Cebu on a Stick

Okay, now to really important matters: how is the food in the Philippines?

Art, music, architecture, climate, mannerisms - all of these have their place, but really, what can compare for sheer weight (no pun intended) with the cuisine of a place? A man is what he eats, after all.

There's a reason Philippine cuisine has yet to take the world by storm the way Chinese, Thai, or any number of other Asian cuisines have; it's kind of boring. It's mostly meat stews over rice or fish or meat grilled over coals. Tasty enough, but not anything to really excite people. The emphasis on meat and the lack of creative vegetables exclude the health-conscious, and the lack of spiciness leaves out all the people who so gratefully dig into Thai or Indian curries.

Absent is the ginger, lemongrass, coconut milk, star anise and chilies which are so prevalent in the rest of southeast Asia. There are a few dishes which I find interesting enough to make myself, but the emphasis on heartiness over vivid flavors isn't really my style.

There is also the propensity to grill absolutely everything and serve it on a stick - even things that one cannot possibly eat on a stick, such as small fish replete with bones and scales.

For dessert their favorites seem to be leche flan (the Spanish answer to creme caramel), halo-halo (an inelegant but refreshing mix of fruits, gelatin, and ice cream) and banana Q, which is basically a banana coated in sugar then caramelized over a fire.

Also the ketchup is made of bananas, but honestly I wouldn't have known if they hadn't told me - it looks and tastes the same.