An all-new authentic menu full of exciting flavours with a side of live entertainment giving you a taste of the Filipino culture, The Daily’s famous Boodle Fight is back.

With travel restrictions, it’s been challenging for everyone to see friends and families and visit home. But who said we can’t bring the flavors of the Philippines to Dubai? The much-awaited Boodle Fight is back to transport you to your favorite memories of home, even if it’s just for one meal.

Drop by Rove Trade Centre and be spoilt for choice by an authentic Pinoy meal selection curated for you by our Filipino Chef and Restaurant Manager this summer. That’s not all, enjoy the live entertainment while you tuck into the comfort of lip-smacking dishes such as succulent seafood, including shrimp, crab, mussels, squids and more, as well as fried tilapia, crispy chicken skin and heaping servings of rice with a choice of sauce between Raging Cajun or Asian Sha-Bang, at The Daily. Additionally, choose between two special Filipino mocktail concoctions stirred up only for the Boodle Fight. Book your table today.

The Boodle Fight

Thursday and Friday, from 6pm to 10pm 

Traditional Filipino food with a wide array of seafood, meat, and rice and non-alcoholic drinks

All for just AED 149 for 2-3 people 

Pint of hops at AED 33 and bucket for AED 99

Available at The Daily, Rove Trade Centre

For more information, please visit www.rovehotels.com 

Connect with Rove Hotels on Facebook and Instagram

 For enquiries, call +971 4561 9999 or Whatsapp +971 50 517 6833

About Rove Hotels:

Rove Hotels is an award-winning lifestyle hotel brand, offering well designed hotels in connected locations. Designed for the traveller who likes to explore without borders, receive fuss-free service and some touches of local culture. Rove Hotels defines a new niche in the ever-evolving global hospitality sector.

Rove Hotels are reliable, modern and efficient. Regardless of their location, Rovers (guests) will always find locally inspired modern interiors, relaxed service and all the essentials to enjoy their stay.

Born in Dubai, the first Rove hotel opened at Downtown Dubai in 2016 and the brand now has over 4000 rooms open or under development across the Middle East. Rove is proud to announce the only on-site hotel at Expo 2020 Dubai and continues to target properties in well-connected locations. Further expansion announcements will follow soon.

Website:  www.rovehotels.com

@rovehotels

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Award-winning author Flavel Monteiro teams up with Emmy Award-winning director, writer, and producer Keesa Ocampo and two of the Middle East’s finest Filipino chefs, Nouel Omamalin and John Buenaventura

Monteiro and co-author Keesa Ocampo, along with chefs Nouel Omamalin and John Buenaventura bring distinct tastes, flavors and a new meaning to Filipino cuisine from the beautiful Philippine archipelago. The eBook will be available on 15 August 2020 on https://www.phil-aid.org/

By definition, dessert is the end to a meal — but not necessarily, as Cuisinero – Taste the Philippines finishes on a savory note!

Pastry Chef Nouel Omamalin returns to his Filipino heritage and reinvents a sweet experience in ways one would never expect. Working with Valrhona chocolate, Nouel put his knowledge and experience together to come up with 50 recipes in the categories of The Basics, Torta ATBP, Siesta Chocolates, Cakes & In-Between and Haute Desserts. Nouel’s name may not ring a resounding bell in the culinary world or the expatriate scene in the Middle East, but he has proven to be one of the finest pastry chefs, set apart by his wild and skilful creativity.

On the other hand, Chef John Buenaventura is out of his comfort zone and his culinary skills are put to the test with a Filipino menu. He finds his inspiration in childhood kitchen memories and familiar notes to his sophisticated palate, borne of family cooking and perfected by elite global training. John gives a new meaning to the cuisine of his heritage with his interpretation with Hardin ni Lola, Laman Dagat and Bukid at Pastol.

Cuisinero- Taste the Philippines required a diverse touch of international storytelling. Co-author Keesa Ocampo, a published and distinguished Filipino American writer and content creator brings something unique and traditional to the 5-course meal, Fiesta Filipina! The result is exceptional with her take on a Malunggay Pesto (Moringa Pesto) and Tinolang Halaan (Clams in Ginger Broth). 

Cuisinero-Taste the Philippines is all Filipino food, whose time has come. For the first time, award-winning author Flavel Monteiro adds his culinary touch with Sardinas at Bangus (Sardines and Milkfish) with infused toasted Pandesal.

