Food
In the list of the world’s greatest cuisines the Philippines would surely rank … somewhere towards the bottom. Lots of oil and fat and salty seasoning can make for some unappetising fry-ups. One of the most popular dishes (which can be very hit and miss) is adobo (chicken or pork marinated in garlic and vinegar).
That said, it’s certainly not impossible to find decent food — especially if you go for locally-caught fish.
If you really want to eat fast food, avoid McDonald’s and KFC and go for the better and cheaper local version: Jolibee
Popular local dishes:
Lechon: Whole spit roasted pig served with liver sauce
Bulalo: A beef broth containing bone marrow
Fish tinola: A broth made with onions, tomatoes and tamarind
Kamaro: Crickets!
Longaniza: Pork sausage often eaten at breakfast with rice and fried egg
Pulutan: like tapas, consumed in bars to accompany a drink
Drink
San Miguel is the local beer. It’s cheap and it’s good with varying types Light, Dry, Strong Ice and their flagship variant Pale Pilsen, foreign beers such as Budweiser, Corona & Heineken can be found in some city bars. There’s plenty of Filipino spirits around, though they’re best avoided.
Water
It’s simple – don’t drink it.
