Chips – List of Philippine Chips

Philippine chips one usually finds in supermarkets are made from flour or corn. While there have been locally made potato chips on the market as well, it is only relatively recently that Filipino brands have produced somewhat decent potato chips. One can also find native Philippine snacks like banana chips, chicharon, and dried mango, pineapple, and papaya chips, but they're usually found in a different section of the supermarket or, maybe along with more esoteric fare like coconut chips and kamote chips, in a specialty shop.

Universal Robina Corporation

Jack 'n Jill

• Chippy
• Chiz Curls
• Mr. Chips
• Nova
• Piattos
• Pic-A
• Sea Crunch
• Spuds
• Taquitos
• Tostillas
• Vcut

Granny Goose

• Kornets
• Tortillos

Oishi

• Kirei
• Marty's Cracklin'
• Oheya!
• Oishi Prawn Crackers
• Oishi Potato Chips
• Oishi Ridges

Leslie's

• Clover Chips

Regent

• Cheese Ball
• Cheese Ring
• Labzter
• Snaku
• Sweet Corn
• Tempura

Nilagang baka – Philippine beef stew

Nilagang baka or beef nilaga means boiled beef in Filipino and in the Philippines refers most commonly to a dish of boiled beef with vegetables in a soupy broth.  It is a simple hearty Filipino stew, a prime example of Filipino home cooking (lutong bahay).  The easy recipe using common ingredients found in almost any Filipino kitchen makes it a popular Filipino dish.

Ingredients

The beef and green leafy vegetables such as cabbage (repolyo), napa cabbage (petsay wombok), and/or bok choy (petsay) are usually cut into fairly large chunks and stewed in a broth (sabaw) flavored with onions (sibuyas), fish sauce (patis) and black peppercorns (paminta).  Potatoes (patatas), green beans (bitsuelas) and/or saba bananas are sometimes added; there is nilagang baka with chunks of corn on the cob too. The cut of beef usually used is one suitable for stewing. For a nilagang baka recipe beef shin (also called beef shank) is a good choice and maybe beef brisket.  

Beef Nilaga: Soup or Stew?

Sometimes nilagang baka is referred to in English as a beef soup, probably because of its light watery broth but, with its ingredients usually cut into large chunks, it can also be considered closer to a beef stew.  It is often served in an earthenware bowl called a palayok from which the nilagang baka is ladled into bowls for each individual, then eaten with rice over which the broth is often drizzled.  Sometimes the big leafy vegetables are cooked separately and combined with the rest of the dish just before serving or at the table.

Nilagang Bulalo

A version of the dish including bones and marrow is called nilagang bulalo.  The beef bones and marrow of the nilagang bulalo recipe add fatty content and calories but give the stock a richer deeper flavor.  A nilagang bulalo restaurant is called a bulaluhan.  Tagaytay and Batangas are known for such Filipino food eateries.

Cooking Tips

In cooking nilagang baka, one might wish to take the preliminary step of first boiling the beef in some water that is then removed (i.e. blanching the beef) before refilling the pot or dutch oven with more water and continuing to cook the stew proper. This cooking procedure helps remove or reduce beef scum that will otherwise need to be ladled out to prevent it from giving the dish a gamey taste and aroma. Some cooks, however, feel the blanching process removes too much flavor and are willing to put up with the more tedious process of removing the scum.

For the first heating, the beef should be brought to a boil quickly.  The temperature should then be lowered and the beef left to simmer for a long time at a low temperature.  If the beef is left too long at a high temperature it is more likely to turn out tough instead of tender.

Notes

Similar to nilagang baka is kansi an Ilonggo dish that incorporates batuan fruit.  Another dish with overlapping characteristics is puchero which is usually distinguished by the addition of tomato sauce and saba bananas which sweeten the dish.  Nilagang baka also seems to have parallels with Austrian tafelspitz and Irish (Irish-American?) corned beef and cabbage, a resemblance that becomes more pronounced in nilagang baka versions that use corned beef as has become the fashion in some local restaurants.

Nilagang baka is said to be a favorite of Manny Pacquiao's and is part of his eating regimen when preparing for a bout.

If ever left with some beef shin but falling short of the aromatics required for pho or Chinese red cooked stew and not knowing what to else cook, nilagang baka is an option.

Philippine Rice Varieties

List of Rice Varieties in the Philippines

A few of the popular varieties found and sold in local markets:

• Dinurado / Denorado
• Intan
• Milagrosa
• Sinandomeng
• Wag-Wag

• C4 (UPLB C4-63G)
• IR36
• IR42
• IR64

Some less known:

• Angelica (NSIC Rc 122)
• Apostol 
• Azmil
• Azucena
• Balatinao
• Baysilanon
• Bigante
• Binirhen
• Binicol
• Binulawan
• Bugos
• Bunto Kabayo
• Burdagol
• Chayong
• Davao
• Delhlinla
• Dinalaga
• Dumali
• Elon-elon
• Ennano
• Fortuna 
• Ginilingan Puti
• Guinangang
• Inadhica
• Inuruban
• Kalinayan
• Kasungsung
• Kinanda
• Kinastano
• Macan I 
• Macan Binundok
• Macaraniag
• Magilas
• Magsanaya
• Makapilay pusa
• Mangarez
• Masipag
• Milbuen
• Milfor
• Milketan 
• Mimis
• Palawan 
• Pampanga
• PARC-2
• Rinara
• Rizalina
• Santa Rita
• Sigadis Milagrosa
• Sinampablo
• Sinampaga Selection
• Smaguing
• Taducan
• Tinawon

Rice in the Philippines is called bigas when uncooked and kanin when cooked.  Glutinous rice is referred to as malagkit (sticky).  Unmilled rice is palay.  Rice is the staple food in the Philippines supplying about 35% of the average Filipino's daily caloric intake.  Aside from plain steamed rice, there are many Filipino rice recipes, rice snacks and desserts.  Even the water that has been used to wash rice, called hugas bigas, is sometimes called for in Filipino recipes aside from other uses such as an electrolyte mixture to combat diarrhea and as a fertilizer.

