Kabayan delights: Filipino comfort food in the UAE - in pictures
Kabayan Zone is the busiest Filipino street food outlet in Abu Dhabi. All photos: Victor Besa / The National
The menu at Kabayan Zone, which is opposite Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi.
Barbecued chicken feet at Kabayan Zone. The chicken is dipped in a sauce containing garlic, onions and vinegar with red hot chilli peppers. A popular staple in Filipino street food, chicken feet are commonly known as 'adidas', after the sports shoe brand.
'Helmet' is barbecued chicken head. Similar to jumbo isaw and adidas in marinade and dipping sauce, but not as popular. This is the version served at Kabayan Zone.
Kabayan Zone's halo-halo, which in English means mix mix. Halo-halo is shaved ice, with jellies, flan, macapuno, palm seeds, sweetened red beans, ube ice cream, fresh fruit, toasted coconut flakes, pinipig mixed with sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk. Everyone makes it differently, and this is Kabayan Zone's version.
Macaroni Medley at Hot Palayok Restaurant & Grill in Madinat Zayed, Abu Dhabi. It's made from condensed cream and some mayonnaise with macaroni and an assortment of Filipino fruit preserves, raisins, macapuno, red and green jelly with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top.
Hot Palayok also has a branch in Karama, Dubai.
The puto bumbong balls at Hot Palayok are made from rice flour with purple yam steamed in bamboo tubes. It's topped with fresh coconut and a pinch of brown sugar.
Biko, a sweet rice cake, is one of the most delicious delicacies in the Philippines. There are several variations and this is the Hot Palayok version.
Hot Palayok's ginataang bilo bilo, a popular Filipino afternoon snack or dessert. It's made with glutinous rice balls, plantain bananas, sweet potatoes and tapioca pearls and cooked in sweet coconut milk. Sometimes jackfruit is added. This is best served hot and kept warm in a clay pot or 'hot palayok'.
Razon's of Guagua is famous for pancit luglug, a dish made of thick rice noodles.
Razon's of Guagua's famous cooler, halo-halo, uses three ingredients – sweetened banana, macapuno (coconut jelly) and leche flan served on fine shaved milk ice.
Pancit luglug, the most popular meal at Razon's of Guagua, which is in the food court at Al Wahda Mall extension.
Kabayan Turo-Turo Cafeteria is in Al Attar Centre in Karama, Dubai.
Kabayan Turo-Turo Cafeteria serves turon, or banana spring rolls.
Kwek kwek, orange quail eggs, and siomai, Filipino dumplings with garlic chilli sauce in extra virgin olive oil.
Pan Pugon TinaPIE Bakeri is also in Al Attar Shopping Centre, Karama, Dubai. Pugon is the traditional oven and pan is Spanish for bread.
Pandesal, served at Pan Pugon TinaPIE Bakeri, is the most popular Filipino bread roll and is usually eaten at breakfast with coffee or fresh carabao milk.
Buko pie is a traditional Filipino dessert, which consists of creamy coconut filling inside a flaky pie crust. It is made with buko, the flesh of a young coconut, sweetened with plain or condensed milk, cream and sugar. It's particularly popular at Pan Pugon TinaPIE Bakeri.
