When my friends and I went to Malaysia (you can read my Kuala Lumpur food trip series starting here, and my Malacca food trip here) last year, we booked a Grab (a ride-hailing service in Southeast Asia) from the airport to the city. The driver was a friendly local who endlessly talked about his country. He even recounted that he watched a Filipino soap opera starred by actor Jericho Rosales. Apparently, a TV station aired the series and dubbed it in Malay language. Interesting!

At one point, the driver “complained” about the Philippines. He said that whenever his athlete-son competes in the country, food is always his concern. As a Muslim, the son can only eat halal food, which is difficult to find in most parts of the country. So he would always bring instant food with him to survive his stay.

I realized 2 things: First, Malaysia (and also Indonesia and Singapore), as an Islamic nation, is an attractive travel destination for Muslims because of the abundance of halal food as one of the reasons. Second, the Philippines, on the contrary, can be a challenging destination for Muslim tourists (except if they travel in the Mindanao region).

So What is Halal?

Literally permissible, allowed, or lawful (as opposed to haram, which means forbidden or unlawful) in Arabic, halal refers to Islamic dietary practices prescribed by the Quran. For a food to be declared halal, it has to go through a specific permitted process of slaughtering and preparation. Also, there are animals and products that are outrightly considered non-halal, in which pork is the most known one.

With the exception of Mindanao where there is a huge Muslim population, there is a scarcity of halal food in the country. But in this article, I want to show that it is possible of Muslim tourists to visit the country’s capital, Manila, and still enjoy delicious halal food. I went to 4 food spots offering different cuisines. While there are halal places in the Metro, I chose to focus in Manila because majority of tourists flock there to visit the historic area of Intramuros and its nearby attractions. So these spots are relatively near the tourist district.

Here are the halal food that you can try:

Middle Eastern Food at Saffron Middle Eastern Restaurant (Quiapo & Sampaloc)

When I was drafting this blog (which was at the start of the month), a friend told me about Saffron Middle Eastern Restaurant and how good their shawarma is. I’m supposed to feature only 3 food spots for this article. But my curiosity was so strong I decided to check it out myself. Curiosity may have killed the cat but it also gave life to my stomach! LOL.

Saffron Middle Eastern Restaurant UST (Sampaloc) Branch

Let me say it right away: Their shawarma is simple yet mind blowing! It’s made of grilled chicken pieces and fries, generously covered in garlic sauce (garlic lovers, this is our sauce!) and wrapped in a thick, doughy pita. This is now my favorite shawarma!

But is Saffron’s shawarma legit? I made some research and found out that there are many variations of shawarma in the Middle East. Some are composed of protein and vegetables (like in Lebanon) and others are made up of protein and potatoes* (like in Arabia). Saffron’s shawarma is an Arabian kind. (I learned that the owner once lived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.)

I also ordered another bestseller: Chicken Kabsa. A Kabsa is a mixed rice dish that originated in Saudi Arabia and is common in the Middle East. It’s similar to Biryani, only that it isn’t cooked in yogurt and doesn’t have garam masala. Saffron’s version is made of fluffy, flavorful, and fragrant (that’s 3 Fs!) basmati or long grain rice (it should be to be authentic), then topped with fried shallots. It’s served with fried chicken which juicy and tender. But, unless my tastebuds deceived me, it lacks flavor. Maybe it’s because the rice is already flavorful. Overall, it is an incredible dish!

Chicken Kabsa (P130). It should come with a coriander and tomato salad. But they ran out so they replaced it with garlic sauce. I’m not complaining!

*I remember a balikbayan (homecoming) relative who hoarded shawarma from Riyadh. To my surprise, it has thick cut potatoes in it. That’s why I know that Saffron’s a legit Arabian shawarma.

BASTE (Quiapo) Branch: San Sebastian College 2114-A, C.M. Recto Ave., Zone 040, Brgy. 390, Quiapo, Manila | Operating Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11AM-9PM

UST (Sampaloc) Branch: Unit 7, 1177 Eloisa St. cor. A. Mendoza St., Sampaloc, Manila | Operating Hours: Monday-Saturday, 12PM-9PM | Facebook

And More Middle Eastern Food at Shawarma Snack Center (Ermita)

Saffron only has a few items in their menu. So if you want more Middle Eastern dishes (and proteins), then head to Shawarma Snack Center (SSC). Here, you can have biryani, kabsa, kebabs, shawarma, and more.

