Best Of Filipino Foods

[crad]

the point is that even when there is 4 times more Filipinos than Thais in the UK, which there is, there are no, or almost no Filipino restaurants compared to Thai. I have never seen one Filipino restaurant and I am in the business of selling food. It is how I make my living. If I had seen one driving past, believe me my brakes would have screeched as if I was cornering in a Formula One race, and I would have got out and gone straight inside, amazed at the sheer novelty of it. I would have noticed one if I had ever driven past one, you can be sure of that. Because of my job, I notice restaurants, cafes and takeaways, whatever kind of food it is that they are selling, and observe the way that they open and close over time and what patterns emerge.

 

20 years ago outside London and perhaps the larger more significant cities like Manchester and Edinburgh, there were basically no Thai restaurants in the UK. Now every single city of about the 300,000 mark and up have more than one. That tells you a lot, about how well Thai food goes down, compared to Filipino.

[scott h]

For me the best is Tinola followed by Sinigan,,,love the contrast of the ginger and the tamarind in the two dishes.

 

Since we have kind of strayed off the topic a bit, ill throw in my 2 Peso about the international restaurant debat. Before I moved to the Philippines I lived in San Diego California most of my life. We have a HUGE Filipino community there as in the rest of the state. In fact behind Spanish, Tagolog is the most spoken non English language in California. This huge population is mainly due to the large number of Filipinos who served in the US Navy (san diego is a large navy port) got their citizenship and over the years sponsored their families etc etc etc. The result is over time we have a large assimilated Filipino population. With that we have store and resturants that cater to the Filipino community (even have a jollibees and a Max's fried chicken lolol).

 

As why you don't see as many Filipino resturants etc in the rest of the world? I am going to venture a guess it is because Filipino go to other foreign countries to serve, not to BE served. For example we just returned from a visit to Guam. There are many Filipinos there but they all work in the hotels, resturants, malls and the military bases. They are mostly on work visas and don't have the capital (or permission) to start a business, and any money the do save is remitted home. Just a guess but sort of makes sense

[i am bob]

Scott, I think you hit it right on!

 

I have gotten to know quite a Filipino community here in Canada and none own or care to own a restaurant.  After all, a couple are engineers, 2 are professors at the universities, 3 doctors and 4 more in medical school, lots are nurses and few teachers and they all make a much better wage again than owning a restaurant...  I could go on with approximately another 40 people but I think this does show my point.  And who knows?  Maybe somebody someday will open a restaurant!

 

Oh...  Wait!  On King St in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada...  A small convenience store...  With a take-out in the back that depends on what they are cooking for themselves that day...  hehe!

 

:mocking:

[crad]

As why you don't see as many Filipino resturants etc in the rest of the world? I am going to venture a guess it is because Filipino go to other foreign countries to serve, not to BE served.

that is miles wide of the mark. Based on that logic, then Thai restaurants would have to rely on Thai people to get any business, When in fact the only Thais likely to be there will the owners and the staff - not the customers except in perhaps Thai town in LA. Thai food is popular, because like Italian and so on, it is a good cuisine. I don't know anything about overseas Filipino restaurants. I like Filipino food actually, seldom eat anything else when I am in the Philippines, and I can cook it too. I know how to make all the main well known Filipino dishes, it is not like it is complicated or difficult. But I am not surprised Filipino restaurants are not popular. As far as most people are concerned, the cuisine is just not all that appealing and simply does not compare well to other Asian cusines. Same as Burmese food. I have never seen a Burmese restaurant either, but not really a surprise when compared to Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese etc, like Filipino food, Burmese is just not all that great.

[i am bob]

It's nice to see that you have opinions on why Filipinos, when out of country, don't want to have restaurants.  But enough is enough!  Now, let's get back on topic with what are THE BEST FILIPINO FOODS, please?  That is a totally different discussion.

[scott h]

I also vote for Halo Halo.....................love it by my teeth don't anymore,,,so dang cold :mocking:

[Jack Peterson]

:thumbsup: The best Filipino Food I have tasted and enjoy more than anywhere, is prepared and cooked by my favorite FIlipina. " The one that must be Obeyed."

 

 

 

:tiphat:

[crad]

It's nice to see that you have opinions on why Filipinos, when out of country, don't want to have restaurants.  But enough is enough!  Now, let's get back on topic with what are THE BEST FILIPINO FOODS, please?  That is a totally different discussion.

in the Philippines I always like to have a rice cooker around if possible, it is much more important to have a rice cooker, than a washing machine because unless you an idiot, rice will be a staple part of your diet. Whereas you can always wash your own flimsy clothes easily, with little effort. I like Tinola fish type sauces too to eat, but then you can be sure I will take anything I can get. Goat, Pork, Chicken you name it I am not too choosy. I do not even miss eating Lamb or Mutton in the Philippines, where they are basically no sheep. Why should I. I can eat sheep anytime I want here.

[MacBubba]

Filipinos tend to be assimilated into other cultures more quickly than other Asians.  In part, it is because their culture has had a steady western influence.  So, in places like California or Ontario, with a heavy Filipino presence and a solid customer base, there is a need that is filled by Filipino establishments.  For cities that do not have the same magnitude of Filipino presence, it is just not as lucrative to set up business, since Filipinos will happily patronize other cuisines.  With a small and fickle market, why bother?

 

And, as Bob mentioned, a lot of Filipinos with capital to finance a business are already gainfully employed.

 

As for best Filipino food?  Most will not agree, but I find myself spoiled for choice.  When in Manila, there are just too many good restaurants in Pasay, Makati, The Fort, pockets of QC like Katipunan, Tomas Morato, etc. 

 

OK, right now I am craving mango, so my vote goes to Conti's mango torte.  And, since I always crave chocolate, some divine Toblerone sansrival from a bakery in Greenhills!

[crad]

as Bob mentioned, a lot of Filipinos with capital to finance a business are already gainfully employed.

 

so what. If you have money already, then what is to stop you, from making some more?

 

but Filipinos if they have capital to finance a business, are going to be smart. They are going to know, that Filipino food, won't sell.  Almost nobody would want to buy it, in preference to its competitor cuisines.