Bicol Express!

"Kakana kita!" A Bicolano dialect for "Let's Eat!". Eating at Bicol is quite an experience and if you want something spicy, this is the place to be. However, Bicolano cuisine is not always about the spice. Authentic Bicolano food, most of the time, uses gata or coconut milk. It's THE sauce for them.

I was given a privilege to visit this region recently and was able to taste their food from their different provinces. Mind you, their famous Bicol Express was cooked differently in every province. Like in Bagasbas, Camarines Norte, it was cooked with more sitaw (string beans). In Caramoan, Camarines Sur and Naga City, it was cooked like a bagoong or a paste type. Another way to cook it, like in Pili, it was cooked with more pork. The bottom line is, it's the best selling dish in Bicol and it's the spiciest of all the dishes here.

Anyway, when you go to CWSC (Camsur Water Sports Comples) or any place near Pili, I would recommend you to eat at Ibo's Carinderia. It's along the National Road. There, you will find authentic Bicolano cuisine such as tinunot (upper left, shark meat with vinegar and gata), bicol express (upper right), and laing (below, taro leaves with gata). The price is very reasonable...we were seven and we ordered 2 softdrinks, 9 dishes, 8 orders of rice and soup for only P640! Looking for a spicy Food Trip, visit Bicol and experience its amazing cuisine!

Abe

When it comes to Filipino fine dining, there are only a few of them. One of them is Abe. It is operated by LJC Group of Restaurants that also brings you Cafe Adriatico. They have an authentic Filipino Cuisine that would certainly appeal to any Filipino palate. We brought our Japanese friend to have a taste of our very own cuisine and he was impressed! I would recommend their Binukadkad na Pla-pla (deep fried fish), Crispy Pork Adobo, Pinakbet (mixed vegetables with shrimp paste or bagoong), Baby Shrimp in Olive Oil, Sugpo sa Gata (Tiger Prawn in coconut milk sauce) and of course, their Bamboo Rice (one of their best sellers).

Although the price is kinda high but it's worth eating there once in a blue moon. They have branches in SM Mall of Asia, Trinoma, and Serendra. Sometimes, it's ok to splurge on your next Food Trip, so if you're taking your date, Abe could be your next choice!

Tasty Dumplings

The BEST Porkchop Rice I ever tasted is from Tasty Dumplings! A thinly sliced porkchop that's mouth watering and incomparable! The best part is it is only P99 and it's like eating for two meals already. Tasty Dumplings originated in Binondo area then branched out to Retiro, Quezon City.

If you grew up in the vicinity of Binondo, Tondo and Sta. Cruz, Manila, I am sure that you also grew up craving for this amazing Porkchop Rice. They also serve different Chinese dishes but the Pork Chop rice is their best seller. Tasty Dumplings is always full especially during lunch and dinner time. So, if you want to go on a Food Trip, go there early to save some seats and you'll have an amazing meal!

Jay-Jay's Inasal

When you go to a chicken inasal restaurant, you'd always order the usual chicken inasal. However, at Jay-Jay's Inasal, there's more to the grilled chicken. Jay-Jay's Inasal is located at Home Depot, Pasig City and it also has branches in Macapagal Highway and Tomas Morato...however, I think there are other branches around the metro. My friend and I went there to eat their 2-Way Adobo and it's really good! It has that salty Visayan style of pork adobo with flakes and it is best paired with plain rice because of the sauce. The price is very reasonable and it's good for 2-3 people. So the next time you go on a Food Trip at Jay-Jay's Inasal, better consider their 2-Way Adobo and your meal will never be the same!