Before I tried Saffron’s shawarma, my favorite was from SSC. They have beef and chicken options, both flavorful and generous. But in my recent visit, I tried their Mixed Major Grill, which comes with the following:

Chicken and Beef Kebabs: While both are flavorful and tender, the chicken is juicier. It’s nice to be paired with grilled onions and tomatoes.
Rice: Long grain and fluffy.
“Bread”: It’s like a pizza that is thin and crisp, with a nice burnt taste. The toppings of onions and bell papers give a nice crunch.

I will be trying more dishes at the SSC!

Address: G/F White Palace Condotel, R. Salas St., Ermita, Manila | Operating Hours: Daily, 24 hours

Roast Chicken at Moud Restaurant (Quiapo)

Deep in the Muslim district of the Quiapo area is an unassuming halal eatery called Moud Restaurant. This food spot is best known for its roast chicken.

The chicken is tender, nicely charred, and slightly sweet. It’s best paired with unique rice options such as Kabsa Rice, which has a lot of ingredients, and the bright yellow Java Rice, which is cooked in coconut milk. Unfortunately, the kabsa rice ran out when I visited so I opted for the java rice. I think it was a blessing in disguise because the rice has a nice coconut flavor, reminding me of Nasi Lemak, the national dish of Malaysia (check out my nasi lemak food crawl in Kuala Lumpur here).

I also ordered their lumpia. Unlike the typical log-shaped spring roll, it’s triangular and is filled with either chicken or beef. It’s oily but delicious!

Aside from the roast chicken and lumpia, Moud also serves halal Filipino dishes, kebabs, pizza, and siopao (steamed bun with filling).

Address: Globo de Oro St., Quiapo, Manila | Operating Hours: TBA

Tausug Food at Dulang Restaurant (Ermita)

The Tausug is an ethnic group found in the Southern Philippines, particularly in the Sulu Archipelago. Literally “people of the current”, it is the first tribe to convert to Islam. Today, an overwhelming number of Tausugs are Muslims.

The Sulu Archipelago is close to Borneo, a huge island shared by 3 Malay nations: Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Because of this proximity, Malay influences are present in Tausug cuisine, making use of coconut milk, chillies, and spices. Some dishes even use burnt coconut, an ingredient only found in Tausug cuisine.

Are you now interested with Tausug cuisine? Head over to Dulang (feast) Restaurant. Located in Ermita, it’s an unassuming eatery offering food turo-turo (literally “point point”) style. As you enter, you will immediately smell the curries and spices. It felt like I was in a Malaysian eatery or hawker center! (Again, don’t forget to read my KL food trip series starting here, and my Malacca food trip here.)

Along with halal curry and Filipino dishes, they also serve the 3 quintessential dishes of Tausug cuisine:

Beef Kulma/Kurma: It’s a beef stew with carrots and potatoes. But what makes this distinct is the curry and…peanut butter. I would describe this as a cross between beef curry and Kare-Kare (traditionally beef and ox tripe stewed in peanut gravy).
Chicken Piyanggang: As I mentioned above, burnt coconut is used in Tausug cuisine and this dish makes use of it. The chicken is first marinated in and cooked (grilled or sautéed) with burnt coconut paste. Coconut milk is also added to give some creaminess. This is typically served in wedding dulang.

Chicken Piyanggang (P45) and Beef Kurma (P60) — Chicken *Piyanggang* (P45) and Beef Kurma (P60)

Tiyula Itum: This another dish that uses burnt coconut. Here, beef cubes are marinated made with burnt coconut and spices. Then it is sautéed with garlic and onions then boiled in seasoned water. Additional burnt coconut are added to give the soup a black color. Like the chicken piyanggang, this is also a wedding food.

Address: 1313 M. Adriatico St., Ermita, Manila | Operating Hours: Daily, 8AM-10PM | Facebook

Which of the halal food spots above have you visited or will visit soon? What halal spots should I next visit in Manila? Or in the Metro? Comment them below!

Recent articles in the Metro Manila Food Crawl series:

Manila Food Crawl: Halal Food in the City

So What is Halal?

Middle Eastern Food at Saffron Middle Eastern Restaurant (Quiapo & Sampaloc)

And More Middle Eastern Food at Shawarma Snack Center (Ermita)

Roast Chicken at Moud Restaurant (Quiapo)

Tausug Food at Dulang Restaurant (Ermita)