Proceeds of the eBook will support organizations Philippine International Aid programs for educational scholarships for disadvantaged children in southern Philippines.

Thanks to Valrhona, Bragard Middle East; and Lifestyle Asia Philippines for their support.

About the author:

Flavel Monteiro has been in the hospitality and F & B industry since 1991. His foray into publishing came when he purchased a franchise to publish Millionaire Magazine in Scandinavia, as well as a Filipino magazine in the Middle East. It was in 2014 when Flavel launched WG Magazine, designed to promote the top culinary experiences around the world. Then in 2018, he partnered with Chef Alfredo Russo from Turin, Italy to launch EX.IT— Extraordinary Italian. Most recently, Flavel co-authored and published the first ever e-cookbook Home Comforts: simple lockdown recipes from the world’s best chefs and bartenders with The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. He was the recipient of the Independent Publishers Award for his book Coffee – Absolute Gastronomy and was awarded the 2019 best book in the world by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards for the category coffee. His book Legacy also received the 2019 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. During these unsettling days Flavel released an eBook Come Together – The World’s Finest Chefs which came with the intention of putting smiles on people’s faces and supporting chefs around the world. The eBook went on to receive the 2020 Spring Harvest Award by Gourmand World Cookbook. Closest to his heart, four years ago, he started a foundation that helps underprivileged children each year in the Philippines to attend culinary school through a scholarship program.

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www.lacarne.ae

Since: 2014

 Founder: Jovy Tuano

As one of the only premium multi-brand meat retailers in the country, La Carne has risen to become one of the benchmark brands of its kind in the country. Working as a premium meat retailer in the UAE, the company has supplied award-winning beef and lamb from Australia, the USA, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa to its discerning patrons. La Carne has provided its customers with a wide variety of options as well as custom orders available upon request (such as 12-hour smoked brisket and halal sausages).

La Carne aims to become a value-adding educational hub for premium meat in the nation’s capital while innovating the way steakhouse level cuts are made available to UAE residents. Through their online store and loyalty program, they have shared educational content with their patrons and improved transparency between client and seller. With an ever-evolving ‘kaizen’ mindset and a focus on community engagement, La Carne has become a competent and trustworthy customer-orientated authority within the region.

CO CHOCOLAT

www.cochocolat.com

Since: 2016 

Founder: Luchie and Iman Suguitan

Founded by sisters and ‘Cacao Doctors’ Luchie and Iman Suguitan, Co Chocolat has introduced a new concept within Dubai’s diverse field of gourmet offerings. Through their brand ‘Co Chocolat’, they have intrigued the Dubai foodies by introducing healthy chocolates with a wide variety of tastes.

Their products are developed with health as the number one priority. With minimal use of refined sugar, Co Chocolat develops its products with natural cacao and natural sweeteners (coconut, dates and other fruits), as well as superfoods that promote healing.

“We are committed to ensuring that each bite may either relieve stress, enhance mood, serve as anti-oxidant, boost energy, improve the immune system, be anti-inflammatory, mildly relieve pain, enhance vitality, improve gut flora, or promote heart health.”

Co Chocolat has also maintained a strong relationship with local farmers in the Philippines. By collaborating with small businesses run by cacao farmers in Mindanao through their parent company (OFW para sa Magsasaka), they have made community traceability the core of their work. Through this, they have also increased overall productivity and stability within the cacao farming sector. Through its accomplishments in bringing locally sourced Philippine products to the UAE, Co Chocolat has become a shining example of a business model formed through mutual cooperation and sustainability.

ADOBO RESTO 24/7

www.facebook.com/adoboafc

Since: 2014

 Founder: Dowel Deligos

Adobo Resto 24/7 serves authentic Filipino cuisine to the Filipino community in Muscat, Oman while introducing it to the many locals and foreigners in the country. With a culinary focus on dishes from the southern regions of the Philippines, Adobo offers a different take on Filipino food in contrast to its counterparts in the country – while presenting dishes at a high standard with homecooked execution and family-style serving.

