eat the brains. Oh boy, that almost did it for me but I just concentrated on my meal and tried not to think about it. To each his own for sure. J.D. was a good ole boy that hunted just about everything and anything. I had some meals over at his house that I’ll likely never see again.
      I see Bob doesn’t care much for the hot dogs here in the Philippines. I can’t blame you there Bob. I am still searching for some sort of semblance to an American style hot dog here myself.
      I used to see that allowable amount of rat poop and so forth the FDA would allow in the U.S. food products and I am wondering what if any guide lines are used here.
      We recently acquired a new puppy and I have on hand some of those really little red hot dogs that I had bought to give to the dog next door to make friends with him until we got our own pup. Yesterday I decided to see if our pup liked these little hot dogs. I gave him on and he actually spit it out and left it on the ground. I said to myself, holy smokes, what could be in that thing that a puppy won’t even it it ? But he’ll eat gecko poop ! Eeeeewwww
      Bon appetite folks

      • Hi Charlie – Our local SM grocery store has recently gotten a shipment of Johnsonville Brats from the USA… I must say, they are delicious!

        • Good morning Bob,
          I little sauerkraut and some mustard on that brat sounds good to me. Yummy !
          Sometimes things like that are “in-stock” here at Hypermart or Robinsons and sometimes “no-stock”.
          Have a fantastic day.

  2. Bob
    In our RI/Phil household it kinda goes like this.
    The Good= Tocino,Lumpia,Calderita(beef not goat)Siopa,Sinigang,Ginataan,CurryCurry
    The Bad= Dinuguan, or anything made with Bagoong

    The FORBIDDEN= Bulad,Dangit,call it what you will but it not on the menue EVER unless it is cooked in another household and brought in or cooked outside.
    ” So let it be written so let it be done”

    • Hi Neal – I loved the Tocino we could get in the States. Here, though, I can’t eat it… way too sweet. Lumpia is great! Dinuguan… that’s out for me too! 😆

  3. Bob, I’ve never tried Sans Rival cake and I’m sure it’s very good but Lechon is in my opinion the #1 (Good) in the Philippines. Can’t wait for my next birthday!

          • hi bob,

            finally got to taste liempo balamban at a shop near my place in QC, said to have been opened by the cebu originators themselves. not that mind-blowing IMO.

            CDO’s lechoneros of my childhood probably spoiled my taste buds too much hehe ” )

            cheers,

            • Hi Biz Doc – I can’t speak for the liempo balamban that you tasted, but the one we make here is indeed super. Way better than lechon!

  4. Bob;
    The biggest thing I miss from the ol’ U.S. of A. is key lime pie from the Florida Keys, the limes must come from there, or you’re just eating a lime pie. The other day I had a wonderful piece of Banana Cream pie at an American owned restaurant. The baker is from the States, and all he makes here is pies and sells them only in restaurants. (The coconut cream pie is also great) It’s all just pie in the sky to me!

    • Hi Paul – Key Lime Pie is some good stuff for sure! The thing I miss most from the states right now is good cheese. Where I used to live in the Pacific Northwest, there is a cheesemaker in Tillamook, Oregon that makes some really good cheeses, particularly their cheddar. I find, though, that the foods that I miss change over time. A while back, I was really missing beef jerky, but several people sent me some from the States, and now my #1 miss has moved on to cheese! 😉

      • Hi Bob: Maayong buntag. Yeah, Tillamook cheeses are great. We get them now in the supermarkets. The cheeses are branded as “Tillamook Cheese”. But it tastes better in the Tillamook cheese factory. You can taste a wide range of cheeses at their shop and tour the cheese making facility. That town in Oregon is beautiful and idyllic.

      • I agree with ya on the cheese thing Bob…..a couple stores were carrying Tillamook cheese here…..but lately ya can’t find American cheddar anywhere in Cebu!!!

        I was born in Wisconsin, and raised in Oregon. I would take any cheddar right now, but a good sharp one from Wisc I would die for, and probably not even share…hahaha.

        • Hi Greg – Wow! Tillamook cheese in Cebu? I’m shocked by that! If they ever get it back, please let me know… I gotta get some of that!

