6 Traditional Foods
You Have To Try in Parañaque

Silog refers to a group of Filipino dishes that are traditionally served for breakfast. The name is an abbreviation for sinangang at itlog, meaning fried garlic rice and eggs. The difference between each of these dishes is in the additional component that's served with the garlic rice and eggs, such as tapa (sliced meat), longganisa sausages, tocino bacon, bangus milkfish belly, chorizo, hot dogs, pork chops, Spam, fried chicken, or beefsteak, among others. It is believed that the first type of silog was tapsilog, invented in the 1980s in Marikina City. These breakfast items are so popular that they can nowadays be found in fast food chains, hotels, and restaurants.Expand

One of the most common breakfast staples in the Philippines is tapsilog, a plate which consists of sliced beef jerky, known as tapa, a heap of garlic rice, and a fried egg. It is believed that the dish grew out of necessity, to cater to the needs of many workers who were in search for a quick, cheap, and nutritious breakfast. Eventually, tapsilog was incorporated on the menus of many Filipino fast food chains and specialized tapsihan eateries. Nowadays, it appears in numerous varieties, and even though it is still a favorite Filipino breakfast it can be enjoyed at any time of day or as a satisfying late night snack.Expand

Although the term tocino stems from Spanish, in the Philippines, the word is synonymous with sweet-cured meat, traditionally prepared with pork, and occasionally beef or chicken. Slices of meat are doused in different combination of spices and seasonings which typically include sugar, salt, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, anise wine, and pineapple or orange juice. Common additions to the curing mixture include saltpeter food preservative and annatto—a food dye derived from the seeds of the achiote tree that imparts color and peppery flavor. Pork tocino, also known as burong babi, is most commonly only lightly pan-fried until it caramelizes and is traditionally sided with garlic fried rice, and either sunny side up or scrambled eggs. This combination is called tosilog, and it is a popular Filipino everyday go-to meal, typically enjoyed for breakfast, but it is also readily available at any other time of the day.Expand

Lumpia is a simple and flavourful Filipino finger food that evolved from the Chinese spring rolls. Each lumpia consists of a rice or flour dough wrap that is stuffed with meat (most often ground pork or beef) and vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, onions, and garlic. It is then sealed with egg wash and fried. Once it has been prepared, its crusty, crunchy exterior and tender interior are perfectly complemented with the sweet and sour dipping sauce. It can be eaten as a snack or as a side dish, and it is almost impossible to see a Filipino feast without at least one variation of lumpia, such as unfried lumpia, lumpia with bean sprouts, hearts of coconut palm, bangus, or saba bananas (ripe plantains).Expand

In Filipino cuisine, tapa most commonly denotes thinly sliced beef sirloin that is traditionally placed in a sweet, salty, and tangy marinade made with calamansi lemonade and soy sauce, flavored with sugar and minced garlic. Other meats used to make tapa include mutton, venison, wild boar, horse, deer, and also the meat of carabao - a swamp-type domestic water buffalo native to the Philippines. Tapa is typically either grilled or pan-fried, and it is best enjoyed when served as a part of the so-called tapsilog, which is a portmanteau of the Filipino words tapa and sinangag, meaning garlic-fried rice, and itlog, meaning eggs. Tapsilog is often accompanied by sliced tomatoes ot pickled papaya strips called atchara. Altogether, this delicious combination is popularly known as the Philippine-style breakfast of champions, and to most Filipinos, it is a favorite way to start the day.Expand

Lumpiang Shanghai is the most popular variety of lumpia, the crispy deep-fried Filipino snack that evolved from Chinese spring rolls. Even though lumpia appears in numerous variations, the Shanghai version is characterized by a savory filling which combines ground pork or beef with carrots, onions, various seasonings, and (occasionally) shrimps. Lumpiang Shanghai is usually sold at numerous street stalls throughout the country, but it is also a staple dish served on special and festive occasions. This delicious and crispy snack is usually served accompanied by sweet and sour dipping sauce.Expand