In contrast to the Philippines that largely serve the same dishes with very little variation, the ingredients over here in Canada are generally of much better quality, but the food in my opinion is still far behind that of all other SE and Oriental Asian countries.
After living in the Philippines 11 years, and elsewhere over there for over 2+ years, and just coming back after 3 months there again, I have come to know that what is commonly called 'filipino food' is NOT their food at all: they have been subjected to poor quality mixed-up versions of Chinese, Spanish and American 'food' for centuries! That means that what restaurants sell and people eat is mostly not their natural food at all. Instead of nicely spiced and herbed dishes that taste good and are safe to consume, most of the stewed, grilled, baked and bbq'd dishes lack flavour, quality, and more than once I and friends have been poisoned.
My wife is a filipina: in an attempt to treat her, I took her out to 3 different pinoy restaurants in Calgary, and this one 2x, but when I ask her where she wants to eat out, these restaurants are not on her list, nor at all on mine! After trying some of the best Indian, Thai, Viet, Chinese, Japanese and Korean, she's not at all keen on going back to these marginal places who, even with Cdn culinary education, don't raise the bar much more than exists in the Philippines...
And all their dishes are pretty much copies of what's back home: Anthony Bourdain was kind when he visited there a few years ago, but clearly he didn't like most of he was putting into his mouth in restos and streets, and yet, atypically, held his tongue.
Not only is most of it distasteful, the populace are so unaware that they can't help but behave as if nothing is wrong. A culture that avoids eating quality vegetables and mostly stoke up on meat/fish and rice, it's quite amazing that their life expectancy is as high as it is...
At Paolo's, the adobo, mixed gulay (vegetable), baboy (pork), boneless bangus (milkfish), or grilled chicken dishes in various forms are just not that tasty or good looking. In fact, during our 2nd and last time there, there were still red marks of blood on and near the bone of the drumstick and breast. Kinda expected to get sick, again, but gladly didn't...
Their presentation tends to be unappealing, and the interior of this restaurant looks proudly tacky, and, like the food, kinda pangit, diba?
Unlike the hundred decent and even excellent Vietnamese restos in the city, the few filipino restos that survive are not frequented by most whites or by other asian cultures. After all, they know the history and why that ugly blend of poor caucasian/chinese is so terrible.
As well, the prices at this place are not low: their lunch meals are about $13 and most dinner dishes from $18-30. And there is nothing special about any of them! So boring, so bland.
Too bad, but this is the result of generations of cultural upheaval, and not the intentions of filipinos at all. I wish I could be more positive, but we won't be returning to Paolo's, or any of the few others, anytime soon.
Want good food?
Do your research on Yelp, Trip Advisor or Google, skip all pinoy restos, and find the best rated restaurants of true ethnic quality, and be amazed.
Sadly, not much of that here. read more