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Some evidence of an even earlier birth of the “pinoy spaghetti” exists in the memoirs of Gen Douglas McArthur (yes the “I shall return guy”). I am not able to pull the line verbatim but it went mostly like this:

this sauce, so sweet on spaghetti, hardly seems like spaghetti sauce but it is good.

and apparently he was a horrible at spelling

What you said is true, When I was a child my mother and I used to shop at Makati Supermarket and will eat at the coffee shop and I always, always ordered their spaghetti, it’s so sad that I am no longer in the Philippines to taste it and so sad that the supermarket closed, I have a lot of memories of going there with my mom. Thanks for the blog.

You can also find the spaghetti at Unimart in Greenhills. Same owners i guess. Their spaghetti is still a bestseller!

Sadly, this is another example of the pinoy’s tendency to parody another thing. Parody is rampant in pinoy culture and as a pinoy myself, sometimes it comes to a point of embarrasment. The american blogger who said that the pinoy Jollibee spaghetti tastes horrible is actually reflecting the opinion of many westerners. When they eat spaghetti, of course they expect it to have that familiar sour taste of the original Italian kind. And dont even get me started on saying that “Well, its a pinoy version.” Many westerners think that when you have a certain version of something, the original essence is still there and for this case, they probably thought that the pinoy version may have used other ingredients while maintaining the distinct spaghetti flavor. But, as with most things Filipino, we took a completely perfect and unique dish, added the “pinoy touch” then…ruined it for the world to see. Then we feed our kids this shit and they grow up expecting spaghetti to taste just the way mom used to make it, then they walk into an Italian restaurant in Milan or even your local Pizzeria Uno, order the pasta dish, then almost puke at the radically different, less ingredient-laden, sour spaghetti.

But copying then making things worse is unfortunately a cornerstone of Filipino culture. In the eyes of the world, its really not as impressive as you may think.

John, what the hell are you talking about? If in the first place, lots of Pinoys feel that regular Italian spaghetti tastes like crap because it is sour then would that mean that Italian spaghetti is indeed a crap invention? People have tastes and preferences, so naturally some things like food will be modified to suit their tastes. Italian spaghetti is by no means “perfect”, because if it were, Pinoys would not have modified it to their liking. One time, my folks went to Rome and ordered a pizza in a local pizza place. You know what? They threw it in the garbage after a few bites. Some things are either an acquired taste or simply overrated. Italian spaghetti is the latter, at least in my opinion. In no way is the Philippines advertising Pinoy spaghetti as being better than the original one. And please leave “mom’s cooking” alone, because it is not something that is just about food, but is more about a mother’s love for her children. Never ever compare a mother’s cooking to a restaurant’s or food establishment’s, because oftentimes, despite being less refined or frilly, what she cooks evokes more than taste, but of childhood memories and experiences … and those simple things make her cooking better than anything else’s.

Just a little common sense mate … I’m sure that’ll help.

Thank you for the perfect reply Uberathlete. What is a perfect dish for some people may not be the same to some. People from one group can even have different tastes. Gasp!

Pinoys improvise NOT for the whole world to see as John pointed out BUT for their own satisfaction. Why would you force yourself into eating something you don’t really like? Is it a crime to change a dish to suit your taste?

If you don’t like pinoy spaghetti, you do not need to eat it. No need to hate.

So I for one did not grow up with that ultimately sweet spaghetti, but ya know what, I love it!!! It is just so “PINOY” in essence and I would like to think of it as a completely different dish compared to Italian bolognese. I mean when you say pinoy spaghetti, the italian version of it does not even cross my mind. I would say it has an identity of its own. I do like the spaghetti of Jollibee, Makati Supermarket, and of course Pancake House(it’s not so sweet though). I definitely do not have a problem with the sweet spaghetti because there is something about it that reminds me of my childhood. I guess it’s the countless children’s parties I’ve attended and all the other gatherings where it was served. It’s sort of like a comfort food for a lot of Filipino’s.

I am a Filipina in Beijing. Sometimes we invite few local Chinese friends for lunch or dinner at home… always very informal. Most requested? Adobo and the very pinoy sweet spaghetti!
I’ve also read somewhere that modern historians suspect pasta came from China. Well they do have a noodle dish with tomato-based sauce we call “Chinese spaghetti.” It’s from the northern province.

i am not a fan of spaghetti but i do like them once in awhile. back then during my younger years, i remember that spaghetti is cooked with its sauce. i saw an old filipino recipe book years ago and such spaghetti is called “manila spaghetti” or something to that effect. i would truly love to try to cook that one.

to john, you have a big problem.

hi. that so-missed spaghetti version of Makati Supermart is also available at the cafeteria in Unimart.

But I think the most spaghetti that I really liked most is Jollibee Spaghetti. . . really Good taste and affordable. . . I eat your spaghetti when I came in Phil. my friends when me there to try your spaghetti but it is not the best Filipino spaghetti ever But its ok Improved better. . . I’m Sorry for my comment but I’m a spaghetti lover and I eat different spaghetti in other different country searching for the really good taste of spaghetti. . . tnx for your Hospitability when I came in Phil.

Godbless!!!! Merry Christmas

hm…I don’t eat filipino food that much, but I love the spaghetti and prefer it over Italian spaghetti…I guess it’s the sauce and the hotdogs.

So I’m going around looking for the ingredients so I can make this…I am very hungry.

I had a craving and was looking for filipino spaghetti recipe so i found this section. My mom is filipina and i visited Philippines in 2001 and they took me and my daughter to Jollibee and that is where we tasted the spagehetti and we both like it. I love to cook and would like to make Filipino spaghetti but i need the recipe. Can someone share that with me please?
I am here in Florida so no Jollibee here not like CA.

Thanks!!!

Don’t forget the Lady’s Choice Mayonnaise – sweet and white. I can’t eat it, but typically Filipino. My wife sometimes spreads it on bread and dunks it in her coffee. The bread is often sweet too.

Yet strangely, unlike the spaghetti, Shakey’s pizzas leave their pizzas pretty much like in the West.

Places like Sbarro (I think that’s right ?) are introducing Filipinos to Italian style spaghetti.