6 Best Filipino Cuisines for this Yuletide Season

It’s quite known Christmas celebration in the Philippines is the longest among other countries. Once the first of the “ber” months enters, it signals the start of the four-month long Catholic festivity. As December kicks in almost everybody’s mood is set in a holiday mode. This is where the vacation leaves of most employees are reserved. Christmas is a chance of family getting together and the much-awaited Noche Buena. It is a special family dinner during Christmas Eve. Noche Buena doesn’t have to be budget wrecking as if you’re staying in one of the hotels in Makati.

The importance of Noche Buena is when the family sits together at the dinner table sharing good laugh, stories, and a hearty meal. Nothing is wrong if you want to go back in time where your holiday taste bud isn’t dominated by pasta dishes like spaghetti and macaroni salad. Do you want a menu of purely Filipino cuisine? Below are some of the suggestions:

Fried Lumpia


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Crunchy on the outside, juicy and flavorful inside. This wrapped golden brown dish is always present at parties and gatherings. A finger food for all occasions and best served with sweet chili sauce.

Crispy Pata


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Just like lumpia, it’s crispy and succulent, a heavenly dish that if eaten in great amounts it will literary send you to heaven. It’s laden with a lot of cholesterol so it should be eaten in moderation.

Kare Kare


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It’s a complete dish with meat and vegetables. The preparation and cooking of this dish is challenging but the results are worth it once sprinkled by sweet-salty bagoong (fish sauce).

Pancit Palabok


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It is an alternative to the usual pasta dish like spaghetti. It has more ingredients and texture than the red-colored pasta dish and has an orange-y color. The toppings are what make pancit palabok colorful and delicious. Choose from shrimps, fish balls, kikiams, strips of green leafy vegetables, and thinly sliced salty eggs.

Halayang Ube


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This dessert once consumed gives you a feeling of a full stomach. A sticky jam glides in to your tongue and has a mouthwatering creaminess.

Leche Flan


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Who will decline a leche flan? Rich, syrupy, creamy are the trademarks of this caramelized custard dessert. It melts into your mouth and you will definitely ask for a second serving.

This is only a partial list, be ready for more and prepare adding extra inches in your waist line this Noche Buena.

How to Choose the Right Accommodation

Usually when you are going on a trip out of the country, you do not know which hotel to check in. It is logical because it is impossible to be familiar on a place which you never have been to. So, I have provided some tips on how to choose the right hotel for you.

1. Know your Objective

Before searching the right hotel, you should first consider your situation. Think of this first, Are you on a business trip or are you going for relaxation? Are you staying on a hotel longer or staying on a shorter time? Will you be driving your own car or are you just planning to ride on a bus for the trip? With all these in mind, you’ll be able to choose the best accommodation for you.

2. Look for the Cheapest

Whether on a business trip, adventure or relaxation, this should be one of the primary considerations in choosing. First, you should know your budget. This will nearly cut down your broad choices of hotels that are appropriate for you. There are cheap, middle-ranged prices or five star hotels to choose from. Research whether parking space, meals are included.

3. Consider Services and Cleanliness

Mostly, the word that comes to mind when we hear safety and sanitation in hotel is its luxurious price. Services and sanitation is directly proportional to the accommodation price. The higher the price of accommodation is, the better and cleaner it is basically. But this is not true all the time. There are still cheap hotels that offer both safety and cleanliness at the same time so, it’s up to you to find the good but cheap ones.

When considering the services be wary to consider safety. When we say safety, aside from the amenities, there should be enough security personnel to secure the place making rounds in and out of the hotel vicinity. It is always better to sleep when you know that you’re safe enough in the place.

So how can we choose the best hotel? The answer is simple, know yourself, your purpose for the hotel reservation. Search the forums about cleanliness, services offered and amenities. Then, choose the best hotel that is appropriate to you.