Filipino Food The Next Big Thing In The West?

[Old55]

Andrew Zimmern, host of “Bizarre Foods” on the Travel Channel, has a
theory: “I predict, two years from now, Filipino food will be what we
will have been talking about for six months … I think that’s going to be
the next big thing,”

 

In the Seattle area we have several successful Filipino restaurants but over the years we have seen at least a dozen fail.

 

 

 

 

http://bites.today.com/_news/2012/06/12/12185035-andrew-zimmern-filipino-food-is-the-next-big-thing?lite

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[ibemarshall]

Had a takeout type Pinoy place close down last year in my immediate area here in Southern California, San Gabriel Valley...still have 4 or 5 within 5 miles or so...my wife is still safe... :mocking:

Edited March 1, 2013 by ibemarshall

[Old55]

I don't think I've ever seen anyone but Filipinos or Filipino American couples in our local Filipino restaurants.

[Dave Hounddriver]

Perhaps they would be catering to expat Filipinos as I cannot see it taking off with western palates.  Balut anyone?

[Bruce]

Yes, limited market as Thai / Chinese / Korean are well established and 'familiar' to Americans. Balute is available locally here in a small supermarket. Americans have no real reference point to compare Phils foods to. If someone says... lets go get Chinese or Thai,  you have a basic understand what should be available. Not so if some one says... lets go get Philipine food.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Bruce

[JJReyes]

What Filipino dishes are unique in terms of preparation and tastes? The only one I would consider is the lechon because other cultures no longer follow the same slow roasting method and the constant basting to achieve color and crispiness in its skin. One possible reason is the process is too labor intensive. You need an experienced person turning the pig and constantly adjusting the charcoal fire to maintain an even temperature. I like the Philippine adobo over other similar Spanish dishes when done with lots of garlic and whole peppercorn, and almost dry after a long simmering period. I also like fresh lumpia made using heart of banana. The sauce is pounded raw garlic and a sweet jellied soy.  

 

Does anyone know of a "to die for" Pilipino restaurant in the Philippines? Something that would cause me to salivate at the mere mention of its name after one or two visits? I am always looking for a good restaurant.

[Bruce]

What Filipino dishes are unique in terms of preparation and tastes? The only one I would consider is the lechon because other cultures no longer follow the same slow roasting method and the constant basting to achieve color and crispiness in its skin. One possible reason is the process is too labor intensive. You need an experienced person turning the pig and constantly adjusting the charcoal fire to maintain an even temperature. I like the Philippine adobo over other similar Spanish dishes when done with lots of garlic and whole peppercorn, and almost dry after a long simmering period. I also like fresh lumpia made using heart of banana. The sauce is pounded raw garlic and a sweet jellied soy.  

 

Does anyone know of a "to die for" Pilipino restaurant in the Philippines? Something that would cause me to salivate at the mere mention of its name after one or two visits? I am always looking for a good restaurant.

 

Lechon is available here in South Foorida, done by the Cubans who roast in a pit and use a rebar rod contraption to hold and then flatten and turn the body over the fire.

 

As for a good restaurnat in Phils... I am not a fish eater (insert Jakes joke HERE) but I stayed at a hotel across for the casion in I THINK... Ermita? Anyway they had 30+ fish tanks inside and outside with many many different varities of living sea creatures. My 'death row' jokes did not make the waitress laugh... so sad....

 

So if you are a seafood lover, that place certainly has a large variety of things that certaily look fresh. I think I had a shrimp dish, but it was a few years ago....

[JJReyes]

As for a good restaurnat in Phils... I am not a fish eater (insert Jakes joke HERE) but I stayed at a hotel across for the casion in I THINK... Ermita? Anyway they had 30+ fish tanks inside and outside with many many different varities of living sea creatures. My 'death row' jokes did not make the waitress laugh... so sad....

 

During my last trip to Manila, I was in Greenbelt II with a friend. The large hard shell live crabs in the tank was just too tempting. I ordered one weighing about a kilo and a half. Just the one live crab cooked with taosi sauce and fried rice plus one side dish. No drinks. The bill for our lunch was P3,750. It was well worth it as a special treat. Couldn't afford it as a regular meal.

Edited March 2, 2013 by JJReyes

[Bruce]

As for a good restaurnat in Phils... I am not a fish eater (insert Jakes joke HERE) but I stayed at a hotel across for the casion in I THINK... Ermita? Anyway they had 30+ fish tanks inside and outside with many many different varities of living sea creatures. My 'death row' jokes did not make the waitress laugh... so sad....

 

During my last trip to Manila, I was in Greenbelt II with a friend. The large hard shell live crabs in the tank was just too tempting. I ordered one weighing about a kilo and a half. Just the one live crab cooked with taosi sauce and fried rice plus one side dish. No drinks. The bill for our lunch was P3,750. It was well worth it as a special treat. Couldn't afford it as a regular meal.

 

WOW! You must have had that Don Ho Hawaiian shirt on (as opposed to your Jack Lord Hawaiian shirt, or your Magnum PI Hawaiian shirt)  and have been speaking your English in a kano accent! 3,750p for lunch? Why an entire family (ok a small family) out on Samar could eat on that much for a month!

 

Actually, I have an attorney friend who really says that for what he donates to the charity.... is equal to one business lunch! About $100 +. Which  is how he rationalized the small amount to give. While small and equal to lunch money to him, it is a large donation to the Pinoys! In fact, on one trip, I took his donation to a school who had toilets... but no water source to use them. So they took his donation and used it for a 'rain cistern' to provide a source of stored water (free) to use for the toilets. And then gave me a 'formal' thank you letter addressed to him and stating in detail what they did with the  money.

 

He is the only attorney around with a Philippine toilet named after him. He framed it for his office as a conversation  piece..... So, the cost of one's lunch is quite subjective between the US and the Philippines....

[Adventurer]

I hate the standard Filipino food that you get around the cities, it is full of sugar & pretty much everything that is unhealthy, fatty oil, salt, chemicals etc and it tastes just as bad. Plus a lot of it looks like the families scraps from the previous evening family dinner, you know if you are brave enough to look in those big pots...

 

Now you take me to a really good Filipino restaurant like the one on Greenbelt Manila and they can show you how Filipino food can be as good as any other International cuisine. The roots from Mexico & Spain is where it is at it's best, it falls when it became Americanized.