A staple dish in Philippine celebrations has been recognized as the second-best street food in the world by an online travel guide.
Lumpiang shanghai garnered a 4.9 rating from the audience of Taste Atlas, which revealed the 50 Best Street Foods globally as of September 2022 in a social media post on Wednesday.
A crispy deep-fried Filipino snack that evolved from Chinese spring rolls, shanghai is the most popular variety of lumpia, according to Taste Atlas.
“Even though lumpia appears in numerous variations, the Shanghai version is characterized by a savory filling which combines ground pork or beef with carrots, onions, various seasonings, and (occasionally) shrimps,” it added.
Lumpiang shanghai is usually sold in street stalls across the country and is also served during special occasions with a sweet and sour sauce.
The best lumpiang shanghai can be found at The Aristocrat Restaurant in Malate, Manila, Taste Atlas recommended.
Besting shanghai on the list is Roti canai, a traditional Malaysian pan-fried flatbread made with flour, water, eggs, and fat. In third to fifth were Japan’s karaage, Vietnam’s banh mi, and Indian’s paratha.
Last June, Taste Atlas also ranked Filipino food as the 19th best cuisine in the world.
Apart from The Aristocrat in Manila, Taste Atlas said good lumpiang shanghai can also be had at Baguio’s Good Taste, Marikina’s Luyong Restaurant, Cafe Ilang-Ilang in Manila Hotel, 121 Bar and Grill in Makati, and Toho Restaurant in Parañaque.
In March, lumpiang shanghai and tortang talong were voted as two of the Best Ranked Southeast Asia Foods.
Last September 20, TasteAtlas named pancit, pancit canton, pancit bihon, pancit palabok, and pancit lomi as part of the Top 50 Noodle Dishes of the world list.
The online guide also included kare-kare as one of the Top 100 Best Stews in the World, and in July, Taste Atlas lauded bibingka as the 13th Best Cake in the World.
Sinigang was also named the 7th Best Soup in the World by the food guide, which also recognized other Pinoy delicacies like lechon and lugaw.
TasteAtlas is an online gastronomic database that promotes the local culinary culture of countries all over the world. The website contains over 10,000 specialty dishes, drinks, recommended restaurants, and local ingredients for anyone to check out before an international trip.