OUNCE

www.facebook.com/ouncedxb

@ouncedxb

Since: 2013 

Founder: Alberto Opena 

Ounce has steadily made a name for itself within the UAE through its expertise within event and facilities management, consultancy and catering for numerous events. Famed for its specialization within beverage mixology, the company has worked closely with MMI and has become the brand ambassador for many well-known labels such as Jack Daniels, Macallan and San Pellegrino. The brand has also introduced a unique flavor into the field by way of “Tagai” craft cocktails, which are inspired by Filipino culture.

ESKINITA

www.facebook.com/ESKINITADXB/

Since: 2017

 Founder: Aldo Aguilar

Situated in Deira, the heart of Dubai, Eskinita Restaurant serves Filipino and international street food with favorites including grills, sizzlers and fusion drinks, to the growing Filipino community. It has established itself as a casual hangout and events place for many Pinoys, even hosting open mic sessions where individuals and groups could showcase their musical talent.

OFF THE HOOK

www.othrestaurant.com

Since: 2016 

Founder: Rolly Brucales

Three years running strong since its opening in Abu Dhabi, Off the Hook has constantly provided simple and delicious fun to a growing loyal customer base across the UAE. The brand has become famous for serving healthy Louisiana-style seafood coupled with a family oriented ‘kamayan’ style dining experience, and laid back and cozy atmosphere.

Off the hook has four branches spread across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain with a fifth one opening very soon. Through their services, Off the Hook has been nominated for 2017 Best Seafood Restaurant by Timeout Abu Dhabi. Over the years, they have also collaborated with influencers across the region. In a highly saturated industry like the Food and Beverage sector, one can easily become lost and generic. Off the Hook has stayed true to its concept since day one, vigilantly analyzing and identifying market trends and refining its family style dining concept.

Founder Rolly Brucales has known work from a very young age, first beginning as a helping hand in Bicol in his family’s meat business and gaining experience in the public market. After moving to the UAE in 2004, he gained over eight years of accounts experience and expanded his horizons through networking. He also gained an insight into the market by becoming a sales associate along the way. After finding the right partners, he opened Off the Hook in 2016. His unyielding spirit has also led him to open a number of diverse business ventures including a tailoring shop, Global Connect Travels and Tours and Rock Built Contracting and General Maintenance LLC.

As the father of the OTH family, Rolly believes that everyone must go home with something substantial, “lahat tayo dapat umuwi ng meron”. He encourages financial stability and pushes his employees towards professional growth in their endeavors. Through this, he aspires to grow Off the Hook into a worldwide brand, believing that Filipinos can be successful entrepreneurs who not only provide jobs, but also contribute to the building of a strong Filipino community.

Read the full edition of Illustrado Work & Play 2019 on www.issuu.com

Previous Article – Filipino Businesses in the Middle East and Beyond: Trading & Distribution

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Filipino food finds home in the UAE!

What’s a chef to do when hundreds of armed soldiers show up hungry and ready to feast? Well, they boodle, of course! This culinary experience is gaining popularity not just in the Philippines but also in other countries. But what is boodle fight to be exact?

It’s a tradition of eating that originated from the Philippine military where a big pile of food is served in the middle of a long table with people grabbing a piece of everything eating with their bare hands. This concept has been adopted by many restaurants and we’ve seen different takes on this very interesting way to share food.

But there’s more to that experience than the grilled chicken, fresh seafood such as crab and tiger prawns, and ensalada served family style. There’s also camaraderie — the kamayan boodles is the perfect time to catch up and tell stories.

Yes, The Daily at the Rove Trade Centre did some tweaks but it’s the kind of fine tuning that will remind you of the ones our moms try to get away with, in their own kitchen. Everything is still familiar but with a unique twist that enhances the whole boodle experience.

Take for instance their boodle fight for two. The Daily does away with the usual presentation and serves the meal with seafood, chicken, ensalada and house-made sauces. Each bite introduces different flavors. It’s a much more appealing way to try boodle fight, for the unoriented.

The flavors of the Philippines have found a home inside Dubai’s cozy Rove Trade Centre, located at Al Jafiliya near the Dubai World Trade Centre. The Daily’s food is yummy, filling and plentiful (just the way we like it), and it goes on to capture the Filipino spirit we all know so well. The quirky and funky ambiance, laid out in a generous space with high ceilings, is inviting everyone, encouraging all to unwind, sit back and enjoy good food as it’s meant to be enjoyed.

