When in Manila, what do Pinoys love to do during the rainy days? Think wholesome, you naughty you 
. I say Pinoys love to have drinking sessions with their friends! Nothing beats a case of ice-cold beer matched with delicious pulutan and your ever reliable drinking buddies, of course! And when I say pulutan, I’ll be counting down the ten highly-popular beer matches in town! Read on and I won’t be surprised to see you heading over to your frequented “happy hour” joint later lol.
(Photo credit: Lester Arcega)
1. Crispy Pata
This dish uses pork leg pressure-cooked until it becomes tender. Then the leg is rubbed with spices and deep-fried to perfection. Serve a piece of crispy pata (pork leg) and see it wiped out (or rather skinned) in just a few minutes lol. Serve with spiced soy sauce and pickled papaya (atchara) on the side.
Recommendations: Serye, Barrio Fiesta, Krocodille Grille (Devilled Crispy Pata)
(Photo credit: Lester Arcega)
2. Sisig
There are many variations of this highly-popular dish like pork, chicken, tuna, and squid. Best served on a hot, sizzling plate. Either have it plain, mixed with mayo, or topped with egg.
Reco: Aling Lucing, Trellis, JJ’s Inasal (it’s so crunchy I got hooked on the first bite!), Sisig at Angeles City, Pampanga
3. Tokwa’t Baboy
This dish is made out of diced, fried tofu and tender pork ears. Fork a piece of the tofu and pork, dip ’em into the soy sauce-vinegar mix, and there you have it. Party on the mouth!
(Photo credit: Panlasangpinoy.com)
4. Sauteed Corned Beef
When I was a kid, I remember my father holding a can of corned beef. Then he would instruct me to sautee it for pulutan everytime he and his friends would have a drinking session in the garage. Fond memories. (Sometimes I get a portion of it for dinner lol)
Recommendations: Argentina, Purefoods (canned) You don’t need to go to a restaurant for good corned beef in my opinion, unless you prove me wrong 
5. Kilawin/Kinilaw
This no-cook dish employs curing meat in vinegar, which turns it into opaque and gives it a "cooked" texture. Aside from vinegar, the meat is spiced with good ol’ salt and pepper, tomatoes, chili and other spices. Fish is commonly used in this dish, but recent versions include pork.
6. Chicharon (Pork Cracklings)
Who wouldn’t give in to this salted and dried pork rind deep-fried to perfection and served with spiced vinegar on the side? (aside from vegans of course lololol just kidding!)
Recommendations:R. Lapid’s Chicharon (Ugh! Just the thought of it makes my mouth water), Bulacan chicharon
7. Fishballs
Fishballs, squidballs, kikiam ,chicharon, hotdog (and all that belongs to their family, genus and species) would always be a hit for Pinoys. Serve with thick, sweet sauce and vinegar (optional) on the side.
Recommendations: Nothing beats your friendly neighborhood mama who sells fishballs through a pushcart.
8. Mani (Roasted Island Peanuts) lol
Greaseless, boiled or fried, mani will always be a good alternative to expensive pulutan. Sautee with garlic and serve hot, or buy it in small packs from the sari-sari store if you’re too lazy to cook lol.
Recommendations: Happy peanuts, Sugo
(Photo credit: Abbiexcites’s Flickr)
9. Kropek (Prawn Cracklings)
Just like chicharon, kropek is another crunchy treat digged by Pinoys. Two options: you can buy kropek from the grocery store and fry ‘em. Or you can just buy them from the balut vendor lol. Serve with spiced vinegar.
(Photo credit: pulutanatbp.blogspot.com)
10. Papaitan
Derived from the word "pait" (bitter), this famous Ilocano soup dish made out of cow or goat innards is a great complement to the cold, rainy days. I observed that men like this dish more than the women. Was it because this dish heightens their macho appeal? lol (BTW the bitter taste of the soup comes from bile juice. Ooooh…)
With this, I would like to end the article with the perfect drinking session song:
Copyright by Universal Records Phils.
