Celebrate the ingenuity of local cuisine as beloved restaurants offer spreads of the country’s finest delicacies this Filipino Food Month.
Every April, the Philippines celebrates Filipino Food Month. The annual celebration that aims to promote, preserve, and embrace the country’s rich culinary traditions. This year, the country’s National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA) has partnered with Newport World Resorts to bring local delicacies closer to the plates of Filipinos through their favorite, award-winning restaurants.
Here are just a few of the tasty dishes one can sink their teeth into this month, whether it be on a solo food trip or a meal spent in the company of loved ones:
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The Bounty of the Sea
Newport World Resorts kicked off Filipino Food Month on March 20, 2024 with Casa Buenas at Newport Garden Wing. Many know the restaurant for its innovative approach in the kitchen, best exemplified through its take on sinuglaw.
The regional dish hails from the Visayas and Mindanao islands. It’s usually made of grilled pork belly and fish ceviche, and captivates the taste buds with a delightful balance of savory and tangy flavors. The restaurant further enhances it with succulent grilled pork, tuna ceviche, and for an interesting spin, toyomansi gelee.
Meanwhile, The Red Crab Alimango Food House in Newport Mall shares the country’s love for seafood and spice with a fresh and flavorful Chili Kangkong Crab.
Mouth-Watering Meat Dishes
Filipinos understand their meat, as the country has a diverse and impressive roster of beef, pork, and chicken dishes that are sure to satisfy. Sheraton Manila Hotel brings the culinary heritage of Cebu to the metro with its iteration of the province’s slow-roasted pork belly, “Cebuchon,” which they season with aromatic herbs and spices. No Filipino feast is complete without the Kapampangan sisig—a dish of diced pork in a sizzling hot cast-iron plate—which Hilton Manila executes to a T.
Hotel Okura Manila brings the classic bistek dish to new heights with their Wagyu Bistek Tagalog made of thinly-sliced premium Japanese wagyu with Yamasa soy sauce and Yuzu juice marinade. Then there’s Rafael’s Tapas Bar and Restaurant’s elevated take on the traditional beef stew, caldereta. Its exquisite Wagyu Brisket Caldereta highlights the richness of the prime beef and bold flavors of Philippine cuisine.
For a sweet beef dish, look no further than Newport Mall’s Mary Grace. It adds a home-cooked touch to its signature Sirloin Beef Tapa, marinating it in a special blend of garlic and spices before pairing it with garlic fried rice and eggs. The mall’s Garden Wing Cafe also boasts a gourmet twist of the cured beef dish with the Beef Tenderloin Prime Tapa.
Those who love a good chicken dish can turn to Marriott Manila’s Siquijor-Style Chicken Matar. The dish reflects the culinary traditions of Siquijor province through tender, simmered chicken garnished with fresh herbs.
Sweet Traditions
Cap off your food trip with sweet treats, as dessert has always been an integral part of every Filipino meal.
Silogue shares the taste of comfort with Ginataang Bilo-Bilo. The dish is made of sweet glutinous rice balls in creamy coconut milk broth. Holiday Inn Express Manila-Newport City also takes the sweetness to the next level with the Filipino staple Brazo de Mercedes: a fluffy meringue and custard dessert that melts in the mouth.
There’s no shortage of delectable Filipino fare for this April’s celebration. Newport World Resorts invites guests to embark on a journey that pays tribute to the country’s proud culinary heritage, as well as its exciting future.
Photos courtesy of Newport World Resorts.
