Other than seeing my family, what also excited me about our recent trip to my hometown, GenSan, was to indulge in all things Filipino food. Any Filipino can attest how badly we miss our native food when you we’re in a foreign land. There are some Filipino foods that I can prepare here in the U.S. with the ingredients that I can find at an Asian or Oriental Store, but they are limited. So on our vacation, I made sure to eat all the Filipino food that I missed and haven’t had for more than six years.

So brace yourself because you are in for a barrage of Filipino food photos. And guess what? These were not even all the food that we indulged ourselves in because I didn’t take photos of them all. Blame it on my excitement and in some cases, hunger. 😀

DESSERTS/SNACKS

Let’s start with the goodies for the sweet tooth (like me!).

Halo-Halo (literally translates to “mixed together”)

Wikipedia: A popular Filipino dessert with mixtures of shaved ice and evaporated milk to which are added various ingredients, including boiled sweet beans, coconut, sago, gulaman (agar jelly), tubers and fruits. It is served in a tall glass or bowl.

Taho

Wikipedia: A Philippine snack food made of fresh soft/silken tofu, arnibal (sweetener and flavoring), and sago pearl (similar to tapioca pearls).

Buko Halo and Siakoy

Buko Halo is Halo Halo that is placed in a buko (coconut) instead of a tall glass. Siakoy is like the Filipino version of a doughnut. These are supposed to be snacks or desserts, but I had them for breakfast one day. They were a treat from my Aunt and she delivered them right to our doorstep.

Bibingka

Wikipedia: A type of rice cake usually eaten during the Christmas season. It is traditionally cooked in clay pots lined with banana leaves.

Durian

This is one of my favorite fruits ever!

Turon

One of the popular street foods that we have.

Camote Cue

And here’s another popular street food in the Philippines. This is usually being sold with the Turon.

Leche Flan

I can prepare this one here at home because all the ingredients for this dessert are available here in the U.S. and I actually already prepared this a few times before. This still remains one of my all-time favorite Filipino desserts.

VIANDS

Sweet and Sour Fish

I think that’s a Lapu-Lapu fish right there!

Pinakbet

Wikipedia: Pinakbet is made from mixed vegetables steamed in fish or shrimp sauce.

Pork Afritada

I can also prepare this dish here at home. You can find the recipe here.

Lechon Kawali

This dish is one of Hubby’s fave Filipino dishes. I’m not sure how many times he had this back home. It is a crispy pork belly deep-fried in a pan.

Adobong Kangkong

Learn more about this dish here.

Beef Tapa

Tapa is made of dried or cured beef paired and it’s paired with sunny side up egg and fried rice. This combo is one of the popular Filipino breakfasts.

There you have it! Do you consider yourself adventurous when it comes to trying out new food or different cuisines? Which one of these will your try first?

MORE FROM OUR VACATION:

A Well-Deserved Month-Long Vacation

We’re Back from Vacation…FINALLY!

Traveling to GenSan, Philippines

In GenSan, Your Money Will Go Far!

Beach Vibes