          • S and R was carrying it along with their ice cream….also saw it at Rustans at Ayala…..if it comes back in I will let ya know….I’m thinking it must be a shipping issue with the warm summer weather back home. I could ship ya some overnight to savor on your burgers….hehe.

    • Paul, Bob

      Your right Key Lime Pie is good. Another good pie is Lemon Meringue, made from freshly picked lemons. The best pie makers around here in Bradenton-Sarasota Fla are the Amish. They have such a good variety and taste so good, just like homemade. In fact most all of there food is good, especially there cheeses and meats. My favorite filipino foods are Lumpia, Lechon, Pancit. The bad is all the foods that are sweet when they shouldn’t be. I would say the worst US food is chitterlings or any organ meat. Just makes me sick having to smell them when they are cooking.

      • Bob,

        Bye the way. Talking about food. I know how much you miss cherries. I bought some good Bing Cherries for a good price at a local discount grocer called Aldi’s. I couldn’t believe they were only $2.29 per pound. Wish i could send you a case lol. They were so juicey i sat and ate a whole lb at one time.

      • Hi Papa Duck – Ha ha… yeah, there is good and bad food in any country, no doubt. I am with you on the Lemon Meringue, that is my favorite pie! 😆

    • Paul, remind me when I get there in August and I’ll concoct a pretty dang good key-lime pie for ya.

  5. I’d have to say that one of my all-time favorite Filipino dishes is Ketong… grilled whole,and stuffed with spices and veggies to flavor this fish and keep the meat moist. Just watch out for those bones!

    I loved the 1st time I shared a Ketong with my Anafe for lunch. After we finished picking all the juicy meat from that fish carcas, Anafe went right for the eyeballs, scooped them out and popped them in her mouth. The look on my face was pure surprise.

    Love Ketong, but I’ll leave the eyeballs for Anafe; it is the least I can do for the womaan I love.

    • Hi Greg – I have had, I think, the same fish that you are talking about, although I knew it as “kitang” – we are probably just spelling it differently, though. It is an excellent fish. For me, my favorite fish here is fresh tuna, tangigue, malasugi or lapu lapu.

      • Bob, Greg might be referring to fish caught in Visayan waters– Kitong or in english Rabbitfish. probably Kitang, same fish variety where you are…

          • Bob, that’s the fish in the Filipino children’s song “Tong Tong Tong Tong Pakitong-Kitong” One of the first songs that I was taught by the children here..

              • Oooh, Queenie! That song really brought up good childhood memories for me in Cebu! 🙂

              • Of course I remember Queenie 🙂
                It goes like:
                Si Philimon, si Philimon,
                namasol sa kadagatan,
                nakakuha nakakuha
                ug isdang tambasakan …(forgot the rest 🙂 )

                But they were really catchy tunes.
                And no I haven’t heard anything about San Remegio. I must ask my brother about it. I am heading that way next month anyway, so will check it out then 🙂

            • haha Christine.. That is a cute song–do you also remember another fishy song, “Si Pilimon” too?
              Hey–I’ve been reading alot in the local news about some really interesting finds excavated from sites in San Remigio. You must be excited about that!

            • Really Queenie? I always thought that song is about a crab. “Tong-tong-tong-pakitong kitong alimango sa suba etc”…I forgot…lol

              • You’re right Jonathan–It’s just the silly intro to the song that makes it longer and more fun to sing..:)

          • Hi Bob, yes Kitong ang Kitang is the same fish and it is a member of the rabbitfish family along with danggit and the yellow foxface.

  6. Hi Bob,
    I agree that at any given time you’ll miss the foods that you don’t get. But it’s sort of the old Steven Stills song, “Love the One You’re With” It’s best for me to embrace the food and indulge in what I have depending whether I’m in the US or Cebu.
    I’ll try to do a list of my own to share:

    The GOOD of the Philippines (Cebu)
    I’ve yet to taste Sans Rival, but it looks like a keeper! For me hot pan de sal, ensaymada siopaw halo-halo and luscious mango shakes! All the local exotic fruits like fresh mango soursop pineapples custard apples… Jollibee spaghetti and fried chicken!
    inasal manok (roasted spit chicken) and BBQ
    Of course Cebu Lechon/Inasal /roasted pig and sinugbang isda–fish and all things cooked directly over charcoal. Ahh the smell of charcoal burning as evening descends in the province…
    Did I say fresh fish so plentiful and did I say FRESH?
    exotic vegetables that become your everyday GoTo ones, especially kamunggay and calabasa squash..