The history of Philippine rice farming dates back to antiquity and has left a legacy etched into the very fabric of Filipino culture, perhaps most vividly manifest in the majestic Philippine rice terraces carved into the rocks of the northern Philippines.  They are symbolic both of the importance and difficulties faced in growing rice in the country.  While the Philippines is heavily reliant on rice, its mountainous terrain is not well-suited to rice cultivation placing obstacles to Philippine rice production.  This and its fast growing population have contributed in making the country the largest rice importer in recent years, despite being the eighth largest rice producer.  With Philippine rice shortages and rising world rice prices, food security is a concern driving rice research into high-yield rice and tougher more resistant hybrid rice varieties in the Philippines.    

There are many different strains of rice—the International Rice Genebank is reputed to hold over 112,000 different specimens of rice varieties from all over the world—but only a small fraction of these have the requisite traits that make them attractive to plant commercially.  In the Philippines there are indigenous medium grain tropical japonica ("javanica") varieties and long grain indica rice varieties.

Nomenclature

Traditional Filipino varieties of rice are referred to by their traditional names.  Several institutions have been involved in the development of rice varieties in the Philippines and their names are sometimes referenced in the designation of rice species, especially those of older rice varieties.  Rice varieties with designations starting with IR such as IR64 were bred by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI); UPL or UPLB refers to the University of the Philippines, Los Baños; and BPI refers to the Bureau of Plant Industry, Department of Agriculture Philippines.  The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is another branch of the Department of Agriculture involved in developing rice in the country.

The release of rice varieties in the Philippines became more systematized over the years with the Philippine Seed Board (PSB), now the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC), eventually empowered to conduct the releasing process.  The NSIC tests seeds submitted to it and then formally releases those which pass its criteria giving them a designation that was earlier in the form PSB Rc, but has now changed to NSIC Rc.  This coding practice has been in use since 1990 and applies to newer rice varieties.  Rice varieties most suitable for lowland areas are even numbered while those considered best for upland areas are designated with odd numbers.  More conventional names are often associated with the PSB technical code, with names of rivers and lakes being applied to the lowland varieties and names of mountains for those for upland use.  Sometimes popular names given by Philippine rice farmers have been adopted.

More recently the NSIC naming code has dropped the usage of names of bodies of water and mountains and has instead adopted the descriptive terms Japonica, Mabango, Malagkit, Matatag, Mestiso, Sahod Ulan, Salinas, Submarino, and Tubigan to refer to japonica, aromatic, glutinous, tungro-resistant, hybrid, rainfed lowland, saline, flooded lowland, and irrigated lowland rice varieties respectively.

Notes

Aside from the usual long grain white rice, local brown rice, red rice, and black rice can be found in supermarkets although wild rice (which is not properly a rice at all) is harder to find.  Previously, rice sold in local markets as often as not was badly milled with many sand and gravel particles or old rice husks mixed in.  This made it easy for imported foreign rice, mainly from Thailand but also Japan and the United States, to develop a reputation for superior quality.  Fortunately the local situation has improved dramatically in recent years with a rise in milling standards.  One is now better able to appreciate and compare the intrinsic qualities of the local varieties of rice without being distracted by extraneous considerations.  The focus in rice research has also expanded to include more the factors that go into good table qualities and not just those that increase rice yield resulting in new hybrid varieties for sale.

The general impression I have is that while imported rice varieties can often be more fragrant, very aromatic rice tends to become spoiled (panis) more easily if left in the hot and humid climate of the country too long.  The table qualities are otherwise pretty comparable and a matter of personal preference.

Milagrosa: Miracle Rice Marketing?

For a long time I was under the impression the Thai rice being sold was a local variety because milagrosa, the name of an aromatic traditional Philippine rice variety which also translates from Spanish as miracle or miraculous ergo "miracle rice", was usually written in bold on the sacks of rice from Thailand.  Further confusing things was the use of the term "miracle rice" for the breakthrough IRRI variety IR8, a high yielding rice variety resulting from the cross of the Indonesian peta with the Taiwanese semi-dwarf deegeowoogen (DGWG) that is credited with ushering in a green revolution.   I now suspect that the milagrosa labeling was probably just a marketing ploy to appeal to Filipino rice consumers familiar with the Philippine milagrosa variety.  These days sacks of rice from Thailand have largely dropped the name milagrosa from their bags and instead the term "jasmine rice" or Thai hom mali, which is from what I can gather possibly the variety of rice used all along, is promoted.

Consulted sources conflict on whether milagrosa is an indica variety like most imported Thai rice or a tropical japonica.  My own experience with milagrosa rice from a Philippine supplier is that it has a greater tendency to retain water and end up sticky leading me to think that it is a tropical japonica variety.

