Jollibee

Love Jollibee.

Crispy, juicy, perfectly fried chicken served with a side of steamed rice and their signature gravy.

Fast food heaven.

It’s simply the best fried chicken I have ever had.

Jollibee chicken-joy is beautifully crispy on the outside and deliciously succulent on the inside. You get a satisfying peppery crunch followed by hot, tender chicken. It’s not heavy and greasy, like in some fried chicken places.

Their signature gravy mixes classic Filipino flavours. Bay leaf and pepper combine in a rich, aromatic sauce with a herby, almost nutty flavour. It’s unique and really compliments the chicken.

Simple steamed rice is the perfect accompaniment. Rice is so much nicer than fries, which go cold almost immediately.

Had to finish it all off with one of Jollibee’s iconic peach mango pies. You crack through a sweet, crunchy pastry crust and bite into the hot peach-mango filling. The perfect combination – hot, sweet, fruity goodness.

Fil Manila, Barcelona

A few days in Barcelona aren’t complete without a trip or two to Fil Manila. Tucked away in a side street just of the Rambla, it’s easy to miss. But we always seek it out when in town.

After a day exploring the city and browsing the markets, we sat down to a Filipino feast.

We started with lumpia, and then ordered a large plate of crispy pata, served on the bone with a couple of dipping sauces.

We liked it so much we came back this evening.

Kubo Canteen, Bordeaux, France

A wet day exploring the sights of Bordeaux was brightened by a lunch stop at Kubo Canteen for a well-deserved fix of Filipino food.

We ordered classic sisig and kare kare and a couple of glasses of refreshing calamansi juice.

Pinoy Restaurant, Berlin

After a long day exploring Berlin, we sought out PINOY Philippinische Spezialitäten, a family run restaurant serving traditional Filipino food.

We ordered Adobong Pusit, suateed squid in vinegar, ginger, garlic, onion and soy sauce, and Lechon Kawali, the Philippines’ famous fried pork belly which came with a large bowl of dipping sauce.

We then opted for pancit, noodles with vegetables, and a large portion of steamed rice.

Love the way they served the food in traditional Filipino pans. The lechon and pancit came in kawale (Philippine frying pan) while the rice was servved in a Palayok, the traditional clay cooking pot used right across the Philippines.

Loved it.