    The BAD
    I’m with you on balut, bulad/danggit–can’t take the smell and don’t see the appeal of an old bony dried fish with no meat on it
    dugo-dugo, super fatty prepared humba and adobo
    foods prepared with heavy reliance on MSG

    FOODS from the US that I could get nostalgic over:
    CHEESE! local comfort foods like Mac n cheese mashed potatoes and homeade gravy..
    The abundance and wide selection of colorful “American sized” local organic fruits and vegetables, berries..
    A decent crisp apple to eat out of hand and to bake a homemade apple pie with
    Big “American sized” roaster chickens that could feed an army in the province, not just for a beer chaser..

    I’ve yet have to make a one sided choice, but it’s all good to me!
    Thanks for this post Bob–I miss this kind and would like to see more.
    Queenie

    • Hi Queenie – Maayong buntag. I agree that Jollibee makes a good fried chicken… but the spaghetti? Ha ha… I wouldn’t go near the stuff! 😉

      Speaking of cheese… you know, I think that the Philippine cheeses should be added to the “bad” list, don’t you think? I’d rather go without cheese than most of the cheeses here.

      BTW, you mentioned Macaroni and Cheese. I recently found something that’s a pretty good local mac and cheese. It is like an “instant noodle” type thing… Lucky Me Mac and Cheese. It’s like P15/pack, and I like it! It’s nothing near as good as a homemade mac and cheese, but I like it better than, for example, Kraft Mac and Cheese.

      For sure, the fish and the fruits here are great.

      Oh, I just thought of one other thing here that is “world class” – pork bbq on a stick! It’s the best!

      • Oh Bob, I know you hate the spaghetti, but although I’m crazy about great Italian spaghetti and macaroni, Filipino spaghetti as a snack speaks to me of sweet childlike,fun times .. birthdays and family celebrations.
        I’ll have to look for that Lucky Me Mac, although local Magnolia cheese can still be made into a halfway decent comfort food mac n cheese in a pinch!
        How could I forget to list your Pork BBQ on a stick!
        I’ll add camoteQ and bananaQ too to mine:)

      • Bob,

        Your right about the “Pork BBQ” along with the “Chicken BBQ”. Bangus BBQ’d in Banana Leaves also is real good too. Cakes from Goldilocks Bakery are the best too.

        • hi papa duck,

          goldilocks, seriously ?? red ribbon seems to have overtaken our local cake shop pioneer, which hasn’t been as innovative– they seem stuck in the 80s.

          bob loves sans rival, which IMO seems quaint compared to red ribbon’s relatively-new marjolaine cake. it’s actually made up of sans rival layers, but enriched with chocolate chips & other good stuff. bad for the waistline but good on the palate hehe ” )

          cheers,

    • Robert, what is Kinilaw, havent heard that yet, maybe wasnt listening. A key part to my tranquility is learning not to hear, see, or smell.

      • hi bill,

        kinilaw is basically raw fish (or other types of seafood, including shellfish & squid) ‘cooked’ in vinegar & spices, but preparation differs in every place.

        the version i tasted in davao seemed to have pickled mayo in it, giving it a sweet-sour bite as well as a slick, oily mouthfeel. in CDO, the fish is first ‘washed’ with the sap of a ground-up tabon-tabon tree nut, removing the off-putting fishy aftertaste, before vinegar & spices like ginger slices, crushed finger chilis & cracked peppercorns are added.

        i’m not sure if tabon-tabon is available/used in davao or elsewhere.

        cheers,

  8. My staff brought in Brazo de Mercedes during a group lunch. It was amazing. Then they proceeded to dump a whole bunch of spaghetti on a greenwhich pizza and mix it all together and said this is how they prefer it. What a mess.

