Food Truth!

Globalization has brought different cuisines to our doorsteps. If you look at our malls there are a myriad of cuisines available to us. Japanese fast food restaurants line up the ground floor of our malls. There are usually 2 or 3 Chinese restaurants in any given mall. There are even a proliferation of far away cuisines like Brazilian churrasco, Portoguese, middle eastern cuisines and other exotic countries cuisine.

During my trips abroad, I always see to it to try the local fare. I've eaten dim sum in Hong Kong. I've tried a Peking Duck in Beijing. I've eaten sushi in Japan. My realization is that most of the time or almost all the time, the food we eat here from these restaurants are just pitiful variations, second rate versions or even renditions of the original thing.

For example, if you eat a roast duck here in a high-end chinese restaurant, it is still good but way below par from the roast duck in Hong Kong or Beijing.  In Hong Kong/Beijing the Roast Ducks skin is crispier and detached from the meat. It looks like and tastes like it has been lacquered and varnished by this special sauce that makes the skin parchment crispy but also sweet and succulent. The meat inside is still flavorful and tender.  It's miles apart from the roast duck that is served here. The roast duck served here lacks the most important factor or thing to consider when eating roast duck. The skin. It should be crispy. The fat should be cooked thoroughly. You should taste the lacquer (malt sugar and vinegar). The meat is often tough and that happens when it is hurriedly cooked and the outside burns but the meat inside is still raw. Real Peking Duck should be roasted slowly in a moderate fire. Cooking the inside but not scorching the skin, leaving it evenly cooked.

My quest is to venture out and try food that we have learned to love from its ORIGIN. In it's virgin state. Not adulterated, revised or revamped. It's original and authentic form.

For example, we have learned to love pizza. There are hundreds of Italian restaurants that have sprouted all over Manila. They serve traditional italian favorites  like pizzas, pastas and calzones.  We even have our own preferences. They also offer different variations such as   thin crust, thick crust, stuffed crust, and other versions or if I might say abominations.

But in me, there is a skeptic, I always ask myself what does a Pizza Margarita taste like in Naples or in Rome? Chef's here might think that we have all the ingredients to make a Pizza Margarita here in Manila. It's very basic. Flour, water and yeast makes the dough. Tomatoes, garlic and onions make the sauce. Mozzarella cheese is spread on the top and is finished by a basil leaves. That's it!

It's not. Bakers would say that the flour from Manila is different from the flour they use in Italy. The wheat they use is different and how coarse they want the flour  is also different.  The water they use have a different acidity thus making  the end product for the dough different. The texture is different. It reacts differently to the fire. Next, the vegetables for the sauce are worlds apart. The Philippines is not really known for their produce. The heat and the climate is very unforgiving to our producee. So, I can honestly say that the tomatoes, garlic and onions we use are not the same. So i can suffice that the end product will also come out...different. Lastly, would be the cheese, real Italians use Buffalo Mozzarella. It is miles apart from the pre-packaged and vacuum packed variety that we use here in Manila. Some are imported but aren't even Italian. We use danish mozzarella mostly because its cheaper.

So there goes, don't get me wrong, I appreciate the efforts done by restaurateurs who opt to open internationally themed restaurants here in Manila. Filipinos should be exposed to what the world has to offer.

But for me the quest only begins here. I WANT TO SEEK THE TRUTH. I want to taste what a real sushi tastes like in Japan and compare it to what we serve here. I want to eat real Fish and Chips from England and see how the batter is like. Is it crispy? Chewy? Do they really serve that sweet mayo and pickles shit with that thing? I want to try what a real Tom Yung Gung tastes like. All I've tried here is a glorified version of sinigang with a hint of lemongrass and the special "patis" (fish sauce) that they add!!!

I wanna know the truth!! What real food tastes like when they are made in its origin, using local ingredients, local centuries old methods and made by  local chefs.

I want to know what makes it different from the versions they serve here!

Truth VS Myth!!That's my quest!

I want to know the truth so at least I can sleep well at night thinking that the Hainanese chicken I had from the restaurant in Binondo is true!It's not some boiled chicken shit that they force down our mouths and claim that its Hainanese Chicken or Hong Kong White Chicken. I've had White Chicken and Hainanese Chicken in Singapore and in Hong Kong and the fat chef with the dirty apron served it to me yellow and it had slighly pinkish meat with red bones!!!! It was hella good!  If you think it was raw, go ahead, tell the chef and see where that cleaver goes!


I've experienced my share of food truths. It's exhilarating and amazing. I want to spread share the truths I've tasted! You deserve the truth. I don't care if you can't handle the truth. The truth will always set you free!!