Food Field Notes — Carinderia 101 (How to Eat Like a Local)

Eating at a carinderia is one of the quickest ways to experience authentic Filipino life.”

Related: Receipts Don’t Rule Here—Relationships Do

How it works

• Point & order: Dishes are pre-cooked. Point at what you want and say “one ulam with rice” (ulam = viand).
• Price: Usually per serving. Ask “Magkano po?” (How much?)
• Condiments: Vinegar, soy, calamansi, chili—mix a sawsawan (dipping sauce) to taste.
• Utensils: Spoon + fork (not knife). The spoon is the star.
• If you eat in a restaurant Be prepared to wait and don’t be offended if your food comes 10 minutes before your companions.

What to try first

• Adobo (soy-vinegar garlic chicken/pork), one of my favorites with rice.
• Sinigang (sour soup),
• Lechon kawali (crispy pork belly), Too much pork fat for me but the Filipinos prize it, Lechon Baboy
• Laing (taro leaves in coconut),
• Pancit (noodles), Canton or Behol, either one is great, just different type of noodles. Usually bits of pork, chicken and vegetables are added.
• Tortang talong (eggplant omelet),
• Bicol Express (spicy coconut pork).
  Forget the menu, ask which dishes are available.

Hygiene & safety

+ a couple of things expats are leery of when it comes to food: meat dishes not refrigerated overnight if left over. Typical household does not have aircon and it gets hot here. Remember what Mom said about bacteria and how quickly it multiplies in the heat.

Dried fish, it smells horrible when cooked and it’s hard to get past that, also ultra salty.

Filipino spaghetti sauce tastes like red sugar paste, made with banana ketchup it’s very sweet, it tastes nothing like Mom’s homemade Italian spaghetti sauce but Jollibee is their favorite fast food.

Never, ever eat a balut or look at someone while they do.

Cakes, pies and pastries lack the body and flavor of U.S. donuts and cakes. One that I search for in every mall is Krispy Creme, their donuts rock!

Banana catsup – very sweet, made to look like regular tomato catsup but gross on french fries.

Filipinos don’t require their food to be hot, get a microwave if you do.

San Miguel Light is actually a light beer with taste. My advice is don’t drink the Red Horse, way too strong.

Leche Flan is an egg custard that makes a great light dessert.

Lechon Manok is roasted chicken, very tasty.

Hard to find good pizza anywhere because they can’t get the crust right. No 700 degree F stone ovens here. I found Shakeys locations to be the best, I guess because I prefer thin crust.

If I left out any of your favorites please let me know and I will add them to the list. And speaking of good food, here is where you can find your favorite American Foods in the Philippines.

• Turnover > tablecloths. Busy places move food faster (fresher).
• Go hot. Choose dishes still steaming; skip lukewarm soups.
• Early or lunch hour beats late afternoon.
• Drink bottled or filtered water; bring a refillable bottle.

Ordering mini-phrases

• “Isa pong adobo at kanin.” (One adobo with rice.)
• “Sabaw lang po.” (Soup only.)
• “Paki dagdag po.” (Please add more.)
• “Thank you po.” works just fine.
• Salamat is thanks too.
• Sarap means it tastes good, masarap means it tastes really good.

Etiquette.

• Don’t haggle here—save bargaining for the wet market or souvenirs. Don’t be a “cheap charlie” and cross the street for an item a few pesos less.

BUNKER NOTICE: Food experiences vary widely throughout the Philippines. These observations reflect my own experiences living here and are intended as cultural observations rather than culinary expertise.