General Info

[Big Johnson2]

I'm only seeing 9 Threads for the Philippine section of the site. I had thought there were other threads for the site with other locations besides Angeles. I am correct or just imagining things?

Thanks

[Big Johnson2]

I have one night in Manila soon. Where is a good place to go for some action. What do the girls at EDSA cost? I've been to L. A. Cafe before but never been anywhere else. Nothing in Makati. I am from America so prefer that is not geared to Asians and used to "foreign" customers. What can I expect for BF price.

Thanks for the help.

[Robbaf]

There is a PAL office in Centennial 2, between the international and domestic departure entrances and you pull a ticket and wait for an hour or more to talk to a rep, but if it was me, I would wait until I landed in Cebu and work it out there.

Robb

I will be flying from SFO to Manila. Arriving 5:40 am Feb 21. Then Feb 23 I'm flying PAL to Cebu and I'm flying a girl from Tacloban to Cebu on Feb 24.

However, since I had to change the girl's flight I still owe some penalty money which I apparently have to pay in the Phils. I am wondering if it's easiest to pay this at a PAL ticket office upon my arrival in Manila early on the 21st. Or to wait until I take my domestic flight to Cebu. And the either pay then at the Manila airport or upon arrival at Cebu (for the girl's flight the next day).

Sorry. This is my first time in the Phils. So I don't know.

Thanks!

[Puerto La Cruz]

Hi Guys,
I'm from America and was wondering in other countries do they have American Restaurants and what do they serve as American dishes? In USA most of the time we are going out to a type of Restaurant: fish, vegetarian, burgers, steak, or maybe a southern cooking with fried chicken, or breakfast food. Usually though we would go out for Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian, Italian, etc. I'm asking what is considered American dishes? Please tell me are their unique Australian or New Zealand dishes also?

Thanks

Kenny Rogers, Shakey's Pizza, McDonalds, etc. Just walk around any mall and you will see the so called "American Restaurants." In my experience though, the quality sucks except for McDonalds. McDonalds cheeseburger in Manila tastes exactly like one from Chi-Town. And you can get rice rather than fries. There are a bunch of others doing business there, mostly fast food franchises. Nothing comes to mind outside of the malls and fast food franchises.

[Big Johnson2]

Hi Guys,

I'm from America and was wondering in other countries do they have American Restaurants and what do they serve as American dishes? In USA most of the time we are going out to a type of Restaurant: fish, vegetarian, burgers, steak, or maybe a southern cooking with fried chicken, or breakfast food. Usually though we would go out for Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian, Italian, etc. I'm asking what is considered American dishes? Please tell me are their unique Australian or New Zealand dishes also?

Thanks

[Redfield10]

I will be flying from SFO to Manila. Arriving 5:40 am Feb 21. Then Feb 23 I'm flying PAL to Cebu and I'm flying a girl from Tacloban to Cebu on Feb 24.

However, since I had to change the girl's flight I still owe some penalty money which I apparently have to pay in the Phils. I am wondering if it's easiest to pay this at a PAL ticket office upon my arrival in Manila early on the 21st. Or to wait until I take my domestic flight to Cebu. And the either pay then at the Manila airport or upon arrival at Cebu (for the girl's flight the next day).

Sorry. This is my first time in the Phils. So I don't know.

Thanks!

[Professional]

Locals eat like raccoons

No matter how many time I read this it still make me laugh.

[Cunning Stunt]

About three years ago, while spending a night in Ermita, I was surprised when I saw the Manila bay transformed from place full of vendors and beggars into a entertainment strip full of music and food. So I looked forward to coming to Ermita every year while transiting to other locations. Until last year when they killed the whole thing. This is just another example of the Philipinos shooting themselves in the foot. Was there another legitimate reason that i didn't know about?

Yes - me too. I used to really enjoy an occasional evening down there, have a meal, a few beers and take in a live band. It used to be a real tourist magnet.

Then the asshole otherwise known as Mayor Lim intervened and shut the whole thing down. This was apparently in response to a few complaints about noise, from foreign visitors to the ASEAN meeting held in Manila in mid-2007. They were staying at the Diamond and were apparently missing a little beauty sleep in between their visits to KTV and Hostess Bars.

If you ever require proof of the inept, short sighted, fuck the people policies of the rich and all powerful in the Philippines, this might be a good example to use.

P.S There are still a few lively, open-air bars across Roxas Boulevard, near Remedios.

[Columpuss]

About three years ago, while spending a night in Ermita, I was surprised when I saw the Manila bay transformed from place full of vendors and beggars into a entertainment strip full of music and food. So I looked forward to coming to Ermita every year while transiting to other locations. Until last year when they killed the whole thing. This is just another example of the Philipinos shooting themselves in the foot. Was there another legitimate reason that i didn't know about?

