Filipinos have a thing for seeking out familiar flavors abroad. Some people crave a taste of home, a connection to their identity while living in a foreign country. It's like a little piece of the #Philippines wherever they are. Others might do it out of patriotism, a way to support Filipino products even overseas.
Actually, this isn't unique to Filipinos. People from all cultures enjoy familiar flavors, even if they know the local version might be more authentic. It's like comparing family recipes – there's always a curiosity about how others do it, even if yours is the best. 😉
@neuronakaya Yep. I often joke about it this way, “We traveled XX km just to eat at a Jollibee branch, instead of trying the local dishes.” (Using Jollibee as an example.)
=))
And then we joke about how the branch is different. Different sources, different cooks, different air, and all that, and just laugh at the silliness of it all.
I think, it also has something to do with familiarity and “playing it safe”. Like, for example, I have gout and religious considerations. While I am not picky with food, it's safer to eat familiar food, as it can give some confidence I won't accidentally trigger my gout and mess all the travel plans (and well, work, if it triggers much later).
(Some context: there might be ingredients and cooking practices that can trigger a gout. It's not easy to ask for ingredients, it also takes too much time, so a familiar food is the fastest and safest option. Also, cooking practices, like just using the same cooking utensils, pots, etc, because it adds to the flavour, but an ingredient from the previous food is bad for someone with gout, or some allergies.)