If You Love These 15 International Foods, You'll Definitely Salivate Over These 15 Filipino Dishes

It may be high time to take a gastronomic trip to the Philippines.

1. First of all, if crème brûlée from France makes you satisfied both in taste and in cracking that caramelized sugar on top...

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...then the gooey and creamy leche flan could be your next favorite dessert.

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Leche flan is a dessert made of eggs, condensed milk, and caramel. It can be eaten on its own (highly recommeded, btw) or used as a topping for other desserts like halo-halo.

2. If you crave Chinese congee on sick days...

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...then Filipino lugaw is for you. It's also a great hangover cure!

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Like congee, lugaw is basically a rice porridge, but thicker. It's often served with fried tofu and pork or beef tripe, boiled eggs, crispy garlic, and scallions.

3. But if soups like a Portuguese caldo verde is your thing...

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...then sopas is definitely a must try!

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Sopas is basically a chicken and macaroni soup made even better by the addition of creamy evaporated milk—perfect for rainy days when you just want that warm hug from someone you probably shouldn’t text when you’re drunk.

4. If Korean bulgogi is your favorite thing on earth...

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...wait until you've tried Philippines' version of inihaw na liempo.

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Inihaw na liempo’s literal english translation is grilled pork belly. And if that’s not appetizing enough, let me go ahead and tell you what Filipinos marinade it with—soy sauce, calamansi, black pepper, garlic. Grilled over hot coals, the fat sizzles, you dip it in a vinegar and onion concoction, get three cups of rice, and you’re good to go.

5. And if your sweet tooth kicks in and you start looking for gelato...

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...then "dirty* ice cream" or sorbetes is definitely something you would love.

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*Not actually dirty! Sorbetes is the traditional Filipino version of ice cream, but instead of using regular milk, Sorbetes Gods typically use coconut, powdered, or carabao’s milk to make it.

6. If you like sour soups like Thailand's tom yum goong...

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...then I can bet my balls you'd also go crazy over sinigang.

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Much like tom yum, Filipinos use tamarind as the base for sinigang, but we typically use the unripe ones which is why the dish leans more towards sour than sweet.

7. If congested heart arteries are your thing and you love munching on Spain's chicharrón...

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...I suggest you go to Ilocos and have a taste of their bagnet.

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Ilocos is famous for its sinfully crispy deep fried pork belly, achieved by boiling the pork first before frying it twice. It is typically served with the local Ilocos vinegar.

8. And if you like chorizo...

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...then please try Filipino longganisa for breakfast. You won't regret it.

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Almost every province in the Philippines has their own version of longganisa. The flavors range from sweet to savory and IMHO, the best ones come from Cabanatuan, Vigan, and Lucban.

9. If you can finish bowls and bowls of kimchi in your favorite Korean restaurant...

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...I bet you can also finish jars of atchara in one sitting.

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Atchara is basically shredded green papaya pickled with vinegar, sugar, onions, ginger, and bell pepper. It is often served as a side dish for roasted pork or chicken.

10. If you like munching on these tender Chinese braised chicken feet...

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...go to the streets of the Philippines and try the barbecued chicken feet (more commonly known as "adidas").

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Adidas is Filipinos' colloquial term for chicken feet and can typically be bought on the streets along with other street food on sticks like chicken and pork intestines.

11. Speaking of street food, Korean fishcakes are definitely delicious.

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But fish balls from the Philippines are also up there on the list of best street food in the world, IMHO.

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Filipino fish balls are pretty basic. They’re simply deep fried, but the good shit comes from the sweet and spicy sauce made from soy sauce, sugar, red peppers, and god knows what other magic ingredients fish balls vendors on the streets put in there.

12. Love the fresh spring rolls from your recent trip to Vietnam?

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Wait until you've tried this glorious lumpiang sariwa.

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While the Philippines is know for its deep fried lumpia, let’s not sleep on lumpiang sariwa (fresh spring rolls), shall we? It’s made of soft lumpia wrapper and fresh vegetables like carrots, lettuce, string beans, cabbage, and your choice of meat. The sauce is cooked by mixing soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and peanuts over low heat.

13. If you like hearty meals like Spanish paella...

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...then you should definitely try arroz ala valenciana.

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While this can also be considered a Spanish dish, Filipinos have served it every so often on special occasions that it can now be considered part of their cuisine. Arroz ala valenciana consists of glutinous rice, chicken, chorizo, tomatoes, and bell peppers.

14. If you're the adventurous type of eater and dig escargot...

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...then ginataang suso should be next on your list of food to try.

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Snails cooked in ginger, chili, and coconut milk—don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.

15. And finally, if you love ceviche with your whole heart and stomach...

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...then please try kinilaw AKA the best thing that has ever happened to fish!

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Preparation of kinilaw can vary from province to province, but the most popular one is made out of a fish called tanigue doused in vinegar (which acts as the cooking agent), and season with black pepper, salt, onions, and red peppers. Mix it in a bowl, get a bottle of beer, and enjoy!