[Cunning Stunt]

There's a lot of truth in Lenience's post, particularly about the food, which is the worst I've ever tasted in Asia, it's sort of like the UK of Asia since, in my opinion British food is about the worst in the Western world, though I will admit that the US stuff comes in a close second. It's not only the food though, it's everything else--like the lack of infrastructure--plus the food and the fact that the culture itself--unlike Vietnam and Thailand and Malaysia--is just not terribly interesting.

GE

What, do you not like fish n’ chips or Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding? And I cannot believe that you would turn your nose up at a bit of spotted dick!

Seriously though, food in Britain (as opposed to British food) has undergone something of a renaissance in the past few years. If you take the Michelin Guide as an arbiter of excellence (as most do), then Britain comes third on the list of European countries with restaurants with 1*, 2* or the much vaunted 3 star category. Only France and Italy have more listed places. Admittedly there are only 3 restaurants with the magic 3 stars but that is more than Switzerland, or Belgium or Holland.

Now I do agree with your comments regarding Filipino food. It can be truly and momentously awful. Their national dish Adobo is an, admittedly tasty, but fundamentally simple dish (even I can cook it) of pork, vinegar, garlic and black pepper. Some dishes are disgusting to the point of inedibility, such as dinuguan which is a mixture of liver, pork blood and vinegar, rather like liquid black pudding! It makes me feel ill just to watch it being eaten. And has anyone tried Balut, the semi-formed duck embryo that you are supposed to swallow whole, like an oyster. I have but was plastered at the time and regretted it later. And don’t leave your beloved pet pooch with Filipino relatives in the provinces. I kid you not. If it barks too much and annoys the neighbors, it is liable to end up as dog stew pulatan – Pinoy late night drinking food.

For the best food in the Philippines try Bicol food. This is from south Luzon and is very tasty. It is similar to Thai food in that they use a lot of coconut milk and chilies in their recipes. Their signature dish is Bicol Express, which as the name implies is pretty hot and spicy and might have you chugging along to the CR the next day.

[FreebieFan]

Well, maybe I'm biased but having spent one month in US last summer (and having visited the place every year for past ten years) every menu in Us looks same. It all has burgers. All has fried chicken. In many out of way places has meatloaf (yuck! ). Has ribs etc. All menus are same and all lack vegetables and salads. Except the standard caesar salad and cobb salad.

US food is dull. Tasteless. And the portions are too much for most invividuals, except of corse for the real fatties. Of which there are plenty.

UK food isn't streets ahead, but does have a greater sense of variety including pies, roasts, fish dishes etc.

One mans meat. Etc.

[Wicked Roger]

There's a lot of truth in Lenience's post, particularly about the food, which is the worst I've ever tasted in Asia, it's sort of like the UK of Asia since, in my opinion British food is about the worst in the Western world, though I will admit that the US stuff comes in a close second.

GE

GE

How can you say that - have you never eaten good fish and chips with mushy peas, or black sausage and haggis, or fried Mars bars.....

The British cuisine has so much to offer and such diveristy from US cuisine :D

As for you FR and others, I am not a fan of Filipino food, but the pork belly can be tasty if not great on the waistline. The country does offer a lot but the problems and hassles to get to some nice places coupled with the lack basics at times will never put it poeple's top 10 for tourist destinations

Now am off to try a decent liver and bacon with mashed potoes - yummy :D

[GoodEnough]

There's a lot of truth in Lenience's post, particularly about the food, which is the worst I've ever tasted in Asia, it's sort of like the UK of Asia since, in my opinion British food is about the worst in the Western world, though I will admit that the US stuff comes in a close second. It's not only the food though, it's everything else--like the lack of infrastructure--plus the food and the fact that the culture itself--unlike Vietnam and Thailand and Malaysia--is just not terribly interesting.

GE

[Lenience]

I think ShadowAxis hit some home-runs about why the lack of tourism in the PIs.
There are only two local dishes to eat there: Balut and chicken adobo. They made an attempt to import a foreign cuisine but chose the worst country on this planet, US.
I think it is the only country in Asia that doesn't feel and look like Asia. People don't want to fly thousands of miles to visit a country that looks like a poor Spanish neighborhood in Los Angeles .

LOL! Quite racist but spot on. Endearing as Filipinos can be (especially the hot nubile ones), they are a confused culture. I know many Japanese who know the Phils only by reputation but won't visit there because they have heard the awful truth about the food.

[Columpuss]

I think ShadowAxis hit some home-runs about why the lack of tourism in the PIs.
There are only two local dishes to eat there: Balut and chicken adobo. They made an attempt to import a foreign cuisine but chose the worst country on this planet, US.
I think it is the only country in Asia that doesn't feel and look like Asia. People don't want to fly thousands of miles to visit a country that looks like a poor Spanish neighborhood in Los Angeles .