Philippine’s Exotic Food and Restaurants

“Exotic food” is somewhat catchy. It means “uncommon” or “unusual.” Filipinos are known for these exotic food prepared in some eateries, restaurants and inexpensive but classy hotels. Exotic food is also cooked or processed in uncommon ways.

Food is one of the country’s heritage. Varieties of food depend on the place or location they are grown or made. Some people say that some traditional food has become exotic because of today’s instant, ready-to-eat or trendy foods.

Here are some examples of Filipino Delicacies you can try when you travel to the country.

• Balut is a fertilized egg of a chicken or duck, about 2 to 3 weeks old, boiled to be eaten within the shell. It is known to have high protein content and is also known as an aphrodisiac. Balut is available in all regions mostly on the street where there are a lot of passers-by.
• Dinuguan is pork blood and its digestive tract. It is typically made up of stomach, intestines, heart, snout and liver together with spices such as garlic, chili and vinegar. Altogether they are simmered to become a dark spicy gravy cooked pork-blood. Dinuguan is another Filipino rare diet which is good to be paired with puto or baked rice cake.
• Fried frogs. These fried frogs taste like or even tastier than chicken. It is more appetizing if dipped in soy sauce with chili and calamansi. There is nothing to worry about because these frogs are grown in the farm. Try also the bullfrog recipes cooked in adobo or deep fried.
• Snake adobo. According to the research, snakes are commonly cooked and eaten in Asia because of its medicinal value as well as its taste. The taste resembles that of a chicken. Adobo is a Philippine dish of meat or fish and done by marinating in vinegar, garlic and soy sauce. The meat will be simmered in the marinade.
• Tamilok or Woodworm. Tamilok is very soft, slimy and fragile. It will easily break if stretched. Only few know about Tamilok. Its taste is great. Eating Tamilok is somewhat eating sushi. Forget about sushi since Tamilok can be eaten alive. Just wash and munch, it’s that simple. It is commonly found in Mindanao regions particularly in Davao, Zamboanga Peninsula and Agusan provinces.

Restaurants in the Philippines like the Exotik Restaurant in Laguna is home for fried or adobo frogs, ginataang kuhol or snail curry, talangka or small shore crabs and others. The country has exclusive but cheap hotels that also serve the exotic delicacies.

Other dining places with exotic food are Diorama Restaurant in EDSA and Okavango in Marikina Rizal. Just like Exotik Restaurant, Okavango found in the shoe capital of the Philippines, serves exotic food like fried frogs, balut, fried snake and the famous fish kilawin - raw fish marinated in vinegar, garlic, ginger and other spices.

Eating the usual home-cooked food everyday is monotonous for some people. The Philippines, with its Exotic Filipino Delicacies offered in some restaurants and hotels around the country, is a haven for those who want to embark in some gastronomical adventure.