Because most dishes are on the rich side, you need the right drink to balance it all out. The unlimited iced tea or lemonade are the perfect boodle fight accompaniments. It’s the kind of palate cleanser you need while enjoying hearty meals.

All in all, Rove Trade Centre’s boodle fight is the perfect way to enjoy contemporary Filipino dining in Dubai. It’s one of the few Dubai experiences that bridges authentic Filipino roots with modern tastes, tailor-made for all expats and Pinoys alike. The verdict: worth it! So come on down, bring your friends to The Daily, and prepare yourself for a feast!

Craving for more? Watch these foreigners try the Filipino boodle fight:

https://www.facebook.com/illustradomagazine/videos/1918692764866233/

** Make the most out of this offer every Saturday from 5PM until 10PM for only AED 99, inclusive of lemonade or iced tea as well as unlimited rice at The Daily — Rove Trade Centre Dubai.

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By Alwee Villarosa

While everyone is gushing about the latest food trends in Manila, let’s take a step back and look at the big picture: Filipino food is taking over the rest of the world.

With over 10 million Filipinos overseas, no one has to look too far for a taste of home. But it’s not only us Pinoys who are enjoying our native cuisine.  As the popularity of Filipino food grows, the world’s palate is also acquiring the taste for our beloved dishes like adobo and sisig, as well as the fusion creations designed by some of our maverick Filipino chefs.  Here are some of the best restaurants at the forefront of all this!

Cuisinero Uno by Chef John Buenaventura

2nd Floor Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay Al Abraj St. – Dubai

This cool, urban eatery has industrial-style décor, and even has its own greenhouse for growing veg. The compact menu is based on Emirati, Mediterranean and Asian-inspired tapas dishes, designed to share.  

Highlights on the menu include “fake” carpaccio – watermelon strips with crème fraiche, pine nuts and tarragon; burrattini, burnt leeks, zucchini fries, patatas bravas, beef tartare, chicken parfait, seared duck and hot smoked salmon. Their staff is actually pretty cool and friendly, you could totally picture them in a dance number singing “We’re all in this together”.   Our favorite item on the menu? The sisig tacos. Need we say more?

Bonifacio

35 Kreta Ayer Road Chinatown, Singapore

Named after the revolutionary founder of the Katipunan, Bonifacio offers Filipino home-cooked classics. The restaurant started with a Filipino and 3 Singaporeans who share the same passion for our culture. The restaurant is nothing fancy but it has a certain charm. Its interior is simple enough for a usual family lunch and get together, yet refined enough for a celebration. A lot of celebrities have been to Bonifacio. In fact, they have a “Wall of Fame” at the restaurant. A must try here is their “Bayan Ko” which is their own version of tortang talong.

Maharlika

111 1st Ave, New York, United States of America

Blending Spanish, Malaysian, and Chinese flavors, Filipino food is already Asian soul food at its finest — but sisig takes it to the next level! New York may be a mecca for culturally diverse cuisine, but for those craving truly authentic Filipino fare — the homemade kind that their lola used to cook — the offerings are particularly scarce. Fortunately, there’s Maharlika: a haven of Filipino comfort food in the East Village. Maharlika is the sister restaurant of Jeepney — a Filipino-inspired gastropub just a few blocks north — but offers a much more immersive experience. This isn’t an interpretation of homestyle Filipino fare; it’s the closest you can get to real Pampanga flavors without leaving the country.

Bad Saint

3226 11th St NW, Washington, United States of America

Bad Saint is essentially an open kitchen with 24 seats arranged in the little space that is left over, alongside work by Filipino artists and weavers. The servers are gracious; the tight quarters foster a “we’re-all-in-this-together camaraderie.”  

Bad Saint’s refuses to translate Filipino food into the European-derived idioms of fine dining. When the servers say the dishes are served family style, they mean it. There’s no artfully blank space on the plates, no abstract expressionist smears of sauce. The food goes from the wok to the plate, and it is relentlessly delicious. Bad Saint’s adobo of tender squid is astonishing, its sauce deepened and darkened by squid ink and given a slow, lingering burn by long peppers. The oxtails and bok choi stewed in peanut sauce with an intense undercurrent of shrimp and anchovies is amazing whether this is your first encounter with kare-kare or your hundredth. Some of the cooking has a homey simplicity, like the arroz caldo, chicken in a ginger-laced rice porridge that can be cranked up with a dab of red chile paste or left to its own, soothing charms.