  9. Bob:

    I’m with you on the cheese… Though decent cheese is around, if you search for it, it is always expensive and the selection is normally limited. Most of Asia is not big on cheese either, so it is not limited to just the Philippines (For truly vile cheese, try some Japanese or Korean versions…ugh! Expensive there too). Cheese ice cream? Yuck!

    Also, I cannot stand sweet spaghetti or pizza here, and I also agree about the hotdogs.

    Balut, dinuguan, etc… Cultural, and you either like it or you don’t.

    Certain things are better here, though:

    1. I’ve recently gotten addicted to the adobo flavor roasted peanuts sold by the street vendors.

    2. Fresh fruit is always better, in my opinion. (I’m leaving out things like cherries, peaches, and pears that are non-native)

    3. I really like mamon and the Spanish rolls. Also, the lengua de gato cookies.

    4. Tanduay 15 year old rum. (for sippin’)

    5. Yesterday, Rebecca bought U-6 (the giant ones) tiger prawns for 450 / kg…. About US$6 per pound, still wiggling. Rabbitfish is awesome when grilled over charcoal or wood, as are lapu lapu or any other fresh seafood bought by the shore.

    6. The more I eat lechon, the more that I realize that Filipinos know how to cook pigs.

    7. Sr. Pedro’s Lechon Manok… Probably the best roasted chicken I’ve had.

    • Hi John – I like adobo and adobo flavored stuff, although I don’t think I’ve had adobo peanuts before. I’ll watch for them! Mamon is also a great treat! Is there Sr. Pedro’s lechon manok in Manila? That’s a Davao company! Maybe it’s a different operation, though.

      • Bob: Same Sr. Pedro’s… I don’t know what they do differently than the others (marinade?), but it really is good (Becky takes the leftovers and makes me chicken quesadillas with it… Little fresh salsa and Ole!)

        • Hi John – I am not sure if I have ever tried Sr. Pedro’s lechon manok. I don’t recall ever trying it. I have a number of favorites here in Davao… probably Banoks is tops for me, but I’m going to try Sr. Pedro based on your recommendation! If it’s not good, I’ll send you a bill! 😆 In GenSan, I like Kurdapoy’s.

          • hi bob,

            there used to be a roadside chicken roaster in CDO with the name, “Hayahay” Lechon Manok. i went nuts when i first tasted their roasted chicken, too bad they didn’t do too well alongside the other roadside roaster chains (san pedro, dear manok, etc) but they sure had a way with marinade : injected !

            you’d be lucky to find one down there in davao. check it out, i can’t recommend it enough. lamiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii kaayo! ” )

            cheers,

              • hi bob,

                the branch i was familiar with (near the gaston park side of lourdes college campus) had already closed last time i was there.

                it seems people would rather eat lechon manok right where it’s cooked so that it’s hot off the grill. hayahay was purely takeout basis and didn’t sell cooked rice on the side like the other roadside roasters did, i think that’s why they didn’t do too well. but a lot of folks in CDO still rave about it.

                i’m not sure now but i seem to have seen a hayahay outlet near the greenhills (memorial park, just outside the city limits) junction on the highway to CDO, coming from the iligan side. i actually wanted to get off the bus to see if it was really hayahay! ” )

                cheers,

  10. Well- the good would be the fresh fruit and grilled tuna, just out of the ocean.

    The bad- Bulad- now that would knock a maggot off a gut truck wouldnt it?????

    Bill

    • Hi Bill – I love the fresh tuna, but would much prefer to eat it raw with wasabi and soy sauce. Delicious! Grilled is OK too, but not as good as sashimi.

      • I was always spooked about sashimi in Davao, tuna and salmon sashimi are one of my favorites in Vancouver, but when I see the lack of refrigeration in Davao, I get timid. I would love to try it, and the wasabi reduces the risk. Do you buy it in the open market like my wifes clan, or do you have a more trusted source.

        • I normally buy it in the public market. Go early in the morning (like 6am or so) when it is freshly delivered. I’ve been eating sashimi from here for a decade and have never been sick from it.

          • Maybe I will start slow, do seared tuna first, then try it raw. Wasabi is a great anti-bacterial agent, do you always use it?

