Spam is the meat to beat in the Philippines

Diary’s top restaurant tip this week is a slender little number in Manila.

The self-styled Spamjam establishment serves up a mouthwatering range of not-so-traditional fare, from Spamburgers and Spam nuggets to Spam spaghetti. Sounds delicious.

This luncheon meat lover’s paradise attracts up to 300 customers a day apparently, and designers could get more than their fill of the rubbery pink stuff if plans to open a further two branches are given the nod.

So why has it happened? According to Philip Abadilla, who opened the world’s first Spam restaurant in December, it’s simply a question of being a Spam lover. ‘It’s always on my mind,’ he explains.

He’s not alone. Hormel Foods, the US company that originally produced Spam, hopes to set up branches in South Korea and South-East Asia. ‘It shows people really like Spam, whether they are at home or outside,’ adds Abadilla.