Filipino favorite meat dishes Crispy Pata, Lechon, and Kare Kare have been named among Taste Atlas’ Top 100 Best Traditional Dishes In The World – in fact, the Philippines landed 3 times in the Top 10 Best Rated Dishes!
Crispy Pata, named one of London’s Romulo Café best dishes, was #1 in the Taste Atlas Best Rated list with a rating of 4.5 and recommended to be sampled best in Livestock Restaurant Bar and 9 more restaurants.
Taste Atlas describes the Filipino dish:
“Crispy pata is one of the most common Filipino dishes served on special occasions. It consists of a whole pork leg that is cooked until tender. It is then dried and deep-fried until golden brown and crispy.
The leg is usually cooked alongside various spices such as bay leaves and peppercorns. It is traditionally rubbed with a spice mixture before it is fried. Served sliced, it is often accompanied by pickled papaya and a tart sauce which combines vinegar, soy sauce, and a variety of spices.”
At #5 is the meat stew of Kare Kare receiving a rating of 4.3 with recommendations for trying in Marison’s and 14 more restaurants.
Taste Atlas describes Kare Kare, named by Huffington Post as a reason to visit the Philippines, “a traditional Filipino stew consisting of meat such as tripe, pork leg, ox tail, goat or chicken, vegetables, and a thick, savory peanut sauce flavored with annatto seeds. Shrimp paste (bagoong) is often served on the side in order to enhance the flavors of the dish. Kare-kare is traditionally cooked in a clay cooking pot known as palayok, and the vessel also acts as a serving bowl once the dish is properly cooked.
Nowadays, it is often served at numerous Filipino festivities. Some believe that kare-kare has origins in the Pampanga region, while others claim that the name of the dish is derived from the Indian word curry, and that it was introduced to the Philippines by Indians from the Rizal province. Over the years, the dish has evolved, so some cooks like to add chilis or green papaya for an extra kick, although the traditional kare-kare sauce should ideally be devoid of seasonings, spices, and chilis.”
At #10 is Lechon, now making waves in London, receiving a rating of 4.2 and recommended to be tried at the Mesa Filipino Moderne and 8 more restaurants.
“Lechon, derived from a Spanish word for roasted suckling pig is one of the most popular dishes in the Philippines. The slowly-roasted suckling pig is usually stuffed with lemongrass, tamarind, garlic, onions, and chives, and is then roasted on a large bamboo spit over an open fire. It is traditionally served whole on a platter, at celebrations and festive events such as weddings and Christmas.
Once the meat is properly roasted and falls off the bone, people tend to eat every part of the pig, and the crispy, reddish brown, crackling skin is especially beloved. Lechon is often served with a thick and rich liver sauce that is cooked with sugar, fresh herbs, and vinegar. If anything is left after the feast, the leftovers are often made into lechon slaw, slowly cooked with vinegar, garlic, and liver sauce for that extra bit of flavor.”
The online food database that promotes the local culinary culture of countries all over the world identified the Philippine meat dishes in among the Taste Atlas top picks for 2019.
Let us know in the comments below how you enjoy your own Filipino meat dishes!
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