The Poblacion area is trendy. It’s becoming increasingly popular as a food and arts hub in Makati. Cultured but unpolished, hip but a little seedy, it reminds me of what Malate in Manila used to be.

A boodle fight is a Philippine military tradition where a central mound of food – typically consisting of white rice and a variety of viands, fruits, and vegetables – would be piled high on banana leaves for soldiers to share. Gathered around the table, diners are meant to eat while standing without the use of cutlery.

We prefer boutique hotels over large chains which is why I was instantly drawn to La Casita Mercedes. It’s exactly the type of place we look for on our travels.

Near and dear to every Filipino’s heart, adobo is the one dish that transcends top 10 lists. Don’t even think of writing a “Best Adobo in Manila” list because you’ll have everyone’s mother to contend with.

A Peking duck dinner is on the must-do list of every visitor to China’s capital, usually sandwiched between a long day getting lost in the labyrinth of the Forbidden City and sweating their way to the top of the Great Wall.

Batad is a remote village of around 1,500 people in Ifugao province. It’s said to be home to the best and most well-preserved rice terraces in the Cordillera region. These terraces are between 2,000-6,000 years old and have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.

If you’re familiar with our blog, then you already know how much we love eating local food when we travel. A lot of that traveleating involves street food, which in many countries, has a reputation for being less than sanitary. The Philippines is one of those countries.

“Obara” is a thick soup. It can be made only with vegetables or you can also add some meat. The favourites are the “Obara” with chicken or beef. It’s a simple, rich one pot dish. One pot, that means only one pot to clean, but most important all the flavours will come together making a great combo.

Hakarl is a national dish of Iceland, consisting of Greenland shark meat, that has been buried, rotten and fermented. The reason for the fermentation process? Well, the Greenland shark is poisonous to eat in it’s natural state due to extremely high levels of trimethylamine oxide and uric acid in the flesh.

Even if you aren’t familiar with Vietnamese food, chances are you’ve heard of phở. It’s a popular Vietnamese street food and is considered a national dish of Vietnam. For me, it’s the quintessential Vietnamese food and the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the cuisine.