Common Market Varieties

Among local varieties, milagrosa has a high reputation going back many years.  If going by price as an indicator of quality, then of the common local premium varieties offered by a number of suppliers, milagrosa is followed by dinurado which is generally more highly regarded than sinandomeng, which is then followed by wag-wag, C4, and other unnamed varieties.  To be truthful I'd have a hard time trying to distinguish between them and would consider the supplier or brand a more important basis of differentiation.  It may be just as well.  According to surveys conducted to determine the most popular varieties for rice planting, many of the IRRI rice cultivars and those named by the NSIC composed the vast majority of rice planted.  This would seem to be at odds with the experience at market where a large proportion of rice supplied by Philippine rice traders are labeled as popular traditional varieties.     

More Rice

Other varieties of local rice not carried by multiple branded suppliers have become increasingly available for Philippine rice buyers.  Ifugao rice was purchased one time when it went on sale and was found to be good quality and kept very well; the retail price almost doubled shortly after.

With more quality Philippine rice grains, Indian basmati rice joining the fray, and an increased interest in alternative grains driven by health concerns about white rice, trying all the varieties of rice out instead of sticking to one has become a more appealing option.   

This while rice imports overall have declined because a substantial portion of imported rice was imported by the government for food security.  This rice is made available by the National Food Authority (NFA) with a lot of the NFA rice sourced from Vietnam. 

Brands

The rice available comes from a broad range of suppliers with most local brands having only spotty presence across supermarkets.  Brands found in one supermarket chain may be absent in another.  In wet markets rice is often taken out of the sack and sold per kilo with variety of rice instead of brand of producer being the discriminating factor.

The following local brands have some consistency in presence:

Best Choice - Tantrik Trading - 2140 Onyx St., Sta Ana, Manila
Doña Maria - SL Agritech Corporation - sl-agritech.com
Golden Grains - R.E.F. Commercial Corp.
Harvester's - Sunnywood Corp. - sunnywoodrice.com
Highlands Rice - highlands_rice@yahoo.com
Ifugao Rice - Oliver Enterprises - Talavera, Nueva Ecija - oliverricemill@yahoo.com - 044-456-5001, 044-456-0508, 0917-566-2249 
Mrs. Lam - ECT Enterprises  - Malaking Ambling, Magdalena, Laguna - 0922-838-8365 - ectent@yahoo.com
Vita-Rice - Golden Season Grains Center Inc. - Dadap, Luna, Isabela - gsgci.com - inquiry@gsgci.com - 0917-530-9988

More information

• About Rice. (n.d.). International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
• Bureau of Agricultural Statistics. (January 2012). Rice and Corn – Situation and Outlook Vol. 26 No. 1. ISSN-2012-0346.
• Castillo, Gelia T. (March 23, 2008). Rice production, population, and natural resources endowments. The Manila Bulletin.
  
• Dalrymple, Dana G. (1986). Development and Spread of High-Yielding Rice Varieties in Developing Countries. Washington D.C.: Agency for International Development.
• de Leon, John C. (2005).  Rice that Filipinos Grow and Eat (Discussion Paper Series No. 2005-11). Philippine Institute for Development Studies. 
• FAQs on Philippine Seedboard (PSB)/NSIC Rice Varieties. (April 28, 2010). Pinoy Rice Knowledge Bank. 
• Flores, Helen. (September 10, 2009). Rice varieties that can withstand drought, floods being developed. The Philippine Star.
• Garris, Amanda J., Thomas H. Tai, Jason Coburn, Steve Kresovich, and Susan McCouch. (January 16, 2005). Genetic Structure and Diversity in Oryza sativa L. Genetics 169 (3) 1631–1638.
• In 23 Years, PhilRice Bred 28 Rice Varieties. (November 22, 2008). Agriculture Business Week. 
• International Year of Rice 2004 – About Rice: Philippines. (2004). FAO.
• Olsen, Kenneth M. and Michael D. Purugganan. (October 2002). Molecular Evidence on the Origin and Evolution of Glutinous Rice. Genetics 162 (2) 941–950.
• Peng et al. (March–April 2000). Grain Yield of Rice Cultivars and Lines Developed in the Philippines since 1966. Crop Science, 40(2): 307–314.
• Philippine Rice Research Institute. Department of Agriculture. (1997) Characteristics of Popular Philippine Rice Varieties. Rice Technology Bulletin No. 19.
• PhilRice Seed Stock – Seeds for Sale – All Varieties – Philippine Seedboard (PSB) / NSIC Varieties. (n.d.). Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).
• Why Does the Philippines Import Rice? (July 12, 2011). International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

The Makati Shangri-La Manila Hotel

The Shangri-La Makati is a popular 5-star hotel, part of the Shangri-La group of hotels, in Metro Manila, Philippines.  Despite its official name, it is located not in the City of Manila proper, but rather in the metropolis' central business district, Makati.  The hotel lies within Ayala Center, a major commercial complex, next to malls, shopping arcades, and the country's financial center.

Food and Dining

• Circles Event Café
• Inagiku
• Lobby Lounge
• Pool Bar
• Sage
• Sage Tapas Bar
• Shang Palace
• Sinfully Circles

Contact Information

Address: Ayala Avenue corner Makati Avenue Makati City 1200 Philippines
Telephone: (63 2) 813 8888
Fax: (63 2) 813 5499
Website: http://www.shangri-la.com/en/manila/makatishangrila


Notes

Generally considered one of the top hotels in Metro Manila.  Good restaurants and an ambiance blending classic elegance with modernity and a hint of the Orient has made it a popular meeting place and venue for special occasions.  Although highly regarded its popularity does make me wonder if perhaps the hotel has become slightly overrated.  It's pricier than other excellent hotels in the area and the larger number of people it attracts places greater burdens on its ability to maintain excellent service; but it's widely recognized and its location puts it in the middle of the city's action.  Good hotel for people who like to be at the center of it all but maybe not optimal for someone looking to be somewhat farther removed from the hustle and bustle.

