Page 52 - Essential Tagalog - Speak Tagalog with Confidence (TUTTLE)

4. Eating Out

• In the Philippines people usually have three main meals a
day. Almusal (breakfast) is eaten between 7 am and 10 am. It
generally consists of fried rice, dried fish (tuyo) or smoked fish
(tinapa) or tapa (meat), fried eggs, and either coffee, tea, or
ginger (salabat). Ordinary people usually have for their breakfast
hot pandesal (salt bread) with coffee or tsokolate (hot
chocolate). For those from the higher-earning income group,
breakfast normally follows the Western pattern of bacon and
eggs, toast, orange juice, and coffee or tea.

Tanghalian (lunch) is traditionally eaten at home or in the case
of workers at small restaurants called karenderiya between 12
noon and 2 pm, and includes one or two hot dishes and boiled or
fried rice. Lunch is considered the most important meal of the
day. Many workers and students bring their own lunch provi-
sions when they leave their homes or buy take-away food during
the lunch break. Lunch usually consists of two or three courses,
including a main course of a variety of meat or fish dishes with
vegetables. During the afternoon break at 3 pm, cakes and local
delicacies are usually eaten and on Sundays or festive occasions
special home-cooked dishes are prepared and served.
Hapunan (dinner) is eaten between 7 pm and 9 pm and is a light
meal, often including soup and dessert, and is usually taken with
the entire family.
When dining, note that most restaurants and other eating places
in the Philippines have a cover charge which includes service fee.
Wherever you go, you will surely find a variety of local delicacies
to try.

4.1 At the restaurant

I’d like to reserve a table Nais ko po na magpareserba ng
for seven o’clock, please mesa sa ikapito ng umaga/gabi

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Essential Tagalog_Interior.indd 51 4/25/12 9:24 AM