What our Expat Media team ordered at Affordacup in Flayva, Al Ghurair Centre in Dubai. EXPAT MEDIA

There’s something about the smell of palabok that instantly takes you home, and that’s exactly what happened when we tried the newest Filipino food spot at Dubai’s OG mall, Al Ghurair Centre. After catching Ogie Diaz’s new OFW film How To Get Away From My Toxic Family, the Expat Media team headed straight to AffordaCup at Flayva, the mall’s food hall. We were on a mission: to find out if this homegrown Pampanga-inspired resto lives up to the hype. Spoiler alert: it actually does. We ordered the Dh45 combo meal, which came with what we most commonly know as palabok (they actually serve Pampanga's version called Pancit Luglug, which uses thicker rice noodles), cheesebread, and their signature mango halo-halo. Served in a sunny yellow takeout box, the Pancit Luglug screamed Pinoy fiesta. This gets a solid 10 out of 10 from the team. The sauce was rich, the toppings were generous, and the noodles were just right. Honestly? Next time, we're getting the family tray. Their mango halo-halo was still a personal favorite—cold, creamy, and just sweet enough to beat the Dubai heat. And because our editor couldn’t resist, we added a fresh lumpia to our order. “Solid 9 out of 10,” she told the team, and it felt like biting into nostalgia. AffordaCup's menu isn’t trying to be fancy, and that’s what makes it great. It’s the kind of food you eat after a long day, or when homesickness kicks in. Think Pampanga-style home cooking with a Dubai twist—hearty, affordable, and made for sharing. Verdict? Affordacup is definitely worth a stop if you're in the area. It’s comfort food that doesn’t try too hard—and that’s exactly what makes it work. PIA/MFD/Expat Media
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