Manila flavors among this year's 'big ingredients'

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino flavors will be the next big favorite of food lovers around the world as more menu inspired by local dishes and ingredients sprout in top restaurants abroad.

Andrew Knowlton of Bon Appétit magazine writes that the Philippines' traditional, homegrown creations such as sinangag or garlicky fried rice and kinilaw or raw fish salad will shape how the world eats.

"2014 will be all about Filipino-inspired food and flavors," the food journalist said.

He added, however, that not all of Filipinos' favorites will be well-liked by foreign palates.

"Whether or not balut—that's fertilized duck egg—catches on remains to be seen," Knowlton said.

Chicago-based restaurant Smalls specializing in barbecue and ribs offers Toasted Garlic Rice of the Day for $3, while Qui Austin in Texas by top chef Paul Qui describes kinilaw as an "amberjack Filipino ceviche."

The award-winning chef of Qui Austin also offers other Filipino dishes such as dinuguan, champurrado and kare kare.

Knowlton predicts other food and restaurant trends in the next 12 months:

• Pancakes for dinner
• Bronze fennel, the garnish du jour
• Boilermaker beer
• Pittsburgh culinary boom
• Za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice blending sumac, sesame seeds and dried herbs
• Green restos
• Fossa, scamorza and cloumage cheeses
• Porgy fish
• Egg yolk