What do you miss most on the food/drink front when you are away from the Philippines or haven’t been back for a while?

I miss the simple things that I grew up enjoying, like really ripe, succulent tropical fruits (I especially love avocado, papaya, and watermelon), fresh seafood, and affordable karinderia meals that truly carry the flavours of Pinoy home kitchens.

I love oysters—they are remarkable, powerful vessels of natural flavours! When one pays attention to the oysters’ actual tastes and textures, one can actually explore the different flavours, salinity, and minerality of varied bodies of water (especially if you eat oysters raw). Imagine when one can identify the tastes of the Philippine waters in the seafood they are eating. People might have stopped paying attention to and savouring these things. However, among immigrants like myself who left the lands that nurtured our palate, there is a constant longing for flavours once taken for granted.

What is the first dish you want to eat when you return, and where do you go for it?

Sipa (crispy, deep-fried dumpling) and stuffed squid at Wok Inn in Malate (across Malate Church). My husband and I have been loyal customers of Wok In since we were university students. It is a hole-in-the-wall outlet with no printed menu. Ingredients are laid right in front of you and customers will just point at the seafood, the meat, the noodles, etc. Just trust the process. The cooks will know exactly what to do with them.

Pares, Binondo camto, fresh buko and/or watermelon juice are also on the list of my first-week treats. Even in the wee hours (jet-lagged) within the first week of arriving in the Philippines, I can be found sipping hot camto soup with pares meals at 24-hour eateries around Manila. Often, on my first weekend in the Philippines, I get out of the city to visit churches in Bulacan, Batangas, and Laguna. On those trips, I satisfy my cravings for a very particular Malolos goto, Batangas bulalo, Lipa lomi and Laguna’s Ben’s halo-halo.

See also: The Culinary Capitals of the Philippines: Chef Tatung Sarthou’s Guide to Cebu

Do you have a favourite restaurant in the Philippines? For fine dining and for more casual experiences?

Fine dining is at the core of my professional work, so if I am vacationing and want to remain out of work mode, I prefer casual places. I find it more pleasurable to just satisfy my nostalgia and get to eateries that trigger particular memories of meals shared with family and friends. I am still a fan of Via Mare, Abe, Dad’s, Aristocrat, and Wok Inn (of Malate). During my last visit to the Philippines, I discovered the joys of eating classic Filipino cuisine with a twist at Manam.

If you have visitors/guests with you, where do you go to give them a real taste of the Philippines?

Honestly, right in my home. I am always captivated by how our beautifully complex Philippine cuisine holds up with integrity even when paired with the world’s finest wines, so I am inclined to cook Philippine heritage dishes if I am trying to please my guests. I am a proud ambassador of Philippine cuisine and a passionate storyteller of our regional food, so I always set a proud and serious tone when introducing Philippine cuisine, especially if guests are quite knowledgeable about food and beverages and are passionate to learn about our culture. 

See also: The Food Evangelists: Meet The People Promoting Filipino Cuisine Across The Globe

Where do you like to meet up with old friends for food/drinks in the Philippines?

I love to take my friends out of their comfort zones when it comes to food—I was a foodie before there was even a word for it. For instance, I would call friends randomly to take them to Bulacan so they can experience all sorts of kakanin and eat what I call the “real deal goto.” They are left to simmer in huge pots for many days, taking all the fatty flavours from the beef intestines, tripes, and bone marrows so it turns slightly grey. Imagine how flavourful that is! I once dragged friends to Taal, Batangas for an experience of tapang Taal—a protected recipe from a small group of Taal families that (unlike Pampanga’s tocino and tapa recipes) has not really been popular in the mainstream.

Do you have a favourite café in the Philippines?

In Quezon City, I love to visit SGD Coffee to feed my nostalgia (I love the Teacher’s Village community because I attended UP Diliman). At the café, one would hear students and professors from the campus nearby, chatting and brainstorming on academic projects. Sipping coffee there while working on my laptop reminds me of my younger days as a UP Iskolar ng Bayan. I also love to support a café that promotes our regional products. SGD has paved the way for our Sagada coffee to be recognized internationally. I also love that I can work right in front of their coffee tasting room and eat champorado made with heirloom rice., 

See also: Tatler's Guide to The Best Local Coffee To Order In Metro Manila

Any other must-visit food/drink spots when you are back?

The Kapitolyo food scene in Pasig fascinates me! There are many hole-in-the-wall eateries there that can give you the most exciting experiences for any type of cuisine. My favourite is Ricksha Streetside Tandoor, operated by a husband-and-wife tandem who like me, are food and wine specialists. Cyril and Pierre Addison’s little Indian restaurant is one of Kapitolyo’s best-kept secrets! Think of Ricksha if you are tired of your usual Pinoy meals and want something out of the ordinary. The restaurant is inexpensive but offers some of the most authentic, exciting, and well-prepared Indian foods one would find in Metro Manila.

I am also drawn to the south, particularly around the highlands of Tagaytay. The food and beverage scene there continues to grow exponentially with many new al fresco eateries, quaint cafés, and eco-tourist spots that will give you the best value for your money.  When I want to avoid the congestion in the very touristy Tagaytay, I often go to Mataas na Kahoy in Batangas where I can still enjoy the view of Taal lake while enjoying food and drinks at more laidback cafes like Tomato and Basil.

See also: Where to Eat Indian Food in Metro Manila

Do you take any food or treats back home with you from the Philippines?

The week prior to my departure for North America is always meticulously planned so I can pick up a list of treats that includes the following: sapin-sapin from Dolor’s (in Malabon), Norma’s original pancit Malabon (to enjoy before I go to the airport), muscovado sugar, pastillas made with real carabao’s milk from Malolos, bottled taba ng talangka, homemade squid adobo (which is cooked and canned by Mommy Procing, the matriarch of my husband’s family in Navotas). Because my husband’s side of the family is rooted in Navotas, I typically source my herring (to dry) and talaba (oyster) a few days before my flight and make my own bottles of gourmet tuyo and gourmet talaba.

Where do you go to find authentic flavours of home where you live?

The Filipino community of Toronto is considered one of the biggest communities of Filipinos outside the Philippines. I am fortunate to run a business in Toronto’s “Little Manila” where many of these local Filipino restaurants and grocery stores operate. If I crave authentic Kapampangan cuisine, I go to Kabalen restaurant. There is Casa Manila for exquisite Philippine heritage dishes and Kanto by Tita Flips or Islas Restaurant & BBQ for kamayan or boodle kits. In addition, we now have several branches of Seafood City in Canada and in the US, which makes shopping for Philippine products a lot easier and more exciting. I must say that we are eating Filipino foods more now compared to 20 years ago!

As the Founder of Pinoylicious Filipino Food Movement and the Filipino Food and Restaurant Association of Canada, I lead a  vibrant community of local Filipino chefs and restaurant owners in Canada who are ever-so passionate, proud and hard at work in terms of promoting Philippine cuisine to the mainstream.  Indeed, they are the front liners in terms of this important work we do in promoting our food culture to non-Filipinos. They have become my friends so I am always well-supplied with Filipino foods and treats sourced from varied parts of the Philippine archipelago.

NOW READ

Chef Tatung Launches a 10-Course Tasting Menu in His Antipolo Home—But it Won’t be Around for Long

Foodie Finds with Restaurateur Elbert Cuenca

My Wine Epiphany: Wine Expert Jojo Madrid on the One Bottle He’ll Never Forget