              • Bob,

                The only issue with raw tuna is if its caught in warmer waters, there is a greater chance of parasites (tiny worms). In some countries, they require the flesh to be flash frozen to eliminate. If you have been consuming for past 10 years, then all is probably good.

    • I too hate the smell of bulad and don’t think even a buzzard would eat it. But my wife loves it and I love her so I will put a fan in the window to blow the smell out. I do this for two reasons to keep it from stinling the house up and misery loves company (make the neighbors suffer too)! Oh forgot when she cook bulad my cat sits there and begs for some until my wife give her a taste.

  11. But guys, when you clear customs in your home country, what is the first meal you eat? For me, a rack of lamb, medium rare, roasted spuds and a good salad. Next meal, a nice medium rare steak.

    • Ha ha.. it’s been so long since I’ve been back to the States, I don’t even remember what I used to get for my first meal back. I haven’t been there for over 11 years.

      • Strange thing about Davao- I always have to stop taking my blood pressure pills there , it gets too low. I wonder if its the fish and fruit, or the fact that after a few days I slow down to the local pace ( or I keep bumping into people )

        • Ha ha.. the pace of life, and the pace of walking is a lot slower here! I have a hard time walking slow enough when I am with others! 😆

        • Bill I really don’t find it that strange your blood pressure going down while there. I actually lose weight when I am there and eat the same food and more because of the fresh fruit. I usually stay for 3-4 month at a time and would lose about 25 lbs during my stay. Also my cholesterol (which is high) actually goes down drastically. Me and my doctor came up with the same conclusion that it has to do with the way food is grown here in the US. Most of the food here has all kinds of stuff sprayed on it and feed to it such as hormones, fertilizers, and pesticides to speed up and make it bigger.

          Bob here is one that is bad and ugly, Durian. It stinks and really to me taste like creamy rotten onion.

          • Hi Scott – I’m sorry to burst your balloon, but I love durian! I eat it any chance I get. The fragrance is wonderful too! 😉 No kidding.

              • Hi Scott – Have you ever tasted durian before? Once you take a few bites of it, you won’t think it stinks anymore. It truly is delicious.

              • Hi Bob ,
                Yes I have and it is unappealing in both taste, smell and texturally. Maybe as I grow older my taste will change and i will like Durian, until then I guess I will not partake in eating Durian!

        • Hi Bill,
          I also stopped taking my blood pressure medicine just after moving here one year ago. I have been contemplating the possible reasons why. My pressure now runs a tad below the so called normal. In our diet anyhow we use almost zero prepared foods. Hence very very little salt which may be a big factor. I actually add a little salt sometimes to see if I can get my pressure up. Go figure. Also the temperature thins out the blood. Put this together with not working any more and the stress reduction of same. The only stress I personally see here is the driving, or is it dodge ’em cars ? But I am adapting to that slow but sure.
          Scott is most likely right about the lack of chemicals in the food here also. Thanks for that info, I hadn’t thought of that possibility yet. I used to think if I ate enough food with all the preservatives and chemicals that I wouldn’t need embalming when I croak. I mean some bread and such in the States you could leave out for months and nothing would grow on it. Yikes ! I remember some guy had a post somewhere a while back about a fast food burger and fries he left on the counter for about 6 months and it still looked the same. I am sure the fresh basically chemical free fruits have an impact also. Like they say don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. These are only my opinions as of this fleeting moment in time. I am not a medical doctor as you may have guessed. The closest I ever came to that was perhaps in 1969 when I graduated from The North Texas Institute as an Equinephalangeologist. If you ever need any opinions or info along those lines just let me know. No charge unless you want a home visit. lol
          Have a great day.
          Bob makes a good point also about the slower pace of walking.
          I am not so sure about these kids on their motorcycles though ? Yikes !

  12. Hi Bob – For me the Very Good is yes…….Dinuguan as well as Liver and onions my source of iron. As for the rest Iike you I’ll eat anything for a main course provided it’s not sweet and in my case not from a fast food outlet.
    I’m not a dessert person but love fresh fruit and I hope SM & Robinson never run out of Snickers as I’ve recently taken a fancy to them.
    Regards.
    Jim.

