Op-Ed: Putting the Philippines back into Filipino cuisine Special

Manila - Although the Philippines is often known for rare dishes and tasty street food, The Heritage Cafe is doing their best to insure that the Philippines is well represented in the area of presenting fine Filipino dishes for the world to see.

Having lived in three different countries the past three years, one thing I became exceptionally good at was finding a good restaurant! From hidden gems in Asia and the blue collar diners in Seattle to the immaculate culinary scene of the lower east side in New York City, I have hunted down the best of the best and developed just as much a taste for finding good places to eat as I have for the delicacies that they prepare. If you are on your way to the Pearl of The Orient and want to know how and where to find good restaurants in Manila, you may find yourself with a very dubious task on your hand. It is interesting to note that while it is extremely easy to find people in every city and in every country to compliment Filipino Cuisine, it is nearly the exact opposite when trying to get a reference for a fine Filipino dining establishment. There are literally countless restaurants in Manila ranging from heavenly to horrid, just as any other major global city would accommodate. The key to finding a good restaurant in Manila is highly contingent upon the kind of food you are looking to eat! If you are looking for indigenous delicacies and I were to send you to the upscale restaurants in Global City, you would be saddened to find that High Street in Bonifacio is not going to tame your hunger for Blood soup, Kare Kare, or Lechon! On the other note, if you were looking to dine amongst the stars and I sent you to a Mabini alley way that has a humble and modest canteen that offers the finest Pakbet in the city, you would be more than disappointed! Food is a very important part of Filipino lifestyle and really is the best way to learn about the extremely deep and diverse culture within the Philippines! Filipino food is very much so indicative of the history of the country. By eating a Spanish/Filipino dish you can see the large influence that colonization had on this island country, in contrast by eating the Filipino dishes of the late 1800's you can see a reemergence of Filipino ideas, Filipino recipe, and culinary traditions after the Spanish invaders were driven into the sea. Other influences from a variety of countries can be seen appearing and disappearing from Filipino Culinary traditions as they fought for their culture and their freedom. Today we are presented with one of the most colorful of Asian food selections that display an amalgamation of cultures, but are dominantly Filipino to its deepest roots. I recently had a chat with Jay Em, (Owner of Paul Calvin's Deli in Fort Bonifacio and The Heritage Cafe and Restaurant in Intramuros) and we spoke about a few subjects ranging the spectrum, from the importance of healthy food to the reemergence of fine Filipino cuisine in the culinary scene of Southeast Asia. Filipino delicacies are finally beginning to appear on the trendy food scene of many majors cities lately, an occurrence that up until recently was only a benefit for neighboring nations of the Philippines, such as Vietnam or Thailand. The Heritage Cafe and Restaurant is well aware of the current trend and they believe that they are miles ahead of the competition, not because of any unknown advantage, but because from day one their ultimate goal has been to provide fine Filipino Cuisine. When other fine restaurants were showcasing Japanese Delicacies, Chinese Dim Sum, or Western Dishes. The Heritage Cafe & Restaurant held true to their belief that in the Philippines they should be representing fine Pinoy recipe for the locals to be proud of and for tourist to discover. As a traveler I was recently in Taipei and I was having a conversation with a Japanese American who was a chef and owner of a bakery in Hawaii who advised me that Manila had some of the best Japanese food that she had ever had. I chuckled to myself and asked "What about the Filipino food?" She looked at me slightly confused and said "What Filipino food?" She thought for a few minutes and told me about a great Indian restaurant in Makati that did have a Filipino dish or two, but after a while she ask "Do you know of a good one?" After having a great number of similar experiences, I began to ask myself why that was. And although that answer will come in a later article, this article is dedicated to giving kudos to the little diner in Intramuros that dared to stand out and present the finest dishes of its country before it was told it was supposed to. The city of Intramuros has a deep history behind it, being the the base of operations for foreign invaders. Since the days Filipinos were finally allowed in the Walled City, they began to make their presence felt with their own culture, their own style, and it fit right at home in the little city by the sea. There is no better place for a restaurant like The Heritage with its quietly beautiful aesthetics, very affordable menu, and its full array of fine Filipino dishes. Although The Heritage does feature a full international Menu, they make it clear with their Menu, theme, and name, that they are proud of being Filipino and they present open doors to anybody who wants to share the enjoyable experience with them. If you end up in the Pearl of the Orient, take a taxi down seaside and get out at the gates of Intramuros. From there you can grab an old fashioned horse buggy down the cobble stone roads and enjoy the evening breeze as you cruise past the mystic architecture of the 16th century. You will get out directly in front of San Agustin church and walked across the street passing the original brick walls of the Spanish fortress until you find The Heritage Cafe, accurately named, and desperately needed.