11. Kare-kare
This stew of oxtail has the most delicious sauce made from ground toasted rice and crushed peanuts.
Banana blossom, eggplants and string beans add more interesting textures, making it a complete meal on its own.
It's eaten with steamed rice and bagoong (shrimp paste).
While mom's kare-kare is always best, the version at Cafe Juanita is authentic.
Cafe Juanita, 2 United St Kapitolyo, Pasig, Luzon Philippines;
12. Kamaro
Serious gourmands know the best cooks come from Pampanga.
So do kamaro, these mole crickets they cook into a delicious appetizer.
What makes this delicacy special?
Well, if catching these bugs is tough, so is cooking them.
Legs and wings must be removed, then the body is boiled in vinegar and garlic.
It's then sautéed in oil, onion and chopped tomatoes until they turn chocolate brown.
These bite-size appetizers are crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside.
Sample Kamaru at Everybody's Cafe, an authentic Pampango dining institution for many decades now.
Everybody's Cafe, MacArthur Highway Dau, San Fernando, Luzon Philippines;
13. Ilocos empanada
Yes, its name reveals its Spanish origins.
But its ingredients are all local.
Grated unripe papaya or bean sprouts, egg and loganiza (pork sausage) are stuffed in the empanada and deep fried, accompanied with a spicy vinegar sauce.
Get this staple Filipino food from stalls beside the cathedrals in Vigan and Laoag.
14. Sinigang
Sinigang is a stew of fish, prawns, pork or beef soured by fruits like tamarind, kamias or tomatoes.
Often accompanied by vegetables like kangkong, string beans and taro, this stew is eaten with rice.
A modern, but delicious spin on Sinigang is Sentro 1771's version called Sinigang Corned Beef.
Sentro 1771, 2/F Greenbelt 3, Makati, Luzon Philippines;
15. Tapa
Filipinos are huge rice eaters, and breakfast is no exception.
A tap-si-log consists of thin slices of dried marinated beef served with fried egg and garlic rice.
While it is breakfast fare, it's also a quick, satisfying meal you can eat anytime and available in most places.
Making it accessible all the time and even available for deliveries, Tapa King serves it in the classic, sweetish and spicy versions.
Tapa king, #13 Ano 96 Street, Brgy. Hagdang Bato, Libis Mandaluyong City 1552, Manila, Luzon Philippines;
16. Dinuguan at puto
It may not look appetizing.
But this black dish of pork and pig innards -- stewed in fresh pig blood seasoned with garlic, onion and oregano and eaten with a white puto (rice cake) or steamed rice -- is a comforting dish for many Filipinos.
The MilkyWay Cafe's version tastes homemade and clean.
MilkyWay Cafe, 2/F MilkyWay Bldg, 900 Arnaiz Ave (Pasay Road) corner Paseo de Roxas, Makati, Luzon 1200 Philippines;
17. Betute
The French may have turned frogs' legs into a delicacy, but Filipinos take it to the next level.
They get a frog, stuff it with minced pork and deep-fry it.
While betute isn't for everyone, the adventurous can try it at Everybody's Cafe.
Everybody's Cafe, MacArthur Highway Dau, San Fernando, Luzon Philippines;
18. Laing