Little Manila in Dubai
- Chasing Ninoy
- Nov 8, 2017
- 2 min read
It's always comforting to see familiar sights of your home country in a foreign land. Whether its look, smell or the ambiance, it could always give you the feeling of home. There's one filipino restaurant in Deira area called Little Manila. Located within the streets of Al Muraqqabat is a good place to dine if you're craving for an affordable filipino cuisine.
Once you entered the place, you can feel the filipino vibe. From the Banderitas to the bamboo ceiling, different filipino traditions painted on walls to the variants of food choices.
It is like a compound of different familiar stalls inside the big place.
You can find familiar foodie place like Jay-j's, where you can order the sisig (a dish made from parts of pig’s head and liver, seasoned with calamansi and chili peppers). If you're craving for inasal (roast chicken marinated in a mixture of lime, pepper, vinegar then grilled over hot coals)...well, they have it here too. And of course, the food wrapped in banana leaf, Binalot. Filipino food won't be complete if you don't have "sawsawan". Worry not because you can find the condiments beside Binalot.
Zagu is also here if you miss the chewy black pearl to chug the food down. Beside Zagu is a dessert stall where you can have bibingka (a soft and spongy large flat cake that is slightly charred on both surfaces and infused with the unique aroma of toasted banana leaves), puto (sweet steamed cake made of ground rice) or some gulaman at sago (tapioca pearls). You can also have lechon manok (roast cooked chicken) to please that smoky craving.
I ordered Bopis Combo from Binalot. "Bopis" is an appetising Philippine dish of pork or beef lungs and heart sautéed in tomatoes, chilis and onions. It comes with the bopis, two spring rolls, papaitan soup, red iced tea and steamed rice. The price? All for only 20aed (around $5.50). My friends and I also tried the chicken sisig of Jay-j's. It costs 32aed (around $8.75). Get an extra steamed rice (4aed or around $1) at Binalot then don't talk while your mouth is full.
All in all, for around 25aed you can have a decent good lunch at Little Manila. And for that price, it can make you drift and feel at home during lunch break, then back to reality.
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