Street vendors have started selling Philippine flags once again which could only mean one of two things: Either the symbol of our nation can also double as a handy pranela or Independence Day is coming up. Whether or not you paid attention during Araling Panlipunan class, June 12 combines two important milestones in Philippine history – the start of the hot-blooded rebellion against Spain, and later on, graduation from American colony to nation of jeepney-honking, balut-eating patriots. There's no denying our heritage is rich and vibrant, and you don’t even have to go textbook thumping to find out why. Just ask esteemed national historian Professor Yoyoy Villame:
So in honor of Independence Day 2011, Forkplay celebrates our liberation from the drudgery of bland food with 12 of our favorite Filipino dishes (in 2 parts) as redone by some of Manila's top chefs and restaurateurs. Whether it's Claude Tayag's scrumptious pan de bagnet or the deconstructed adobo of KYSS, we've been lucky enough to sample some of these bites, and lived to tell the tale. So we hope you celebrate this Sunday as 'InDinePendence Day', which we admit is blatantly corny, but still, it's a great opportunity to check out how Filipino cuisine has evolved in a globalized world. Let's get started!
Forkplay's Top 12 Favorite Modern Filipino Dishes (in no particular order)
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| Bacon chicharon. Good things St. Luke's ER is only a few blocks away. |
12. BUFFALO BACON CHICHARON
Where: 2nd's, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Claim to fame: 2nd's plush interiors might look like the snazzy set of Mad Men or Boardwalk Empire, but this is undeniably comfort food at its most posh. Their irresistible bacon chicharon, whether served in a pile or with the Brutus (Caesar) salad, is a broad, crisp strip of fried pork that comes with a muscovado mustard and spiced vinegar dip.
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| Always order at least two of Chef's Bruce's buko pie martini. |
11. BUKO PIE MARTINI
Where: Chef's Table, Infinity Tower, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Claim to fame: Chef Bruce Lim just might be the Indiana Jones of local cooking. He's traveled around the country, picking up peculiar lambanog flavors from Quezon or kilawin from Tabon-Tabon, and possibly eating cooked bat on at least one occasion. Chef Table's buko pie martini is a hot, sweet, and creamy concoction that's made on the open counter of Bruce's kitchen. One is never enough.
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| Claude Tayag's pan de bagnet. One of the few reasons to wrench yourself from bed on a lazy Saturday morning and drive all the way to the Fort. |
10. PAN DE BAGNET
Where: Mercato Centrale, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig / Bale Dutung, Angeles City, Pampanga
Claim to fame: There's an ongoing debate among the Forkplay bloggers whether it's better heading to Mercato Centrale on mornings or evenings. If there's one reason to opt for morning's though it's Chef Claude Tayag's pan de bagnet - a Kapampangan homage to porchetta that combines delicate slices of fried pork with lettuce, tomatoes, and bagoong, drizzled with a zesty Asian sauce, in a crusty ciabatta bun. It packs quite a punch for lunch or a mid-morning heavy snack.
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| This bold-flavored pizza is almost as racy as Rizal's 27th girlfriend. |
9. FILIPINO PIZZA
Where: Gourdo's, The Fort Strip, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Claim to fame: Longganisa bits, farmer's cheese, slices of green mango, and salted egg - these are the last things you'd expect to describe a pizza, and yet for all its unusual ingredients, Gourdo's patriotic pie paints a good picture of how Filipinos eat. Big on contrasts, each bite can be sweet, salty or sour, gooey or grainy. Some will find it amazingly versatile, others, quite schizophrenic. Bold and creative, this pizza is a must for the more adventurous diners.
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| Sisig and noodles. Fat and carbs. Heaven and hell. |
8. SISIG PASTA
Where: Hyphy's, The Veranda, Robinsons Galleria, EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City
Claim to fame: Hyphy is San Francisco slang for 'hyperactive', which describes much of the menu: a frenetic, gastronomical whirlwind tour through SanFo's many districts and cultures as put together by Chef Bruce Lim. Their sisig pasta will raise a few eyebrows: Pork maskara and a tangy cream thrown in with chilies, cheese, and calamansi. Every forkful is potent with flavors, but it can get cloying after a while so make sure to order other dishes as well.
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| Gratifying and guilt-free: Pino's kare-kare will make you think twice about vegan cuisine. |
7. VEGAN KARE-KARE
Where: PIPINO, 2nd Floor (above Pino restaurant), 39 Malingap Street, Teacher's Village, Quezon City
Claim to fame: Sure, PIPINO is a vegetarian/vegan restaurant, one of several that orbit around UP and the Loyola Heights area, but if you're expecting folk music, faux meat, and the scent of patchouli, think again. Chef Ed Bugia, Alessa Libongco, and their partners have come up with solid, satisfying vegan fare that anyone can appreciate. The homiest of the dishes has to be the house kare-kare, a heart-warming stew of vegetables served with brown rice and black bean-based bagoong. Perfect for rainy weather, and days you want to detox from the week's binge without cutting back on flavor.
Where to next? Check out bibingka soufflé and leche flan turon in part 2 of the list on June 12th.
