Festive event with sumptuous fare unveils choices. Others in the running-?adobo,? ?bulalo,? chicken ?inasal,? crispy ?pata,? ?daing na bangus,? ?kare-kare,? ?pancit canton,? ?pinakbet,? ?sisig?
IT?S FINALLY REVEALED.

The ultimate Pinoy dish is none other than... sinigang!

After less than three months of a nationwide search for the Filipinos? favorite local dish, Unilever Foodsolutions, with the Department of Tourism and the Inquirer Lifestyle, concluded it is sinigang?not adobo, contrary to popular belief?that very well represents Pinoy cuisine.

The announcement was made before 500-plus guests last Wednesday at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. The successful campaign, dubbed ?Sooo Pinoy (Evolving Filipino Flavors): National Search for the Ultimate Pinoy Dish,? created a big buzz among foodies, restaurateurs, caterers, chefs and food industry leaders all over the country.

The Ultimate Sooo Pinoy Dish was awarded to sinigang, which garnered the highest point average collectively from the panel of judges and through SMS (text) and online voting. Other dishes that vied for the award were adobo, bulalo, chicken inasal, crispy pata, daing na bangus, kare-kare, pancit canton, pinakbet and sisig.

Based on SMS results, sinigang garnered 83 votes, followed by chicken inasal at 79 and adobo at 74, from a total number of 436 votes. From the online voting, sinigang earned 3,941 votes; kare-kare, 2,134; and adobo, 1,940, from a total number of 13,949 votes.

However, the judges ranked sinigang second to adobo, and crispy pata at third place. It was the text and online votes that pulled up the scores for sinigang. In total, sinigang gained a total of 30 percent (text), 40 percent (judges) and 30 percent (online) votes.

Filipinos overseas reportedly made up most of the online votes through Inquirer.net.

Judges were Elizabeth Nelle, DOT director for product research and development; Ryan Lastra, sous chef for UFS Culinary Applications; and Norma Chikiamco, contributor for PDI Lifestyle food section. They based their decision on the following criteria: the dish?s unique Filipino taste; its heritage/history and versatility; its recall when it comes to consumers? food choices; and the convenience of preparing the dish, whether at home or at a restaurant.

?We were surprised with the results,? noted Gino Cruz, UFS channel marketing manager. ?For a while we thought it was adobo, but now we realized that Filipino food has really evolved. Sinigang, more than just a comfort food, is now popularly served in restaurants. We don?t want to classify only one type of sinigang, because when you say sinigang it can be pork or seafood, yet the manner of preparing it is almost the same. The distinct sourness of sinigang is always there.?

?I feel the acceptability of this dish outside the Philippines is strong because of its similarity to Thailand?s Tom Yum,? he added. ?After this awarding, we want to come out with a campaign that would say sinigang is the national dish of the Philippines.?

More than just a campaign, Sooo Pinoy aims to identify evolving Filipino food habits and flavors. It also intends to put the country in the forefront of the world?s cuisine map.

Gastronomic feast

Hosted by PDI Lifestyle columnist Tessa Prieto-Valdes and UFS chef Paulo Sia, the Sooo Pinoy event unveiled the winning dish in a lavish feast complemented by a very Pinoy-inspired atmosphere, starting off with the colorful Sooo Pinoy Jeepney parked near the main hall entrance.

Guests were welcomed and ushered in by dancers in stylized ethnic costumes. Bayang Barrios provided the entertainment.

The highlight was the bountiful spread of the top 10 dishes displayed strategically on both sides of the stage. Each dish was prepared by selected top 10 restaurants that popularly serve them, coming from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

With the parade of all the sumptuous food fare, guests happily partook of the dishes, easily giving in to their cravings and guilty pleasures.

Capping the meal was halo-halo provided by Razon?s of Guagua, which drew a long queue.

Appreciation

The 10 restaurant owners/representatives for each dish were given a plaque of appreciation for their participation in the campaign by PDI chair Marixi Rufino Prieto, Elizabeth Nelle, Gino Cruz, Stacy Tabino, UFS channel activations manager, and Jocel Adorable, PDI assistant vice president for marketing.