Hotel room rates may vary.  For a superior room, one is looking at prices in the range of 8,500 pesos to 12,000 pesos or more (~$200–$300)  not including extra fees which may or may not include a buffet breakfast at Circles depending on the type of client.

A Club Gourmet membership gives discounts and may be beneficial for frequent visitors to the hotel and its restaurants and facilities.

The Shangri-La hotel in Makati should not be confused with its sister hotel the Edsa Shangri-La Manila located in Ortigas Center in Mandaluyong or the unaffiliated Shangri-La Restaurant on West Avenue in Quezon City.

Nearby Hotels

Other hotels located nearby are The Peninsula Manila, The New World Hotel, The Fairmont Makati, The InterContinental Manila, The Dusit Thani Manila, The Mandarin Oriental, The Ascott Manila, and Holiday Inn Makati among others.

Related:

• A List of Some Hotels in Metro Manila

List of Filipino Condiments

Philippine condiments often accompany Filipino dishes for those who want stronger flavor.  The following is a list of some of these Philippine products, their local names, and pictures. 

• Atsara – pickled vegetables, usually papaya but there are also other versions like one using bitter gourd (ampalaya)
• Banana ketchup
• Bagoong / Ginamos – fermented salted fish usually prepared to a pasty consistency 
  • Mackerel / Anchovy sauce (bagoong balayan, named after the town of Balayan, Batangas)
  • Salted Anchovies (bagoong monamon / bagoong dilis / monamon dilis)
  • Salted Bonnetmouths (bagoong terong) [not sure exactly what fish species is used]
  • Salted Ziganids (bagoong padas) – usually small jarred fish sold still relatively whole and not ground up; probably refers to rabbitfish (family Siganidae) 
• Buro - again pickled, salted or fermented but applying especially to salted green unripe mangoes (burong mangga); also refers to a Pampangan preparation that has fish or shrimps mixed with rice and salt left to ferment and then days later sautéed with tomatoes, onions, and garlic  
• Calamansi / Calamondin / Philippine Lime (kalamansi)
• Chicken oil
• Chili (sili) – often added to soy sauce or vinegar
• Crab paste / Crab fat / Crab roe (taba ng talangka or aligue)  
• Ensalada – in Spanish salad, but in the Philippine context can also often refer to vinegared vegetables used as a relish which pretty much makes it similar or the same as atsara but the term is more likely to be applied to eggplants and cucumbers as in ensaladang talong and ensaladang pipino   
• Fish sauce (patis)
• Hot sauce
• Lechon sauce (sarsa)
• Patismansi – fish sauce mixed with calamansi juice
• Shrimp paste (bagoong alamang)
• Soy sauce (toyo)
• Sweet chili sauce 
• Tomato (kamatis) – fresh chopped; also salted and boiled in water to make something akin to and used like tomato water
• Toyomansi – soy sauce mixed with calamansi juice
• Vinegar (suka) – those found in Filipino markets are usually a product of sugar cane but some are also derived from coconut; it's often mixed with chili, garlic, and possibly other spices and herbs to make spiced vinegar (sinamak) or combined with chili, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce or some combination thereof to make a dipping sauce (sawsawan) at the dining table 

calamansi	patis	lechon sauce / sarsa	sweet chili sauce
vinegar and spiced vinegar	shrimp paste	crab roe and burong hipon	bagoong balayan

More information:

• Fernandez, Doreen G. (1988). Culture Ingested: Notes on the Indigenization of Philippine Food. In Edilberto N. Alegre and Doreen G. Fernandez (Eds.), Sarap: Essays on Philippine Food. Manila: Mr. and Ms.
• Vanzi, Sol. (June 16, 2011). Pinoy food's heart and soul. The Manila Bulletin.
  

Philippine Cooking Oil

Coconut oil is likely the most commonly used edible cooking oil in the Philippines which is a leading producer of coconuts and the largest exporter of copra (dried coconut meat) from which coconut oil is often extracted.

Virgin coconut oil (VCO) say many coconut oil advocates is the best choice with its tocopherols that act as antioxidants.  However, because of a low smoke point (138 degrees Celsius) unrefined coconut oil is unsuitable for frying.  Refined coconut oil on the other hand has a higher smoke point (around 177 degrees Celsius).  Oil that reaches its smoke point begins to break down and release potentially harmful carcinogens. 

Refined bleached deodorized (but not hydrogenated) coconut oil, often referred to as RBD coconut oil, is the cooking oil one most commonly finds on Philippine supermarket shelves. Coconut oil is often labeled as vegetable oil; recently it has been marketed as lauric oil. Common local brands include Minola, Baguio, Cook Best, Golden Fry, Marca Leon, Magnolia Nutri-Oil, Spring, and Magic Fry.  The Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF) Oil Mills Groups is the largest coconut oil producer in the Philippines.

Coconut oil's saturated fats are commonly cited as a reason to avoid coconut oil and they were previously demonized as unhealthy but this is mainly due to association with other foods with high saturated fat content since there are not many studies that directly tie coconut oil to bad outcomes and the ones that do used partially hydrogenated coconut oil that contained trans fats or induced essential fatty acid deficiency. Saturated fats like coconut oil actually have a theoretical advantage over unsaturated fats since they are more stable in normal conditions and do not oxidize as easily.

