When In Manila doing the Sooo Pinoy food tour. We started the tour in Quezon City, Diliman at Adarna Food and Culture. The place was amazing, decorated with different Filipino cultural paraphernalia thus giving it an antique feel about it, it is as if you have stepped inside an old Spanish house. Inside light gleamed through colorful tinted glass providing ample light even though we are staying. Sitting down on the tables felt like it did when I was at my grandmother’s house, so cozy and warm.
Chef Giney Villar was up front giving a small introduction of Filipino culture and what Filipino cuisine has to do with it. She even had a fruit called Katmon which is used as a souring agent much like the Sampaloc in our Sinigang. In her presentation she emphasized that learning about our food and exploring its origins, doing so will help us appreciate and preserve our Filipino culture.
After the presentation, it was time to eat and we were served with some of the most mouthwatering Filipino dishes.
The Seafood Special, although I am not sure of its origins was definitely Sooo Pinoy. The main ingredients were scallops, calamari, shrimp and fish fillet. As you know the Philippines is surrounded by sea water therefore we have an ample supply of fresh seafood here. The dish was complemented with some beans, probably chick-peas (garbanzos) and peas.
We can’t have a Filipino meal without adobo right? Adobo is one of the more popular Filipino dishes, I mean we even had a movie titled with it and now we were treated to a different adobo this time around. The Adobong Batangas was something new for me since I usually have the chinese styled one. It was very tasty and I will definitely eat it again next time.
All aboard the Bicol Express. I am no fan of spicy food but since I’m in a food trip, I must resist the urge to be “KJ”. Much to my surprise it was very delicious, it was not very spicy and it was very umami. Adarna’s Bicol express was different, instead of your usual chopped meat and long green pepper in coconut milk (gata), meat was inside the hollow long green peppers body. It was very amusing to see people’s faces when they were served with a bunch of peppers deep fried with batter.
Well, what is a Filipino meal without dessert? If you are expecting something cold then check out the continuation of my Sooo Pinoy food tour. This time our dessert was different, it was actually the first time I saw it and tasted it. It was Quesong Puti and Langka Fry. Sounds weird but the taste was superb, the quesong puti melted in my mouth while the syrup lingered on my tongue. Sadly I could not describe it better, I suggest you try it yourself to understand what I am saying.
The trip to Adarna Food and Culture was an educational as well as a tasty one. We all want to try food from other places and yet we haven’t tried out all of the cuisines that our country has got to offer. Tasting food from different regions of the Philippines is very much like tasting food from different countries, since our country have different weather conditions, crops, culture and lifestyle. Food here in the Philippines is diverse and colorful, much like the people who eat them.
So next time When In Manila check out Adarna Food and Culture for a taste of exquisite Filipino cuisine.
Adarna Food and Culture:
Address: 119 Kalayaan Avenue, Diliman Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Contact Details: (63 2) 926-8712, (63 917) 961-8113
