RESOUNDING commentary from people who return from a holiday to Southeast Asian nations is that the countryside is full of beautiful scenery, wonderful people, and phenomenal food.
Thailand, Vietnam, China and Malaysia all have a distinctive national cuisine.
But one that often sneaks under the radar when it comes to their food is the Philippines.
That might be because they’ve adopted tips and tricks from their Spanish roots. If that’s the case, it’s an unfair assessment. The Asian-European fusion is what makes it so good.
Manyaman at Browns Plains is heavily influenced by street food.
Meaning “delicious” in the Kapampangan language – one of eight major languages of the Philippines – Manyaman used to be on the other side of the road near Officeworks. It’s now on Grand Plaza Drive.
Some of the dishes are great in their simplicity. Sisig is a street favourite, diced pork or chicken with soy sauce and lime, mixed with red onion and served with an egg on a sizzling hot plate.
The pork version is traditionally the face of the pig, including the brain. But don’t worry, this version is pork cutlet and pork belly – it’s “manyaman”.
Looking around the restaurant, most tables are booked and most people have a basket of either boneless fried chicken or boneless grilled chicken.
The freshly grilled chicken is marinated and comes with a vinegar and chilli sauce. The fried chicken comes with banana ketchup.
Soup, a milder form of Thailand’s tom yum, comes with good-sized prawns.
Whole boneless milkfish is also a popular choice, or the whole fried tilapia.
Some of the meals come with some salad, but it’s fair to say that a large portion of the Filipino menu is meat-based. Vegetarians won’t get a lot of joy here.
With half a chicken coming in at $11 and most other dishes around the $14-$15 mark, it’s great to be able to order a few for the table to share. They’re a plentiful size, making for a well-priced night out for a family, which is very much the Filipino people like to eat.
Most meals come with garlic rice which cuts through some of the fattier dishes.
While dishes are served to the table, all orders are at the main counter. Service is friendly, but the focus is all on the food and drinks.
Bubble tea is a safe option, and there are a few Asian favourites. One of them, a hot drink called “taho” is a little like a creme caramel chopped up in a glass. Not a great thirst quencher, but terrific for those with a sweet tooth.
There is only one dessert, “halo halo”, a layered treat with shaved ice, fruit, milk and topped with a scoop of purple ice cream.
