3 Filipino Dishes among TOP 100 World’s Best

We may earn a commission on qualified purchases made through one of our links. Learn more

The late Anthony Bourdain was at it when he described Philippine Lechon as the “Best Pig Ever”. Today, not only the famous Lechon has garnered the attention of the whole world.

Taste Atlas, a famous website for food enlists three Filipino dishes as one of the World’s Best. Aside from Lechon, Taste Atlas includes Kare-Kare and Crispy Pata as one of the World’s Best.

3 Filipino Dishes among TOP 100 World's Best

Check out our new cookbook

Bitemybun's family recipes with complete meal planner and recipe guide.

Try it out for free with Kindle Unlimited:

Read for free

The New Era in Food Culture Has 3 Filipino Dishes on Its List

The website described Lechon as “The Best pig in the world, so it is definitely worth a try” while Kare-Kare is “a favorite among natives”.

Other dishes from other countries include sushi from Japan, sashimi; also from Japan, pho from Vietnam, pasta from Italy, and mac&cheese from the United States.

Taste Atlas is an online encyclopedia about foods and beverages. The website commits to promoting the world’s best and local ingredients, authentic restaurants, and traditional recipes.

The website also serves as a research point for everyone who wishes to get updated and learn reliable facts and information about the world’s cuisines.

Taste Atlas has more than 10,000 dishes and ingredients on their website. Their aim is to regularly add to that list.

They not only list popular dishes but also dishes that have already been forgotten from times past.

Know Your Lechon

Lechon is the Philippines’ version of the roasted pig. What makes this version special is the variety of ingredients put inside the pig while it is cooked over a large pit.

Before that, the pig is seasoned with the best ingredients.

3 Filipino Dishes among TOP 100 World's Best

Many people say that Cebu Lechon is the best lechon in the country. It is flavorful and packs a punch. Today, several versions of Lechon has come out like the boneless type and spicy one.

Many people also attest that young pig used for lechon is the best as it has more flavor and contains less fat. (Click this for Lechon Cebu Recipe)

Is Kare-Kare a kind of Curry?

Traditional Kare-Kare consists of oxtail, tripe, ham hock, and beef. It is made special and thick by peanut butter (new version) or grounded peanut and rice flour (new version) or grounded rice.

It features several vegetables like eggplant, pechay (Chinese cabbage), banana heart, and string beans.

The finished dish is partnered with bagoong (fermented shrimp paste). This match is heavenly as some would say. It gets its color from annatto or atsuete. It also has a gelatinous texture.

Kare-Kare-Recipe

While some might think Kare-Kare is a kind of curry because of its texture and color, it isn’t really a curry because it doesn’t use the curry spice or any kind of spice.

This word though comes from the Malay style of repetition with words. Kare-Kare is a mainstay in restaurants and many eateries in the whole country. (Click here for Kare-Kare Recipe)

The Story of the Crispy Pata

Crispy Pata is pork knuckles or ham hock. Cooking crispy pata is cooked by simmering it in a broth and deep-frying it after.

The origin of crispy pata was discovered when a restaurant owner’s son was castigated. He likes feeding his friends so to continue it, his mother only allowed him to use pork knuckles.

Crispy-Pata

In 1958, Rod Ongpauco invented the actual dish it is today. Their restaurant Barrio Fiesta became famous for this dish.

The popularity of the dish grew more and more to the point when people will partner the dish with another famous dish, their Kare-Kare. (Click this for this crispy pata Recipe)

COMPLETE LIST OF TOP 100 WORLD’S BEST ACCORDING TO TASTE ATLAS

  1. Sushi – JAPAN
  2. Sashimi – JAPAN
  3. Pho – Vietnam
  4. Tagliatelle al ragù alla Bolognese – Italy
  5. Mac and Cheese – USA
  6. Risotto – LOMBARDY, ITALY
  7. Shabu-shabu – OSAKA, JAPAN
  8. Tonkatsu – JAPAN
  9. Paella – Spain
  10. Burrito – HEROICA CIUDAD JUÁREZ, MEXICO
  11. Bibimbap – SOUTH KOREA
  12. Bulgogi – SOUTH KOREA
  13. Churrasco – BRAZIL
  14. Spaghetti alla carbonara – ROME, ITALY
  15. Fondue – SWITZERLAND
  16. Ceviche – PERU
  17. Pad Thai – THAILAND
  18. Fish and Chips – ENGLAND
  19. Cheeseburger – PASADENA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  20. Satay – JAVA, INDONESIA
  21. Pizza Napoletana – NAPLES, ITALY
  22. Chili con Carne – SAN ANTONIO, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  23. Parrilla – ARGENTINA
  24. Tempura – JAPAN
  25. Karē raisu – JAPAN

See Full List here

The Future of Filipino Dishes

Before many people say that even when Filipino dishes taste good, it lacks proper presentation on the table but it’s very different now.

Many Filipino chefs are parading their masterpieces for everyone to see.

So, you don’t only taste good Filipino dishes, you will also see how they are being presented to the world.

Check out our new cookbook

Bitemybun's family recipes with complete meal planner and recipe guide.

Try it out for free with Kindle Unlimited:

Read for free

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.