Manila (CNN Philippines Life) — The last 12 months were unquestionably eventful, whether good or bad. Through all of them, we’ve eaten our hearts out. As the year draws to a thankful close, we’ve ditched a best restaurant list for some of the moments in food that made the year go by. From the trendiest food village to date, to the one salty thing that got tongues wagging, here are five of the things that flavored 2016.

All things local

Years ago, it seemed that to procure the best ingredients, one had to look way beyond Philippine borders. Importing produce from other countries was a way of life, with only hints of local ingredients here and there being used on a regular basis. In recent years, restaurants have started looking into the diversity of local bounty, working closely with farmers as opposed to just third-party suppliers. This interaction and newfound interest in the flavors of our islands has led restaurants to return to home base. Traditional flavors are recreated with non-traditional ingredients, and are revamped in ways that are fresh and palatable. Restaurants like Gallery Vask, Grace Park, and Toyo have been frontrunners in showing off just how comprehensive the Philippines is in terms of its flavors. Local diners are well aware of this, but this all-local movement has been a blip on international radars the whole year ‘round as well.

Poblacion

In the last couple of years, what was known for years as “Backwell” (since it was located behind Rockwell) started attracting more attention in places that didn’t just include Ringside for midget boxing, or Howzat and Handle Bar for early morning football games. Z Hostel, with its trendy rooftop bar, became the Friday-Saturday night destination, along with El Chupacabra and Tambai for late night grub. With people coming in huge waves nightly, the streets of Backwell became prime spots for new establishments. There are bars with specialty cocktails, a place with Southeast Asian plates for cheap, an all-local pub with Filipino beers on tap, a takeout counter for soft serve ice cream, a taco cart, smoke houses, cafes, you name it. In all the days of 2016, you would have eaten, or had thoughts of visiting, one of these places at least once. It is a melting pot for locals and foreigners alike, and is a shining example of Makati gentrification on a budget. Diners dropped the Backwell title for WilliamsBurgos, a nod to Brooklyn’s trendy neighborhood, or NoKal (that’s North of Kalayaan for those of you that haven’t gotten up to speed), in an attempt to give it a Manhattan sector-like moniker. Universally, however, it has returned to its roots simply as Poblacion.

Salted egg

The salted egg was reborn as the ingredient capable of absolutely anything. A Singaporean brand first made it the potato chip flavor to be desired, which small local businesses caught on, each creating their own version of salted egg chips. Then came the creamy yet grainy salted egg pastas, followed by sweet salted egg pastries, and the mantou buns filled with hot salted egg custard. For fans of the trend, salted egg ice cream now exists as well. But years before its sudden fame, Singapore has been doing right by this revered egg by encrusting chicken, shrimp, pork, and even crabs in its chalky yolks. It may have taken a while for Manila to catch up to its varied permutations, but let’s not forget that slivers of itlog na pula have been, and will always will be, a local breakfast staple — paired perfectly with tomatoes, dried fish, and garlic rice. Love it or hate it, 2016 was definitely the year of the salted egg.

Tacos

For a time, what Manila knew of the taco was that it was hefty in size, packed with meat, topped with lots of greens and cheap shredded cheese, and was defined by a crisp shell. If you’ve eaten at Pancake House, you would know this. Mexican places have since come to serve tacos in their proper form, that is, mounds of meat and veggies piled on petite soft tortillas. Plus points for nachos, quesadillas, and burritos on the menu, bonus points for house-made horchata. Players, old and new, include El Chupacabra, Mexikombi, Tacos Chingones cart, Taco Vengo, Taqueria 101, Drive-By Taco Shop, Lagrima, Lo de Alberto, and Orale, to name a few, with more on the way. Tacos may not be a new thing to Manila, but the start of its renaissance this year in the city is clear.

Ube

We dubbed ube the culinary gem we took for granted. That is, until 2016 happened. Perhaps it was the popularity, and ridiculous hundred-dollar price tag, of Manila Social Club’s golden cristal ube donut that got people talking. Or chalk it up to nostalgia to get people pining for jars of the sickly purple paste that remains a Baguio pasalubong staple. Whatever it was, the purple yam received surprising attention throughout the year. Its iconic violet shade has been seen on a string of ice creams, chips, cakes (cake roll, crepe cake, sponge cake, mousse cake), and other baked goods like cupcakes, cronuts, and polvoron. For a local delicacy that’s been around for ages, it certainly took a while to get more people gushing. One thing’s for certain, once ube’s 2016 moment passes, it’ll still be around as one of those timeless classics.