Silog

Filipinos take the adage “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” seriously, and for good reason – nothing quite fills the morning spot like the traditional Filipino breakfast dish silog.

This hearty meal starts with sinangag (garlic fried rice) and itlog (a sunny-side-up egg), but there are countless variations, with the protein-rich accompaniment being the key differentiator. Some famous examples include tapsilog (served with tapa, a cured beef), longsilog (served with longganisa, a small sausage), tosilog (served with tocino, a scrumptious sweet cured pork), and bangsilog (served with bangus, a milkfish that’s usually fried or smoked).

Silog is a must-try dish when visiting the Philippines. Its unique versatility makes it a crowd-pleaser, and it’s no wonder why it’s a beloved breakfast dish in Filipino culture. We ate it most mornings – the one featured was a hearty mixed silog, with both tocino and danggit (the latter a salted, sun-dried rabbitfish famous in Cebu).