Romulo Cafe

343 Kensington High Street W8 6NW, United Kingdom

Named as “Most Loved Restaurant in Kensington” by Time Out in Love London Awards; Romulo Café provides a showcase for fine Filipino cuisine in London, serving “archly presented heirloom Filipino recipes lovingly preserved by scions of the late General Carlos P. Romulo, the Philippines’ longest serving foreign secretary and his wife Virginia Llamas.”

The 70-seater restaurant is a haven for those in search of a culinary adventure. Foodies will do well to come along and discover why Filipino food is the last word in global cuisine, combining the delicate, fresh flavors of Asia with an American zest and European sophistication. And if you don’t know it already, Filipino cuisine is not just about flavors, it’s the way the food is served — our hospitality, our smiles and the way we take pride in our dishes and how we are very excited to share this whole experience to the rest of the world.

Lamesa Filipino Kitchen

669 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1E6, Canada

Lamesa has been serving Filipino food since before it became a trend. While the Toronto palate has long been familiar with the cuisines of other Asian countries, somehow the Philippines got overlooked. That all changed when Lamesa began dishing up the flavors of the islands with a modern presentation. Found in the trendy Queen West district, the restaurant offers plates like spring-roll-like lumpia or chicken adobo amped up with chimichurri sauce. The most spectacular meal of the week is the Kamayan Sunday dinner when the food is served directly on tables spread with banana leaves.

Baryo Pilipinas

Fluwelen Burgwal 51, 2511 CH Den Haag, Netherlands

Who knew that you can spot a cool jeepney while you’re vacationing at The Hague? This highly recommended Filipino restaurant specializes in boodle spreads so make sure you’re ready to get your hands dirty. Here are some comments from Dutch diners:

Chris: “Great food, great prices, just overall a good restaurant. Not a place to go for a romantic date, but great if you’re hungry and want good hardy food. Overall good restaurant.”

Andy: Wow! Never had Filipino food before.  Why oh why did I leave it so long?  The food was amazing!  Loved it. We will definitely go back again and again.  Delicious.  Staff super friendly also. Service excellent.

Cafe ‘86

36 W Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105, USA

Ube alert! Halo-Halo bread pudding and leche flan cupcakes ahead. The California-based coffee shop already operates in three locations in Chino, Pasadena and Artesia, paying tribute to the owners’ Filipino heritage and also giving familiar favorite desserts a modern upgrade. Locally, the cafe takes over a 2,262-square-foot space at the intersection of Jones Boulevard and Russell Road in the Spanish Palms plaza. Their bestselling ube leche flan cupcake is a common sight on most Instagram pages of tourists and locals alike. Other Filipino-inspired dishes are served like longganisa flatbread and an array of other ube desserts and beverages.

Flip Sigi (powered by 2nd city)

525 Hudson St, New York, United States

When Chef Jordan Andino was 11 years old, his dream was to open a restaurant in New York City by the time he was 25. At 27, this Fil-Am celebrity chef is seeing his dreams come true. Chef Jordan says “It’s Amasian, meaning American-Asian cuisine. We’re a Filipino taqeria, fast casual concept.” The restaurant aims to introduce unique Filipino flavors using familiar vessels such as tacos, burritos and bowls. While the Filipino food movement is having its moment, so is Chef Jordan. He was featured as one of the “Rock Stars Redefining the Industry” in Zagat’s 30 under 30. This Pinoy celebrity chef was born in Canada, raised in California, and classically trained in Napa and New York.

Related articles:

Filipino Entrepreneurs in the Middle East: Food & Beverage

100 Brands Filipinos Love: Food & Restaurants in the Middle East 

Read more on www.illustradolife.com

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In a recent episode of CNN Philippines’ The Source, celebrity chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain commented that he believes that sisig will take the lead in Filipino cuisine’s rising popularity on the international stage.

“I think certain Filipino dishes are more likely to take root and take hold more quickly than others,” the host of CNN’s food and travel show Parts Unknown said. “I think sisig is perfectly positioned to win the hearts and minds of the world as a whole. I think that’s the one that’s going to hook ’em.”

