MANILA, Philippines – International food catalog Taste Atlas ranked the Philippines’ top five stews, and adobo took the top spot with a rating of 4.5!

On Saturday, September 3, the famous food website posted a ranking of Filipino stew dishes based on audience ratings. The tier-list shows kaldereta (4.4) in second place, followed by kare-kare (4.3), pinakbet (4.0), and menudo Filipino (4.0).

Taste Atlas describes adobo as “the closest thing to a national dish in the Philippines, consisting of seared and browned chunks of meat, seafood, vegetables mixed with white vinegar or soy sauce (or both), bay leaves, garlic, salt, sugar, oil, and black pepper.” This pot of ingredients is simmered in low heat until it produces tender components and a rich, savory sauce.

Adobo, translating to “braised in vinegar,” can be made in variations like spicy, mild, saucy, or dry. It is traditionally served over white rice that “absorbs the tangy sauce.”

The website recommends getting the iconic dish at Cafe Adriatico and Ang Bistro sa Remedios in Adriatico Street, Manila; or at Abe in Serendra, Taguig City. 

Taste Atlas, which catalogs food and traditional recipes around the globe, previously named sinigang as the seventh best soup, and tortang talong as the best-rated egg dish internationally. – with reports from Sydney Cañamo/Rappler.com

Sydney Cañamo is a Rappler intern.