Other cooking oils like palm, soybean, canola, corn, and olive oil are also commonly available in large metropolitan supermarkets.  

More information:

• Coconut Oil – Pros and Cons
• Philippine Coconut Authority

Max's Restaurant - Philippines

Max's Restaurant is a Filipino restaurant chain serving fried chicken and Philippine cuisine since 1945.  Founded by Maximo Gimenez with the help of his niece Ruby after WWII, it is a family-style casual dining restaurant that has expanded to 120 branches in the Philippines, eight branches in the United States, and one in Canada.  Overseas it is known as Max's of Manila.  Max's delivery service is offered within Metro Manila through its hotline number 7-9000.

Its signature dish is its fried chicken—Max's dubs itself "the house that fried chicken built".  It's often served with rice and/or kamote (sweet-potato) fries.

Other items on Max's menu are Filipino dishes like pancit, kare-kare, nilagang baka, sinigang na baboy,  lechon kawali, pork adobo, bicol express, and crispy pata among others. 

Although described as "sarap to the bones!", for a signature dish Max's fried chicken is surprisingly plain; aside from possibly a little salt rubbed in, there seems little else done to the chicken before it is deep-fried to a golden brown.  Yet it is a testament to the natural flavor of chicken that from such simplicity Max's has enjoyed such longevity.  While Max's unadorned fried chicken can be a disappointment at first it does get things right by placing the focus on the chicken.  One learns to respect the dish when many years later one still finds it palatable while other seemingly more impressive chicken dishes haven't endured and have faded from memory.

In a sense basic goodness and soundness can be used to describe Max's menu lineup. All the Filipino dishes are solidly interpreted and make a good benchmark with which to compare other interpretations of the same dishes at other establishments.  However, their rice servings tend to be small.  Banana catsup, hot sauce, and worcestershire sauce are condiments at hand at every table.

Service is generally good, but the usually high volume of customer traffic at its mall locations doesn't lead to the cleanest or most relaxing of environments at those branches. Max's is a casual dining restaurant leaning more towards fastfood rather than fine dining.  Pre-packaged caramel bars accompanying some meals and Max's bakery kiosks at some restaurants drive the point home.

Filipino Adobo

Adobo is considered by many unofficially as the Philippines' national dish.  Versions of chicken and pork adobo are the most common. They have chicken and/or pork braised in vinegar, black pepper, garlic and bay leaf and then cooked in oil.  Soy sauce is often used as an ingredient as well but its addition to the basic adobo recipe is a relatively recent development.

While chicken and pork adobo recipes are the most frequently encountered, the use of other main ingredients argues for adobo to be more accurately described as a method of cooking than a dish per se.  This is clearly illustrated by referring to the common seafood preparation adobong pusit using squid and the vegetarian adobong kangkong using water spinach.  Both come across very differently from the pork and poultry recipes.  On the other hand, beef is usually not used, but—with products like so-called adobo-flavored nuts on the market making a definition of an adobo taste more elusive and harder to pin down—that's not a rule. Indeed the people in the province of Batangas in particular are known for having beef in their adobo.  

Name and Origin

The dish and its method of preparation are believed to be indigenous to the Philippines but the term adobo is of Spanish origin, a legacy from the time the islands were ruled by Spain. In Spanish cuisine the term adobo refers to a pickling sauce consisting of olive oil, wine vinegar and spices; in Mexican cuisine it describes a paste of chilies, spices, herbs and vinegar. Spanish and Mexican dishes using these seasonings are described as adobado or adobada. While bearing some similarities, the Filipino dish is distinct.

Variations

There are a multitude of variations of the recipe in Filipino cooking with different regions of the country and even households having unique versions.  There are quick and easy adobo recipes and ones that are more elaborate.  In some coconut milk is used.  In others chilies are added or maybe liver.  Some are braised to be moist and have a lot of sauce while others are reduced to be dry and crispy.  Some use black peppercorns and toasted garlic to give brief bursts of spiciness with some bites while others eschew the peppercorns and stick to ground pepper to let the sauce speak for itself.  Adobo sauce is full of flavor and is sometimes mixed with rice to make Filipino adobo fried rice.  Large pieces of meat are usually used but a dish of adobo flakes is a recent popular variant. 

Essential: Vinegar

Still there are a few essentials in an adobo marinade at least for the meat and poultry versions: vinegar, garlic, pepper, laurel leaves, and cooking oil.  Vinegar is a frequent ingredient in Filipino food.  Adobo, like paksiw and kinilaw, uses it as a central component.  If the dish doesn't use vinegar it isn't adobo.

Proportion matters as well.  Too much sauce, and an insignificant bay leaf and pepper presence, and the dish tends to resemble a pata tim, humba, or paksiw na baboy especially if sweetened with sugar.   A mixture with liver that is reduced too much and with a strong vinegar and garlic component may come off a little bit like a lechon paksiw.  Add vegetables and it starts looking like a stir-fry.  In short for an authentic Filipino recipe adobo is probably best kept simple. 

Because of the vinegar content, adobo tends to keep well.  Indeed there are people who believe the dish tastes better with age since adobo leftovers tends to taste better than when newly cooked.  Nevertheless without research on how long it can safely keep it is advised to deal with leftovers quickly and prudently.

Notes

An observation for those wishing to experiment:  while establishing the best proportion of soy to vinegar is something obvious to look at, paying attention to the amount of oil or fat may also be worthwhile.  Some of the best tasting adobo have a fair amount of rendered fat in the sauce of the finished dish.