Though sisig as we know it may be too exotic for the world’s palates, Bourdain says “It’s hot, sizzling, crispy, sticky, delicious bits with many textures. It’s exactly what you need after a few beers and that’s perfect food.”

Just less than a year ago, Filipino-American chef Tom Cunanan’s restaurant, Bad Saint, in Washington DC placed second on Bon Appétit’s: America’s Best New Restaurants.

“I think it’s the most likely to convince people abroad who have had no exposure to Filipino food to maybe look further and investigate further beyond sisig. I think that’s the one that’s gonna hook them,” said Bourdain. He also noted that our food is “ascendant” and is a “work in progress”. He also mentioned that it is “underrated”.

Bourdain is also working on opening a street food center in New York called the Bourdain Market which is set to open in 2019. The project aims to gather different chefs, operators, streetfood and hawker legends from around the world. He says that sisig will definitely have a place in the market.

Is Filipino cuisine ready to finally take the spotlight and join its Asian brothers like Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and Japan in the world stage?

Maybe it’s about time for us to stop being the proverbial bridesmaid and finally be the bride. Our food can be our best ambassador, promoting our cultural identity to the world. Our food will tell the story of how it is to be Filipino.

________________________________________________________________________________

ALWEE VILLAROSA

Savage PR savant. Social Media guy. Bangkok advocate. Hoarder of 3AM songs that are too cool for anyone. Strongest proponent of the #WastedYouth campaign on Instagram. AlweeVillarosa could be your typical, garden variety switched-on millennial Internaut, except that he’s infinitely more. He is also a cunning marketing strategist, a burgeoning writer, and an account manager and leader with an unshakeable sense of integrity and work ethic that belies his young age. See more of his POV at his IG: @alweevillarosa

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Now let me share with you a revved up version of one of the bestselling flavors. Freeze a batch of about 50 pieces and you’ll be having weekends of veggie fried goodness! Adjust the amount of ingredients as you please.

Ingredients: 1 head garlic, 1 medium bulb onion, 1 medium bulb ginger, 4 packs of white mushrooms, 1/2 kg green beans, 4 packs firm tofu, Mama Sita’s Vegetarian Oyster Sauce and some bit of Mama Sita’s Lumpiang Shanghai Ready Mix, sesame oil, blossom honey or coco sugar if you want to make it vegan, spring onions or cilantro and of course, spring roll wrapper – the smallest squares.

Easy peasy cooking:

1. Dice mushrooms, green beans and firm tofu.

2. Saute in garlic, onion and some ginger (remove this later so you don’t bite into it!). The flavor depth happens when you mix a bit of Mama Sita’s Vegetarian Oyster Sauce and Lumpiang Shanghai Ready Mix with a wee bit of sesame oil and honey into the mix.

3. Add in chives or cilantro. Let everything simmer to caramelize the sauce and lessen its watery texture. Otherwise, punit ang iyong lumpia.

4. Lay out on wrapper and roll as you please. Seal each with water at the edges. I-Youtube mo ang “How to Make Lumpia” and naku, I’m sure maaaliw ka sa dami ng rolling videos na makikita mo! Kinda like edible origami, hehe.

6. Fry to golden brown and freeze the leftovers for fresh batches each time you crave for birthday lumpia.

7. Mama Sita’s Sweet Chili sauce would make the freshly made lumpia do crazy Cirque de Soleil in your mouth. Enjoy! Happy birthday kunwari!

Skills unlocked: rolling, learning to love and amplify Filipino fare, the urge to be okay with sharing these spring roll goodies!

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#Blessed. That’s what people back home are, since the best things in (a Pinoy’s) life are just within their reach. (Forget the traffic, 2016 elections, and pabebes for five minutes. Don’t ruin the good vibes.) And while many take this for granted, most of our filipinos abroad choose to suffer in silence, counting the days when they’ll finally return to Pinas to indulge in these luxuries (luho) or counting cash until they can afford them at last—whichever comes first.

1. Haircut

Some Filipinos in the Middle East and Europe aren’t trying to form a hippie boy band to rival One Direction. Far from going groovy, they simply want to save a thousand pesos monthly to put into the balikbayan box they’ll send their clans by Christmas time. Their freak flag AKA long hair can wait ‘til they get home and have a P50 haircut from the barangay’s official barber. That already includes a free head and back massage, blow dry, and the latest showbiz/politics/neighborhood tsismis.

