The Philippines is a country with countless sights and activities to offer for tourists. It's known for white sand beaches, the warm and friendly smiles of the people, and of course delightful dishes that are distinctly Filipino.
Most people greet guests with traditional “Hellos” and ”How do you do’s” but a Filipino will first ask if you have already eaten before even asking your name or introducing themselves. It is no wonder that Filipinos do love to eat and food surely plays a major part in our daily lives.
If you are planning to visit the Philippines anytime soon, don't miss awesome street foods that can make your stay more exciting and of course appetizing. Just a word of caution though, there are some Filipino street food concoctions which may seem odd for most foreigners. But, if you are fearless or just plainly curious; then take a look at this list of popular Filipino street foods to try out:
ADIDAS
image from TripZilla
No, it’s not the popular sports brand but it still has something to do with feet. Adidas is not for the faint of heart but it can be very delightful to your palate. That is, if you are up for a culinary adventure.
Adidas is grilled and skewered chicken feet which usually come in pairs; well, just like shoes.
The chicken feet is marinated in a special sauce (usually just a mix of vinegar, soy sauce, salt, sugar, pepper, calamansi juice and more), and then grilled to perfection. It is best paired with a dipping sauce which is normally vinegar, soy sauce and chili.
Most Filipinos love eating Adidas because it’s not only cheap but they are actually savory.
Adidas is grilled and skewered chicken feet which usually come in pairs; well, just like shoes.
The chicken feet is marinated in a special sauce (usually just a mix of vinegar, soy sauce, salt, sugar, pepper, calamansi juice and more), and then grilled to perfection. It is best paired with a dipping sauce which is normally vinegar, soy sauce and chili.
Most Filipinos love eating Adidas because it’s not only cheap but they are actually savory.
Price: 10-20 pesos per stick or starts at $0.20
BALLS
image from Flickr/Joyosity
Americans have their meatballs but the frugal trait of Filipinos has produced balls that are made from fish, squid, chicken or vegetables.
It is very common to see food stalls with balls of all kind in the Philippines. In fact, there are numerous variations of this type of food and you can also choose from a myriad of sauces for dipping.
The traditional fish balls are mostly made of cheap fish but the modern versions may contain just small amounts of meat but with a lot of flour for more texture and crunch. The balls are skewered, deep fried and are considered as one of the top snack choices because they are usually cheap but delicious.
It is very common to see food stalls with balls of all kind in the Philippines. In fact, there are numerous variations of this type of food and you can also choose from a myriad of sauces for dipping.
The traditional fish balls are mostly made of cheap fish but the modern versions may contain just small amounts of meat but with a lot of flour for more texture and crunch. The balls are skewered, deep fried and are considered as one of the top snack choices because they are usually cheap but delicious.
Price: 10 pesos per stick or about $0.20
BALUT or BALOT
By BrokenSphere via Wikimedia Commons
At night, the sound of someone shouting Baaalllooottt can usually be heard. Don’t worry, it’s not a mating call but some people say that balut or balot can be an effective aphrodisiac.
Balut is a famous Filipino delicacy and you can either hate it or love it. There is definitely no in between when it comes to balut. If you like eggs and you want to try out a more exciting type of egg; then balut will not disappoint you.
Balut is duck egg embryo that has partially developed. If you do not want a fully grown embryo, then you can try out the #16 balut or just ask the vendor to give you the right one. Most people eat balut in the evening where vendors can be seen selling this famous snack in the streets.
Not too many foreigners may find balut to their liking but if it helps, all you need to do is add ample amounts of spiced vinegar and salt. The trick in eating balut is to make sure that you do not see the duck embryo, especially, if you are squeamish. Just crack a hole at the top part of the egg shell and slurp the savory juices. Once all the juice has run out, crack the egg open a bit wider and brace yourself for the most important part. The duck embryo may look a bit daunting at first glance but if you want to impress your Instagram followers, then go ahead and take a close up picture of the balut. If you still think that balut is not your thing, then just ask for penoy which is basically hard boiled duck eggs minus the embryo.
Balut is a famous Filipino delicacy and you can either hate it or love it. There is definitely no in between when it comes to balut. If you like eggs and you want to try out a more exciting type of egg; then balut will not disappoint you.
Balut is duck egg embryo that has partially developed. If you do not want a fully grown embryo, then you can try out the #16 balut or just ask the vendor to give you the right one. Most people eat balut in the evening where vendors can be seen selling this famous snack in the streets.
Not too many foreigners may find balut to their liking but if it helps, all you need to do is add ample amounts of spiced vinegar and salt. The trick in eating balut is to make sure that you do not see the duck embryo, especially, if you are squeamish. Just crack a hole at the top part of the egg shell and slurp the savory juices. Once all the juice has run out, crack the egg open a bit wider and brace yourself for the most important part. The duck embryo may look a bit daunting at first glance but if you want to impress your Instagram followers, then go ahead and take a close up picture of the balut. If you still think that balut is not your thing, then just ask for penoy which is basically hard boiled duck eggs minus the embryo.
Price: 15-20 pesos or starts at $0.30
BANANA CUE or CAMOTE CUE
image by BrokenSphere via Wikimedia Commons
The Philippines is a tropical country so it’s not odd to find fruits like bananas, pineapples and mangoes sold in the streets. Banana cue is a staple snack for Filipinos. It’s cheap, hot and fast. Plus, it can be a good dessert since it is sweet. Banana cue is comprised of usually two bananas skewered and then deep fried in hot oil with brown sugar.
