In Qatar, almost everywhere you look, there’s always an impressive range of Filipino restaurants around: on the streets, at the malls, and even at festivals! For sure you won’t miss the Filipino stalls and stores as there’s almost always a long line of Filipinos (and other nationalities too!) queuing for a taste of home.
If you’re wondering what’s so special about Filipino dishes that it has people lining up, we’ve got you covered. The ILoveQatar.net (ILQ) team has listed down some of the Filipino dishes that you should try and where you can find them!
Hailed as the World’s Best Soup in 2021 by the Taste Atlas, Sinigang is one of the most well known Filipino dishes in the world. Best served hot, this dish can be made with either beef, seafood (fish or shrimp), or even chicken.
With a face-twisting expression, Sinigang is best known for how sour it can get! Sinigang gets its sourness from different ingredients, some people use lemon, guava, and tomatoes (even watermelon in the Philippines) but the most popular ingredient is tamarind. This gives the Sinigang soup that top-tier sour umami!
In Qatar, you’ll find most Filipino restaurants have their own versions of Sinigang, cooked with different ingredients. Boracay, one of the Filipino restaurants in Qatar, is also known for its amazing Sinigang. Boracay offers Sinigang in four options: Bangus (Milkfish) belly Sinigang, Shrimp Sinigang, Beef Sinigang, and Seafood Sinigang. This Sinigang dish is sold from QR 30 depending on the type you choose.
Chicken (sometimes with chicken livers and gizzards) marinated in soy sauce and vinegar with the right amount of peppercorn and bay leaves, the Adobo is a dish that you will always hear out of the mouths of Kabayans. A dish best paired with steaming hot white rice, Adobo has been dubbed the representative stew of the Philippines. The sweet and savoury taste of the Adobo is one of the reasons why it's widely loved!
In Qatar, you’ll find most Filipino restaurants have Chicken Adobo on their menu, but the one that you should definitely try is Choice Restaurant.
An eye-popping dish that will capture your attention and your taste buds the moment you see it. Kare-Kare is one of the most popular Filipino stews that has a thick, savoury peanut-based sauce. Often made with beef or oxtail, Kare-Kare is made extra special with the bagoong partnered with it. Bagoong is a salty relish made of small fish or shrimp that goes perfectly with every single serving of Kare-Kare. Grab a plate of steamed white rice and drizzle a heap of Kare-Kare on top of it, you won’t regret it!
In Qatar, you’ll find most Filipino restaurants have Kare-Kare as one of their best-sellers, much like Barrio Fiesta.
An indigenous Filipino dish from the northern regions of the Philippines, Pinakbet is made from mixed vegetables sautéed in fish or shrimp sauce. The dish usually includes bitter melon (ampalaya) as well as eggplant, tomato, okra, string beans, chilli peppers, and others. In the Philippines, there are different versions of the Pinakbet, the most popular one, however, is the one with squash or kalabasa.
This healthy dish is not always available in Filipino restaurants. But in all those that do offer Pinakbet, Gerry’s Grill serves one of the best! Gerry’s Grill, a famous restaurant in the Philippines, has their own branch here in Qatar.
The notorious Filipino dish will never go missing in any Filipino get together! Often comes in party trays, the Lumpiang Shanghai is a staple for Filipino parties. This is an eggroll filled with juicy minced beef, chicken, or fish with added vegetables like carrots, onions, etc. Reminiscent of the Chinese Spring Roll, the Lumpiang Shanghai is deep-fried and is usually served with sweet and sour sauce.
If you’re looking for a place with great Lumpiang Shanghai, Flamingo has it for you! Their serving of this dish can be made for either a single order or for a party pack!
Silog meals are Filipino breakfast dishes that are served with your preferred meat or fish plus fried rice or sinangag in Filipino (Si) and fried egg or itlog in Filipino (Log). When combined with different meats or fish, Silog meals form a majestic breakfast experience like no other.
To name a few crowd favourites, Filipinos for sure will say the following: Tapsilog, Chicken Longsilog, Chicken Tosilog, and Bangsilog. Curious about what all these are? Then check out Max’s Restaurant for one of the best all-day Filipino breakfast dishes to try! Starting QR 27, you’ll get to taste how Filipinos break their fasts.
Excited to try out these Filipino dishes or have you already tried them out? Which one is your favourite? Let us know in the comments section what they are or if you have any other Filipino dishes to recommend! Share this article with your Kabayan friends and family - it keeps us going!
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