    • Hi Jim – I tried dinuguan one time, but I sure didn’t like it! Like you, I am not a big fast food fan or eater… I’d much rather eat something home cooked!

  14. I know that one of the things my wife misses the most from the PHL is the chicken barbeque. While they have barbecue here in the states, it is a bit different. She took me too an open-air restaurant in Davao that had the best chicken barbeque that I have ever had, and I can see why she misses it. Throw in the Red Horse beer and the awesome, friendly atmosphere, I could probably live in the upstairs apartments from the restaurant and eat there every day!

  15. Bob your article just activated my salivary gland, yum, yum. The full name of sans rival is “gateau le sans rival” , Cake without Rival, in French. Macrine loves to make it when she finds time. Mercedes de brasos originated from Spain. It means ” the arm of Mercedes”, because of the shape of the dessert. Leche flan belongs to this group of delicious dessert, but not for diabetics like you and me , Bob. But we could indulge in it just in moderation . Cheers!

    • Hi David – I thought that “brazo de mercedes” meant the “muscle of mercedes” but could be wrong on that. Whatever the name is…. it’s delicious! Leche Flan is ok to me, but certainly not in the class of either Brazo de Mercedes or Sans Rival. 😆

          • Hello David– Fun to see you as usual! My garden? Even before rainy season, heavy bursts of rain rutted up some of my bluegrass, I think I’ll have to switch to carabao grass.. My overzealous planting of trees has made my garden shadier with less flowering going on..but that’s okay I guess, just greener. At our other place by the water it’s sunnier, so I’ve recently had planted some anahaw palms and more bougainvillea. I found a pretty Santa Anna statue for my new small grotto there.
            How about yours? Any new orchids?:)

            • Hi Queeniebee, no new variety of orchids, but my caretaker informed they are blooming again. If you are in FaceBook, the pictures are there. Can we be friends in FaceBook? What is a Santa Anna Statue?

              • Hi again David, I’m not on FaceBook or any of the networking sites, but maybe I’ll check in at your site to see them!
                Oh– my statue is just a small alabaster one of Saint Anne and the child Mary, that I’m having placed in a small grotto on a rocky slope by the sea.

  16. Bob, your article brought back memories of eating while we vacationed in the Philippines last November. Being an American, I enjoy eating foods from the Philippines. Also I cook alot of filipino foods for my husband and son. Have alot of filipino friends say that I cook better filipino food’s better than them.LOL. Cannot wait til we move there permenantly in Feb. 2012.Trying to get my husband to retire sooner than later. He want’s to wait til he turns 65 in Jan.2012. But for myself I can move there now. Great article.

    Favorite Foods: adobo, sinigang, pancet, caldereta, fish, seafood, etc
    Bad Foods: Balut and Diniguang

    • Hi Tina – Ha ha… sounds like you are ready to make the move! Well, 2012 is not far away anyway. Back when we lived in the States, I also could really cook Filipino food, but I am out of practice now.

  18. Bob, Enjoyed seeing you once again, great coffee and even better conversation, you and fam are welcome at our place anytime your in Cebu. I have not as of yet been gone from home long enough to really miss anything, but I do miss my favorite luncheon spot,
    Rio Wrap…they have some very good soft tacos there. About the only thing here that I would like to see more is garnishments along with my dish, I enjoy dishes that swin in sauces !!
    Trieed Sisig last nite with a few pinoy pals…great after a nite of brown bottle billards !!
    PS. I get that Clint Eastwood comment frequently….must be the the .357 magnum I carry cause it surely would’nt be the hairline !!

    • Hi Brian – Yeah, I really enjoyed our chat. I didn’t plan to stay nearly as long as I did, but we had a good discussion going on! 😆 I had never thought of the “Clint Eastwood” thing until a friend on Facebook mentioned it… but I think he’s right! I’m going to do my best to stay on your good side! 😉

  20. Hi Bob,

    The Good: pusit sauteed in its black ink,coconut milk, and silis. Sinigang ng Lapu-Lapu,fresh Mangos & Rambutans. Whenever I’m in MNL these are the foods that I eat first.The pusit here does not have the black ink and the Lapu-Lapu is not the same.Also, the mangos here are from Mexico….not as tasty.Rambutans are found here but they are frozen 🙁 Almost everything else is available here in San Diego.