Turon is another version of this delectable banana snack. It is basically like banana spring roll. Turon is made up of slices of banana with a bonus strip of jackfruit wrapped in spring roll and then deep fried.
Camote cue is made up of a local root crop called kamote or sweet potato. Two or three slices of Camote are skewered and then deep fried with lots and lots of sugar.
Turon is another version of this delectable banana snack. It is basically like banana spring roll. Turon is made up of slices of banana with a bonus strip of jackfruit wrapped in spring roll and then deep fried.
Camote cue is made up of a local root crop called kamote or sweet potato. Two or three slices of Camote are skewered and then deep fried with lots and lots of sugar.
Price: 10 pesos per stick or about $0.20
HALO-HALO
image by BrokenSphere via Wikimedia Commons
Halo-halo is loosely translated as mix-mix since you have to literally mix the ingredients to create a symphony of flavors. The halo-halo by far can be considered as the most popular Filipino dessert and there are now several variations of this heavenly treat.
Traditionally, a bowl of halo-halo is composed of shaved ice, sweet milk, sugar and a combination of fruits such as mango, coconut and banana. Sweet jellies and canned fruits like kaong and nata de coco can also be added. A few other ingredients can also be included like rice crispies, sweet beans, leche flan or ube halaya (purple yam). If you want your halo-halo to be fancier, then you can also add a scoop or two of your preferred ice cream flavor.
Traditionally, a bowl of halo-halo is composed of shaved ice, sweet milk, sugar and a combination of fruits such as mango, coconut and banana. Sweet jellies and canned fruits like kaong and nata de coco can also be added. A few other ingredients can also be included like rice crispies, sweet beans, leche flan or ube halaya (purple yam). If you want your halo-halo to be fancier, then you can also add a scoop or two of your preferred ice cream flavor.
Price: 30-100 pesos or starts at $0.30
ISAW
By Allan Chatto via Wikimedia Commons
Barbecue stalls are so common in the Philippines that there is practically one at every corner. Isaw is chicken or pork intestine which is also skewered then grilled. The intestines are first thoroughly cleaned then marinated.
Isaw is usually served as afternoon snacks or even as your main dish for dinner. The chicken intestines are more popular because of its not too strong taste and soft texture. The smoky flavor of the isaw dipped in chili vinegar makes the dish truly iconic and definitely a must try!
Isaw is usually served as afternoon snacks or even as your main dish for dinner. The chicken intestines are more popular because of its not too strong taste and soft texture. The smoky flavor of the isaw dipped in chili vinegar makes the dish truly iconic and definitely a must try!
Price: 5-10 pesos per stick or starts at $0.10
KAKANIN
Caryl Joan Estrosas via Flickr
It is easy to distinguish a kakanin vendor since you can easily spot them peddling their bilao (native circular basket) full of native goodies. Kakanin means Filipino delicacies which can vary from one region to the other. The most popular ones are kalamay, kutsinta, puto, pichi-pichi, sapin-sapin and suman.
Puto is considered as the most popular among the bunch since it has a lot of variations. Some puto variations are made of rice while some are made from flour. Different regions in the country have their own versions of puto which makes eating it a whole new experience every single time.
If you like anything sweet and mostly with coconut, then you will really take delight in any type of kakanin. If you come across a kakanin vendor, simply ask for recommendations so you can get the best kind that will suit your taste.
Puto is considered as the most popular among the bunch since it has a lot of variations. Some puto variations are made of rice while some are made from flour. Different regions in the country have their own versions of puto which makes eating it a whole new experience every single time.
If you like anything sweet and mostly with coconut, then you will really take delight in any type of kakanin. If you come across a kakanin vendor, simply ask for recommendations so you can get the best kind that will suit your taste.
Price: Starts at 10 pesos per piece or $0.20
KWEK-KWEK
By Judgefloro via Wikimedia Commons
The name kwek-kwek may sound like a duck quacking but kwek-kwek may still be related to the duck, well, sort of. Kwek-kwek is like the Filipino version of corndog but instead of the traditional hotdog; quail egg is used. It’s not hard to miss kwek-kwek sold in streets because of its bright orange color. There is no exact reason why vendors choose the attractive orange colored batter for the kwek-kwek but it could be mainly for aesthetic reasons.
Kwek-kwek is best eaten hot and dipped in sauce or a combination of sauces. The sauces range from sweet to really spicy and some vendors will even add a few goodies such as raw onions or cucumbers. Kwek-kwek is usually sold in three’s but you can always get more.
Kwek-kwek is best eaten hot and dipped in sauce or a combination of sauces. The sauces range from sweet to really spicy and some vendors will even add a few goodies such as raw onions or cucumbers. Kwek-kwek is usually sold in three’s but you can always get more.
Price: Starts at 3 for 10 pesos or $0.20
TAHO
By Judgeflorovia Wikimedia Commons
Taho is the Philippine’s version of soft silken tofu. Taho is usually sold during morning, making it a quick and filling breakfast. Tofu is actually popular across Southeast Asia but the version in the Philippines has turned tofu as a breakfast/dessert. Taho is made with sugary syrup with bits of sago pearls for texture and added flair. Taho is considered as a sort of drink since it is placed in plastic cups with swirls of the sweet syrup. You can easily slurp the taho or use a straw or spoon to get all the yummy goodness.
The Philippines is a wonderful country with warm and hospitable people always ready to lend a hand and welcome tourists like they are their long lost relatives. If you are up for a gastronomic adventure, then head on to the Philippines and get to experience a trip like no other.
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