Basic Filipino Adobo Recipe using Chicken and Pork

Ingredients:
1.25 kg chicken, cut up
500 g pork loin or leg chops, sliced into 1-inch cubes
1 cup vinegar
1 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce (optional, original recipe has none)
1 1/2 tsp salt  (unnecessary if using soy sauce)
8–10 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tsp whole black peppercorns
oil for frying

Procedure:
Combine ingredients except oil in deep saucepan, pot, or dutch oven and marinate for an hour.  Afterward on a stove, heat the ingredients and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 30–40 minutes or until meat is tender.  Remove meat from the pot.  Boil the sauce until reduced and thickened, then strain into a small bowl.  In a frying pan add cooking oil (until about 1/4 inch deep).  Fry the meat in the frying pan until evenly brown and crisp.  Transfer the fried meat to a serving plate and pour the adobo sauce over.  Best served with steamed white rice.

More information

• Alejandro, Reynaldo Gamboa and Nancy Reyes-Lumen. (2004). The Adobo Book. Anvil. 
• Baga-Reyes, Vangie. (November 24, 2011). From chicken-pork to lamb chops 'adobo'. The Philippine Daily Inquirer.
• Baga-Reyes, Vangie. (October 5, 2011). The original Crispy Adobo Flakes from Glenda Barretto herself. The Philippine Daily Inquirer.
• Chicken Adobo. Saveur. Issue #116.
• Davidson, Alan and Tom Jaine. (2006). Adobo. The Oxford Companion to Food. New York: Oxford University Press. 
• Fernandez, Doreen G. (1988). Culture Ingested: Notes on the Indigenization of Philippine Food. In Edilberto N. Alegre and Doreen G. Fernandez (Eds.), Sarap: Essays on Philippine Food. Manila: Mr. and Ms. 
• Inolino, Ieth. (June 12, 2014). The Perfect Adobo. The Manila Bulletin.
• Ocampo, Ambeth. (February 24, 2009). Adobo in Many Forms. The Philippine Daily Inquirer. 
• Pacio, Nerissa. (December 08, 2004). Adobo–the heart of Filipino cuisine. Chicago Tribune. Knight Ridder.
• Sifton, Sam. (January 5, 2011). The Cheat: The Adobo Experiment. The New York Times.
• Sokolov, Raymond. (April 1993). Why We Eat What We Eat: How Columbus Changed the Way the World Eats. Touchstone.
• The Philippine Adobo; History on a Plate. (n.d.). Asia Tatler Dining.
• Vanzi, Sol. (July 28, 2010). Much ado about adobo. The Manila Bulletin.
  

A List of Philippine Dishes

A list of some dishes in the Philippines commonly cooked at homes and on the menus of local restaurants or served during fiestas.

• adobo
• afritada
• batchoy
• bicol express
• binagoongang baboy
• bistek tagalog
• bopis
• bringhe
• callos 
• camaron rebosado
• chicken pastel
• crispy pata
• crispy tadyang ng baka
• daing na bangus 
• dinuguan
• embutido
• escabecheng isda
• ginataang manok
• giniling
• ginisang monggo
• hamonado
• halabos na hipon
• humba
• inasal na manok
• inihaw na liempo
• kaldereta
• kare-kare
• laing
• lechon
• lechon kawali
• lechon manok
• lengua estofada
• lugaw
• lumpiang shanghai
• lumpiang ubod
• mechado
• menudo
• morcon
• nilagang baka
• paksiw na isda
• pancit bihon
• pancit canton
• pancit malabon
• pancit palabok
• pata tim
• pinakbet
• pinangat na isda
• pinaputok na bangus
• puchero
• rellenong bangus
• rellenong manok
• salpicao
• sinangag
• sinigang
• sisig
• sotanghon 
• torta
• tapa
• tinola
• tokwa't baboy

More Restaurants

• Abé
• Antonio's, Tagaytay
• Aubergine
• AzuThai
• Café Ysabel
• Casa Armas
• Chef Laudico's Bistro Filipino
• Choi Garden
• El Cirkulo
• Golden Bay Restaurant 
• The Goose Station
• Je Suis Gourmand
• La Cocina de Tita Moning
• Lolo Dad's
• Peking Garden Restaurant
• Restaurant Cicou 
• Sentro 1771
• Tao Yuan Restaurant

Hotels in Manila

The Peninsula Manila

 

List of Metro Manila Hotels

Makati Dusit Thani Manila InterContinental Manila Mandarin Oriental Manila New World Makati City, Manila Hotel The Peninsula Manila Makati Shangri-La Manila    * Manila Century Park Hotel Manila Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila The Manila Hotel Pan Pacific Hotel Muntinlupa (Alabang) The Bellevue Manila Vivere Suites Ortigas Center Astoria Plaza Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria Discovery Suites Edsa Shangri-La Manila Holiday Inn Galleria Manila Linden Suites The Malayan Plaza Richmonde Hotel Ortigas Pasay Heritage Hotel Manila Marriott Hotel Maxims Tower    * Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila Traders Hotel  Quezon City  Eastwood Richmonde Hotel

More information:

• Department of Tourism, Philippines. (May 31, 2011). List of Accredited Hotels by Region. 
• Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) Hotels List.
• Manila Hotels

Jollibee – Philippine fastfood restaurant chain

Jollibee is the leading hamburger restaurant chain in the Philippines. It is operated by Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) which is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE).  Jollibee was founded by Tony Tan Caktiong in 1975 originally as a two-branch ice cream parlor with its main outlet in Cubao, Quezon City.  In 1978, with seven branches, it incorporated to pursue a quick service hamburger restaurant concept.

