All photos credit to Google Images. When I think of Christmas, I think of reunions and parties. And in this season of celebration, what intrigues me the most is the the way each family prepares their holiday feasts. As this season of gift-giving and cheer comes to a close, I would just like to pay homage to the Top 10 food items bought and that will always be table staples in any Filipino home. Disclaimer: These are my own personal opinions. None of the brands or establishments are sponsoring me for this post. I simply want to recommend this spread of food items that have grown close to my heart. 1.) Best Pancit Malabon - Lola Idang’s There are a number of panciterias in the country but the well-loved Lola Idang’s brand beats them all with its best asset - the generous toppings. Shrimps, squid, chicharron, tinapa flakes, and the usual vegetables come in great servings. Another added bonus is the brand’s flavourful sauce which brings a saltiness to the pancit that balances everything out. 2.) Best Pancit Bihon - Aling Banang’s saying the word “lechon” is enough to make everyone’s mouth drool. What is Aling Banang’s edge? lechon-topped bihon noodles. Like perfection on a plate, a serving of bihon from this steadily multiplying establishment chain is never dry and jam-packed with flavour. 3.) Best Spaghetti - Unimart. Only in the Philippines will you find hotdogs on spaghetti meatsauce. I don’t usually like this combination but there is something about the sauce that just reminds you of home. Every mouthful is a throwback to visits to lola’s house and good times with nanay at the table. 4.) Best BBQ - Maya’s Delicious BBQ Issues with tenderness aside, what makes Maya’s Delicious BBQ a true winner is its caramel flavour. 5.) Best Lechon Manok - Baliwag. Delight your eyes to the sight of the cooked chicken’s juices running down its side or treat your senses to the fragrant smell of a freshly-cooked meal. Baliwag’s Lechon Manok gets its aromatics from the “tanglad” cooked within the chicken itself. And just when you thought that it couldn’t get any better, the sauce - which is made from scratch - is not your typical fast-food quality condiment. This is a winner in my book. 6.) Best Siomai - Sweet Tomato Grill in St. Luke’s Q.C. Countless trips to Chinese restaurants and a few visits to Binondo have come and gone. Can you imagine, in the most unlikely and humblest of places, I have found my go-to comfort food in St. Lukes Quezon City. Sweet Tomato Grill cooks their golf ball-sized siomai (which is made with real meat chunks and shiitake mushrooms) in such a clean and refreshing way that all you’re going to need next before you chow down is a plate of calamansi and some soy sauce. 7.) Best Bibingka - Sweet Tomato Grill in St. Luke’s Q.C. Again, who would’ve thought that my favourite bibingka would be found in the hospital I used to frequently visit? With or without a check-up, I would gladly make my way to Sweet Tomato Grill just for a chance to have a bite of their cake-like bibingka. They cook it in such a way that the outcome is a bibingka of moist and fluffy goodness. 8.) Best Puto - Connecticut Market (One being sold by bilao) Nameless and seemingly ordinary, the stall that sells this puto in Connecticut Market gets their batches straight from my hometown in Lipa. If you want to know which stall I am talking about, just look for the one with the longest line for the puto sold in bilaos. What makes this seller’s treat so delicious is the fact that it is chewy and truly made from real rice. 9.) Best Puto Bumbong - Via Mare Landmark Makati Via Mare’s version of puto bumbong is surprisingly good because of the wonderful marriage between texture (chewiness) and the right toppings (muscovado and butter). 10.) Best Leche Flan - Conti’s I’m not a fan of leche flan but this is the only leche flan that I like because it is light and creamy. It does not have that “egg-y” taste. Leche flan reminds me of Creme Brûlée.
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AuthorIm Chef Peach and it's obvious that I love food. In fact, I love food so much that I decided to make it my profession. You know what's ironic, I was a Finance graduate! Archives
January 2021
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