2. Home Service Spa

For several Pinays working outside the country, this alone is a grave sacrifice. Imagine missing the works—a one-hour massage + facial + manicure + pedicure + bonding with your trusty therapist right inside the comfort of your home for only P500—every month! Then you find out how much you’d have to pay if you avail of each service overseas. Now we know why our blood sisters are considered modern-day heroes. We salute you.

3. Household Help

They could be Yaya, Ate All-around, or Kuya Driver, who makes everything at home so much easier to handle for just P2,000 each. (There’s even a discount when they’re relatives.) The kids are well cared for. The house is in order. There’s ready food at mealtimes. Everyone’s clothes are clean and pressed. It’s effortless to go places. The paradise exists, though, only in the Philippines. Living abroad means you have to be your own housekeeper to keep your wealth together.

4. Jollibee

This one deserves its own spot—it’s not just Filipino food; it’s a taste of life in Pinas. So, it awfully stirs memories of home that anyone easily gives in to Chicken Joy craving. Except that Jollibee in several parts of the world isn’t as omnipresent as 7-11. And if there’s one, the only and nearest store could be an airplane and a lot of bucks away. The saddest part? It might even taste like McDonald’s. Adieu, langhap-sarap.

5. Pinoy Food

A meal of rice with adobo, sisig, lechon, or any lutong-bahay dish with unlimited nilaga soup can be had at a carinderia in ‘Pinas for as low as P50. Isaw, betamax, helmet, adidas, and balut can be happily enjoyed without prejudice. It’s a different story, of course, for those who are miles away. Rice becomes mashed potatoes, fries, or pasta while ulam is a choice of burger, steak, or fried chicken. And life gets boring.

6. Pinoy Movies

Any true-blooded Filipino watches their favorite love team’s films on the first showing day. That’s what loyal KathNiel, JaDine, and LizQuen (and soon AlDub) fans painfully endure when they leave the country to work or live elsewhere. They miss out on all the feels seeing the couple do pakilig moves on the big screen, which only fellow devotees would stand understand. Their lone resort is an online shaky video with a shrieking audience, a few heads blocking half of the screen.

7. Holidays

That’s nearly 20 holidays a year in the Philippines, particularly when Christmas and New Year don’t fall on a weekend. Ouch. It doesn’t even include possible school or work cancellation come the rainy season. Sob, life is unfair. Because it’s more work and less play in other countries, tsk. And all our kababayans can do is to check their Facebook notification to know what their family and friends have been up to during the long weekends. #inggits

8. Christmas

There are two options: (a) Fly home with your luggage bursting with presents for everyone and your wallet ready for the balikbayan’s mandatory libre challenge amid the kantyawan. (b) Be an absentee Santa Claus and let your gigantic balikbayan box do the traditional gift-giving while you spend the merriest season alone wondering what’s for Noche Buena. We hear you: Pasko the Filipino way is expensive. But the experience is priceless, too. Just charge it to Christmas cheer.

9. Space

That “I need space” cliché can’t get any truer than when you have to share space with a dozen people from all walks of life, from different countries across the globe (some you can’t even pinpoint which planet they come from). Because accommodation is costly abroad, partition partnered with a huge dose of patience is the solution! Thin plywood and curtains for a room, housemates’ thunderous snores and annoying quirks—how you survive these every single day is a feat, kababayans.

10. Love

A long distance relationship (LDR) takes so much time and effort to make it work that not everyone can afford it—only those who are willing to invest. It’s not according to Papa Jack; it’s the gospel (bitter) truth that anyone who wants to go on LDR should learn by heart. If posting daily “I <3 U” and lovey-dovey memes on each other’s FB wall could help you, then do it even if all of that cheesiness is unforgivably cringe-worthy. We support #mayforever.

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ABY YAP

What makes the Pinoy tick? Aby Yap’s long-running column “Onli in Da Pilipins” often answers that question. She talks about the familiar Pinoy life, turning it into something fun and extraordinary. With a talent for finding every Juan’s funny bone, Aby’s wit and obvious affection makes the Filipino a whole lot more lovable.