At the beginning of 2011 there were 717 Jollibee restaurants in the Philippines. There were also over 50 Jollibee restaurants overseas including locations in the United States, Brunei, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.  Jollibee Foods Corporation also runs Chowking which has 400 outlets in the Philippines, Mang Inasal which has 345, Greenwich which has 223, Red Ribbon 221, and Manong Pepe Karinderia 12.  In late 2011 it also bought a controlling interest in the company operating the 23 outlet Philippine franchise of Burger King.  Another investment in early 2012 saw it acquire a stake in the SuperFoods Group, a company operating Highlands Coffee, Pho 24 and Hard Rock Cafe-franchised stores in Macau, Hong Kong and Vietnam.  Yonghe King in China and Chow Fun Holdings in the United States are other operations in which Jollibee Foods Corporation has an interest.  It previously also had holdings in the local franchise of Délifrance which it has since sold.  In late 2011 it disposed of its stake in the coffee house Caffe Ti-Amo.

Menu

Jollibee in the Philippines serves regular hamburger fastfood restaurant fare like burgers and sandwiches, fries and softdrinks as well as noodles, rice meals, and other add-ons.  The Jollibee Philippines premium burger is the Champ while its regular burger is called the Yum! or Yumburger. 

Hotdogs are also on the menu.  Filipino spaghetti and pancit palabok (called fiesta noodles internationally) are its noodle offerings.  Chickenjoy, Jollibee's breaded deep-fried chicken, is often served with rice although it can be ordered with noodles or as a bucket order without accompaniment.  Barbecued chicken or crispy fried bangus (milkfish) are alternatives among its other rice meals.  Its breakfast menu offers a choice of hotdog, longganisa, tapa, bangus, or corned beef hash served with eggs and sinangag (garlic fried rice) and also pancakes and sausage and egg pandesal.

Those who like the cured meats on Jollibee's breakfast menu may wish to know that Jollibee uses CDO products.

Drive-Thru and Delivery

Drive-thru takeout is available at many Jollibee restaurants.  Their phone number for delivery in the Philippines is 8-7000 or 878-7000.  Orders for delivery can also be placed online at http://www.jollibeedelivery.com from 8:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M.

Kids Parties

Positioning itself as a family and child friendly restaurant, Jollibee offers packages for children's parties with employees serving as emcees for children's games and activities.

Jollitown

A children's television program in the Philippines was developed called Jollitown featuring Jollibee characters and ran on ABS-CBN for four seasons.  Jollibee's mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in the Philippines.

Jollibee Foundation

Established in 2004, the Jollibee Foundation is Jollibee Foods' corporate social responsibility arm.  Annually 1% of the Jollibee group's net profits are set aside to fund the foundation's outreach projects in the areas of education, environment, housing, community and leadership development, and disaster assistance.

Franchising

A prospective Jollibee franchisee would be expected to put up an initial investment in the range of 15 to 30 million pesos.  Jollibee's head office is located in Pasig, Metro Manila.  Its main corporate trunk line is +63 2 634 1111.

Notes

It is said that Jollibee holds the distinction of being the only hamburger chain that has been able to maintain a larger market share than McDonald's in a market in which McDonald's competes.  A local McDonald's employee in the past tried to trivialize this competition saying that they considered Yum Brands as their main local rival but with Jollibee's expansion into other fast food segments such a statement, as amusing as it was then, would be even more amusing now.  Still McDonald's is probably Jollibee's only serious rival in the Philippine quick service hamburger space with the local Burger King franchise being bought by Jollibee recently.  Not that Burger King, even when independent, would change the evaluation since Burger King is not that large domestically and concentrated mainly in Metro Manila.  Other players have even less presence.

Other competitors might include Army Navy Burger + Burrito, Brothers Burger, and Stackers Burger Café—but they offer premium burgers.  Many local hamburger restaurant rivals that competed with Jollibee on value in the early days like Cindy's and Tropical Hut have disappeared or slowly receded into the background, although there are still some hamburger stand chains like Minute Burger around catering to a lower market segment.

More information:

• Camus, Miguel R. (September 8, 2010). Jollibee terminates Delifrance franchise. Business Mirror.
• Dumlao, Doris C. (January 24, 2012). Jollibee buys into Asian food group. The Philippine Daily Inquirer.
• Hookway, James. (June 6, 2008). Philippines's Jollibee Goes Abroad. The Wall Street Journal.
• Jollibee Buys Burger King Franchisee. (October 1, 2011). The Manila Bulletin.
• Jollibee swallows Mang Inasal. (October 21, 2010). Malaya.

Fried chicken and spaghetti in the Philippines

Fried chicken and spaghetti?  It's surprisingly familiar.  Fried chicken is relatively simple to prepare and spaghetti with its noodles is symbolic of longevity which is something in the minds of Filipinos preparing food for occasions such as birthdays.  Family get-togethers commonly have both.  I was tempted to suggest that it's a reflection of the American cultural influence, but that may only be true in part.  The presence of chickens dates back into pre-history.  Pinikpikan is a traditional Igorot dish.  Max's Restaurant has been serving its simple signature unbreaded fried chicken since 1945 (which makes it older than American fastfood giants like KFC or McDonald's).  Of course Jollibee, the Filipino hamburger fastfood chain found almost everywhere in the country, serves both, compelling the local McDonald's to follow suit.  Jollibee though serves Filipino spaghetti which is distinctively topped with sausages or hotdog slices.

