Philippines – Manila Davao Borocay – Travel Food Entertainment

1) Chicharon

 

There are many types of Chicharon and practically all of them would make for great pulutan. Chicharon is usually salty and has a rough exterior and its crunchiness makes it fun to it. The crunchier, the better. Of course it isn’t exactly healthy to eat. But let’s talk about health issues and food some other day shall we? After all, drinking isn’t exactly the healthiest of activities.

 

My personal favorite type of chicharon is the bituka or the intestines. I love the taste of it and with extra salt, the flavor really comes out. Usually, the dip for any type of chicharon is suka or vinegar with lots of onions and chili. I, however, prefer not to use a dip as it takes away from the crunchiness of the chicharon. The other types of chicharon are also quite delicious and I believe that the favorite among other people who like it is the one with “laman” or the one that is not purely the puffy part. This is actually like ten times more oily than the regular chicharon but t is just about ten times better as well.

 

In Davao, I ate Tuna Chicharon, which is essentially made from Tuna skin. It was one of the best types of chicharon I ever tasted and it was also very inexpensive! Part of the reason why I want to go back there is because of it and for the longest time, I’ve been trying to find it here in Manila. If anyone of you knows where to find it, contact me!

 

2) Lechon Manok

 

In Metro Manila alone, there’s probably more than a thousand Lechon Manok stores that can be found. Filipinos love chicken because it’s meat and cheaper than the other types of meat. Lechon manok is one of the favorite types of chicken dishes for Filipinos as it is very juicy and very tasty. The most popular stores in Metro Manila are Baliwag and Andok’s. By far, these two have the most number of stores.

 

However, in the past few years, numerous Lechon Manok stores have come out. These are Sr. Pedro and Bounty Fresh Chicken. There are also several mom and pop Lechon Manok stores as well. These are all quite good and it all depends on the type of Lechon Manok that you want. Several big supermarkets such as Robinson’s and SM Save More also have Lechon Manok being sold. They have a variety of it like honey roasted and garlic flavors.

 

“Pulutan” is something that is inherently Filipino. Only in the Philipines is there a true concept of food that would go along with the alcoholic beverage. For sure, in other countries or cultures, there is an idea as to which food will go with a certain type of wine or other liquor, but only in this Nation where there is even a term for a type of food accompanying a drink. Filipinos love to drink. Filipinos love to eat. Necessity is the mother of invention. Pulutan is the product.

1) Baked Tahong

Tahong is mussels so technically it’s just baked mussels. I’ve added this to my list because this is a specialty at my house and anybody who goes to my party at home would expect it and desire it. Mussels are very popular in the Philipines. It is much more popular than clams and oysters and it is also because it is easier to get and much more to eat.

 

Baked tahong is very special to my family as it has been passed on from one generation to another. I myself know how to cook it although sometimes I do tend to be lazy in making them. The key ingredients in baked tahong are garlic and cheese. He garlic is sautéed in butter and then set aside. The tahong, or mussels are baked first and just when they are about to be cooked, the garlic are added as well as the cheese.This is basically to prevent the cheese from burning off which could take some of the taste away. The pinching garlic taste explodes in your mouth and you may need something to wash it off. Something like beer perhaps.

 

2) Calamares

 

Since we’re in the seafood area of discussion, let’s continue on with Calamares. Calamares is very simple to cook and recently, has become very easy to get in the Philipines. Calamares is basically breaded squid rings and the usual dip would be “tar tar” sauce or mayo with ketchup. As I’ve said, recently it has been very easy to find Calamares in the Philippines as it has become the newest street food in the country. One can find a stand in many different street corners all over the metro.

 

One has to be a bit careful however as not all of the stands have the cleanest of calamares. However, if you’re making one at home or buying it at a restaurant, there really shouldn’t be a problem.

 

3) Gambas

 

We now go to my earliest favorite. Gambas is something I already liked way before I tasted my first drop of alcohol. I always loved shrimp and I always loved spicy food as well. The two combined is like heaven to me and Gambas makes just the perfect blend of the two.

 

Gambas can be very spicy and in some ways, makes it a perfect viand for eating rice. This is what I used to do by the way when I was young. These days, I love having gambas as a pulutan. The only drawback is sometimes you have to remove the skin of the shrimp and that can be a bit messy especially since the dish is a bit oily.

 

Gambas is a favaorite among heavy beer drinkers and especially popular in provinces. It can be very hot which makes it perfect for ice cold beer. It is served usually on a sizzling plate and sometimes you yourself will be smelling like gambas because of the sizzle!