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The post 10 Luhoxuries that Only Overseas Filipinos Would Understand appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

Clams Stew with Anchellini Pasta and Sausage

By Nicholo Jallores, from his blog Rest for The Wicked

There is something about shellfish that is simultaneously sophisticated and primal. They look elegant on the plate, and feel like a nuclear explosion of deliciousness in the mouth. Nothing tastes of the ocean as much as shellfish – not even fish. Heck, maybe not even the actual ocean. And shellfish packs so much flavor per square millimeter, cooking with them feels a bit like cheating. Your soup is a little bland? Throw in some clams. Your pasta needs a bit of depth and interest. Bung in some mussels. They’re like the bacon of the marine world. They just make everything taste better.

This dish is one of those rare things that offer both comfort and complexity. It’s the kind of food that is best served to the hung over, because the carbs in the pasta are ultra relaxing, but the flavor profile is so vibrant, it could jolt anyone back to life. There are two flavor powerhouses here: the clams and the sausage. I used a sausage called hamonado, which is sweet (think candied pork) and Filipino in origin. I could’ve used chorizo just as well, but I wanted to support the ocean-y sweetness of the clams with a sweetness that’s more earthbound. Plus it’s cheaper and more readily available.

– Nicholo

YOU’LL NEED:

2 tbsps. Olive Oil (not extra virgin. If you don’t have olive oil, don’t bother with a quick trip to grocery. Just use any flavorless oil)

2 cups of diced sausage (Preferably one that will hold its shape when cut, like chorizo, or Filipino Hamonado. But if you don’t have that, it’s still good to have crumbly bits of sausage.)

1 large onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, sliced or minced

1/2 tsp. ginger, grated or minced

1 1/2 tbsp. Tomato Paste

1 tsp. sriracha sauce (or if you don’t have it, you can use chili pepper flakes. Or even a fresh red chili. You just need a bit of firepower.)

Cherry Tomatoes (I left them whole, because I like how they burst in your mouth when you eat them. You can cut them in half if you’re in a knife-y mood)

1 cup of dry white wine (don’t use anything other than dry wine here. There’s enough sweetness from the sausage already.)

A kilo of clams

1 1/2 cups of anchellini pasta {or any other small pasta like orzo, or even macaroni)

Flat-leaf parsley (Not the curly type, which is basically useless.)

Shaved parmesan for topping (Not to be a purist, but only parmesan will work here. If you don’t have that, don’t bother with adding cheese. It’ll still taste great}.

How to Cook:

1.) Cook the anchellini pasta separately, in lots of boiling water and a handful of salt. Now this is looks like an unnecessary step, as you can most definitely just bung in the pasta along with the stew and cook both together in one pot – but then you’d have to add extra water. Plus, the anchellini will release a lot of its starch, which could make your stew simultaneously soupy and gummy, instead of stew-y. It’s up to you. This is your meal. Have it your way.

2.) In a separate pot, sauté the sausage in a bit of olive oil, using medium heat. Once you’ve smelt their sweet and salty goodness, add the onions, garlic, and ginger and sauté until the onions have softened.

3.) Add the tomato paste and the sriracha sauce. This is an important step, as the flavor of tomato paste improves when it is sauteed in a bit of fat. Do this for about a minute, then add a cup of white wine. Scrape of the awesome brown bits in the bottom of the pan, and reduce the liquid to about half. (If you’re not using wine, you could do the same technique with a bit of the water that the anchellini have cooked in.)

4.) Throw in the clams, add 2 cups of water, season with a bit of fish sauce, and close the lid. Clams will take about 3 to 5 minutes to cook and unfurl. As they cook, they will release their salty, ocean-y juices into the stew. MIND BLOWING!

5.) When the clams have opened up, bung in the cooked anchellini pasta and the chopped parsley. Simmer for a a minute or two just to allow the pasta to absorb some of the stew liquid.

6.) Serve on a nice, big bowl and top with shaved parmesan and a scattering of chopped parsley.                             

Notes on Clam Preparation

• Clams need to be soaked overnight prior to cooking. Not sure if you can do it for a shorter amount of time, but overnight is the safest bet. Clams are amazing little packets of super flavor, but if you don’t pre-soak them, your dish will end up sandy. It’ll be like microdermabrasion for your gullet.

• You’ll need to pick through the clams and take out the dead ones. 2 things to remember: before cooking, take out the ones that stay open. After cooking, take out the clams that stay closed.

The post Clams Stew with Anchellini Pasta and Sausage appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.