Popular food

So what is the most popular food in the Philippines?  Would it be adobo, the tantalizing dish of chicken and/or pork marinated in oil and vinegar spiced with black peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaf?  Or maybe sinigang, the hearty savory sour stew that warms one right up better than any chicken noodle soup I've ever had?  Both have their supporters claiming one or the other best represents the cuisine of the Philippines and deserves to be considered the national dish.  But if you ask Filipino kids what their favorite dish is, fried chicken comes up on top with spaghetti not far behind....

List of Restaurant Chains and Food Outlets in Metro Manila

• Adobo Connection
• Almon Marina
• Amber
• Andok's
• Aristocrat
• Army Navy Burger + Burrito
• Bacolod Chicken Inasal
• Baliwag Lechon Manok
• Banapple
• Barcino 
• Barrio Fiesta
• Bizu Patisserie
• Blackbeard's Seafood Island
• Bodhi
• Brooklyn's
• Brothers Burger
• Burgoo
• Cabalen
• Cafe Adriatico
• Cafe Mediterranean
• Causeway
• Chic-Boy
• Chowking
• Cibo
• Congo Grille
• Conti's 
• Cravings
• Crisostomo
• Dad's - Kamayan - Saisaki
• Dencio's
• Don Henrico's
• Dulcinea 
• Eng Bee Tin
• Figaro Coffee Company
• Flavours of China
• The French Baker
• Good Ah!!!
• Gerry's Grill
• Giligan's
• Gloria Maris
• Goldilocks Bakeshop
• Go Nuts Donuts
• Goto King
• Greenwich Pizza
• Hap Chan Tea House
• Healthy Shabu-Shabu
• Hotshots
• Ilonggo Grill
• Ineng's
• Italianni's
• Jack's Loft 
• Jollibee
• Kamay-Kainan
• Kanin Club 
• Kangaroo Jack
• Kanzhū
• Karate Kid 
• Kimchi
• King Bee
• Kitaro Sushi
• KKK (Kainan sa Kalye Kanluran) Food Revolution
• Kopi Roti 
• Krazy Garlic
• Kusê
• Ang Lechon Manok ni Sr. Pedro
• Le Coeur de France
• Le Ching Tea House
• Ling Nam
• Luk Foo
• Luk Yuen 
• Lydia's Lechon
• Manang's 
• Mang Inasal
• Mann Hann
• Marina Oyster Seafood Grill
• Mary Grace Cafe
• Max's Restaurant
• Mesa
• Mey Lin
• Mongkok
• Mongolian Quick-Stop 
• My Thai Kitchen
• North Park
• Omakase
• Padi's Point
• Pancake House
• Pansit Malabon Express
• Persia Grill
• Pier One Bar and Grill
• Racks
• Rai Rai Ken
• Recipes
• Red Crab
• Red Kimono
• Red Ribbon
• Reyes Barbecue
• The Sandwich Guy
• Savory Chicken - Classic Savory - Original Savory
• Shi Lin 
• Size Matters
• Sizzlin' Pepper Steak
• Sugarhouse
• SumoSam
• Super Bowl of China
• Tapa King
• Tempura 
• Teriyaki Boy
• Thousand Cranes Shabu-Shabu
• Tia Maria's
• Tokyo Cafe
• Tokyo Tokyo
• Tropical Hut
• Uncle Cheffy 
• Via Mare
• Wan Chai Tea House
• World Chicken
• Yabu
• Yellow Cab Pizza

Related:

• All-You-Can-Eat Buffets in Metro Manila 
• List of Food Kiosks in Metro Manila
• More Restaurants

Philippine food in context

Filipino cuisine is the food and cookery of the Philippines a land of close to 100 million people located in Southeast Asia, a region of multifaceted cooking.  Although geographically Asian and ethnically mainly Malayo-Polynesian, due to its history it has unmistakably been influenced by Spain and the United States.  

Filipino Flavors
The Filipino palate prefers food with a distinct flavor (lasa)—blandness (subtlety if you prefer) is generally not popular—but the cuisine is less spicy and lacks some of the complexity in the use of spices and herbs found in that of its neighbors.  Salty and sour flavors are generally more dominant for the main course but sweetness is well-represented in Spanish influenced tomato sauce-based recipes, breads, pastries, and desserts.

Filipino Cooking Ingredients
The Philippines' tropical climate provides the country a bountiful array of local ingredients.  The simplicity of some dishes rely simply on the freshness of ingredients.   Some of the ingredients that contribute to the distinctiveness of Philippine cuisine include kalamansi, saba, patis, and bagoong.  In years past replicating authentic Filipino dishes has been complicated by the unavailability of certain ingredients overseas but that has changed.  Many Filipino dishes described as soups tend to be very hearty with large chunks of meat and vegetables and may actually be closer to stews.  Like most of Asia rice is the staple grain and an important food all on its own.  As an archipelago, seafood is abundant and has usually been the main source of protein in the Filipino diet.  Traditionally meat had been less commonly available and prepared for special occasions.  Pork is popular in non-Muslim areas.  One food critic lists Philippine cuisine tops in his hierarchy of pork.  Pork fat is found in many dishes and has led to the criticism that many end up too rich and fattening, but it also contributes to the homey feel of the cuisine that has led it to be described as the soul food of Southeast Asia.

• List of Philippine Dishes
• List of Philippine Restaurants
• List of Philippine Condiments