    The Bad : Morcon ! I can’t stand this particular dish.Maybe its because of all the ingredients that do not compliment each other,or it’s just me.LOL

    What would I miss ? I guess Fresh Salmon from The Pacific Northwest,Angus beef,and David & Sons Sunflower seeds ….for the baseball player in me 🙂

    • Hi Bobby – Yes, good salmon is something I miss a lot too. And, my favorite fish… halibut! But, there is a lot of good fish here too, so that makes up for it!

      I see David & Sons Sunflower seeds in the stores here, btw!

  21. @ Bob,

    I was at Costco yesterday and bought a whole 5lb Alaskan Sockeye Salmon for $5.99 a pound. I would gladly trade that to you for a 5 lb Lapu-Lapu.Now that would be a great Father’s Day meal deal 🙂

    Happy Father’s Day !

  22. Well there are certainly differences between Filipino tastes and our Australian/New Zealand tastes, although I don’t mind balut and I’m very fond of ricefield mice cooked adobo style and the crispy frog is divine.

    The main problem, as you say, is all the sweet food. It took me a long time to find a brand of peanut butter that wasn’t too sweet, and the bread here is too sweet for my taste (and they don’t have wholegrain bread).

    In truth, I have yet to meet a filipino who liked the taste of Vegemite – so I guess it’s a two-way thing.

    But the seafood is great – they have the same type of green-lipped mussels we enjoy in New Zealand.

    • hi warren,

      how lucky of you to have been served farm mice adobo & crispy frog! mind telling where you’re based? sounds like you’re in central luzon, not sure which province. i’d love to check it out for myself when i get the chance.

      there are still plenty of pinoy dishes i haven’t tried despite being pinoy myself, like ‘pancit buco’. maybe somebody here can post their family heirloom recipe ” )

      cheers,

  23. The ugly American food I ever tasted is bagel. So hard to the palate and it’s so bland. I’m like eating a piece of paper. I also can’t stand cheese pizza. I love cheese —ever since I was a kid. But I cannot eat a lot of cheese on a bland-tasting dough. If I have to order pizza, it has to have some more on it–like pepperoni or bacon or some more other than cheese alone. And why is corn served at parties here in the US? Corn in the Philippines is a poor man’s food and you never see it in parties. I also hate blue cheese and the tuna here is so disgusting.
    My American husband’s favorite Filipino dishes are ; dinuguan (yes he eats dinuguan), pansit, adobo, escabeche, and kare-kare (curry), and caldereta. He can cook all these dishes. But he abhors durian, bulad, and balut. He says balut is a “fear factor food.” He never minds eating sweet spaghetti. But he wonders about our colored delicacies such as kalamay 🙂

    • Are bagels an American food? I had never considered them to be. But, certainly in some parts of the US they are popular, though.

      Congrats to your husband on his ability to eat so many local foods!

      I love bleu cheese. The tuna here in the Philippines is superb!

      Durian.. I love it!

      • Yeah, bagels are very popular here in the northeast….I thought it was American staple because people from all walks of life eat that for breakfast. Even Dunkin’ Donuts serve them here to consumers. And most supermarkets such as Stop and Shop, Shaws, etc., -they sell bagels in their bakery. Bagels are everywhere here.

  24. Oh, by the way, I correct myself—my husband can cook all the dishes I’ve mentioned, except for dinuguan. He does not know what it really is.

  25. bob,

    hahaha, I wasn’t finished yet reading your article and when you mentioned “Clint Eastwood”. I can’t help but to asks myself “isn’t that clint eastwood sitting next to you?”. I agree Brian has a very strong resemblance with eastwood.

  26. Bob, you’re not going to believe this, but I once saw a video of a group of western tourists seated at a dinner table in some African country, pounding on the head of a live monkey that was strapped to the dinner table to get at the monkey’s brain, which was considered a delicacy. Balut and dinuguan are nothing compared to this.

  28. Seen at a food cart in NCCC Ma-a,chicks on sticks,four barbecued day-old chicks for P29.Sarap.

    How do I upload a photo into here ?