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Dining
in the Philippines is a gourmet adventure and the variety of food evokes
words such as succulent, exotic, tangy, spicy, sweet, sour, colourful
and plentiful. You can always find excellent food whether it's from
a cramped sidewalk stall (kainan), or a posh restaurant, for the diversity
of Filipino cultures is echoed in the variety of ingredients and cooking
styles.
Rice
is the staple, although foreign recipes have become a regular practice
in food preparation.
Coconut milk or gata is often used as an ingredient and popular dishes
are lumpia (rolls) and pancit (noodles).
The most famous dish is lechon (roast pig) and because of its vast coastlines,
the Philippines also has an abundance of excellent seafood.
Most restaurants offer seafood cooked one way or another, the most popular
being the broiled inihaw. Other dishes include shrimp, rock lobster,
crab, oysters, squid and fish.
To cap a sumptuous meal there is a wide
variety of desserts from fresh fruits to baked sweets.
Entertainment often follows a good meal. In Metro Manila there are
nightly showbands, a wide range of music from pop, jazz, rock, even
Broadway and in some places bands of local singers play original Filipino
music.
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