For Adobo: Abe Restaurant, Al Navarro Catering, Brewberry Café, Escas, Kanin Club, La Preciosa, Pinutos Republik, Sonya?s Garden, Recipes By Café Metro and Romulo Café.

Bulalo: Abuhan Dos, Bali Seafoods Paluto, Capitol Site Eatery, Grace Sister, Greenfield Mano Mano, Pat-Pat?s Kansi House, Rose and Grace Restaurant, RSM Restaurant, Sharyn?s Cansi House and Leslie?s.

Chicken Inasal: AA?s BBQ, Aida?s Inasal, The Aristocrat, Bacolod Chicken Inasal, Chicken Ati-atihan, Chicken House, Freska, Jay Jay?s Inasal, Mang Inasal and Penong?s Barbecue Seafoods and Grill.

Crispy Pata: Bauhinia Filipino Cuisine, Bob Marlin Restaurant and Grill, Café Adriatico, Gerry?s Grill, Giligan?s, Hotel Del Rio, Leslie?s Restaurant, Café Laguna, Max?s Restaurant and Serye Café Filipino.

Daing na Bangus: 1521 Restaurant, AA BBQ, Bangus Republic, Dagupena Restaurant, Hacienda Palmeras, I Republik, LZM restaurant, Matutina?s Seafoods, Rose and Grace and Pancake House.

Kare-Kare: Bagoong Club, Barrio Fiesta, C2 Classic Cuisine, Hapag Vicentico?s, Josephine?s Restaurant, Manila Polo Club, Milky Way Café, Nanay Bebang, Roadhouse Café and Romulo Café.

Pancit Canton: Amber, Aristocrat, Bermuda Hotel & Resto, Via Mare, Classic Savory, Emerald Garden, Green Mango, Kusina ni Kambal, The Dynasty Court Hotel and Toho Restaurant.

Pinakbet: Angel?s Kitchen, Coconut Grill Restaurant, Hapag Vicentico?s, Island Grill Express, Kagay-anon Restaurant, Kanin Club, KKK, Marriott Hotel, Quattro Grill and Bar and Saramsam Ylocano Restaurant.

Sinigang: Antonio?s Grill, Chika-an sa Cebu, Congo Grille, Ikabud Pagkain Pinoy, LZM Restaurant, Matutina?s, Max?s, NE Restaurant, Rose and Grace and Sentro.

Sisig: Aling Lucing?s Sisig, Aysee?s Sisig, El Cirkulo, Kubo sa Lawn, Leony?s Restaurant, Cafe Juanita, Luring?s Barbeque House, Mely?s Barbeque, Sisig Hooray and Trellis.

?We recognize these restaurants for contributing to the identity of Pinoy cuisine,? said Cruz. ?We?re glad that even the owners of restaurants from Visayas and Mindanao and even from Northern Luzon (Pampanga and Tarlac) all came here just to receive the award tonight.?

Guidebook, citation

A special citation was also given to Jollibee for making a Filipinized version of the hamburger, the Yumburger. The award was accepted by Albert Cuadrante, Jollibee vice president for marketing; Susan Tanmantiong, Jollibee vice president for purchasing, and Edna Barin, Jollibee vice president for research and development.

The affair also introduced the soon-to-be-launched ?Sooo Pinoy Foodtrip Guidebook,? which showcases the top 20 most popular dishes in Philippine dining and the best restaurants across the country that serve them.

Also present during the event were executives from UFS, including Jackie Chook, vice president of UFS Southeast Asia; Zafer Unver, Southeast Asia Channel Marketing Director; Pinky Laurena, managing director; Ali Gokcelik, vice president for Supply Chain; and Chito Macapagal, vice president for corporate affairs.

?I?m very happy and proud of our partnership with UFS and DOT in our search for the ultimate Pinoy dish,? said Prieto. ?I applaud the efforts of UFS in providing sensible solutions in our food preparations and enhancements. I thank our partners for letting us experience the joy of eating Filipino food and for letting us appreciate again the heritage and history of what makes us Filipino.?