Luzon Eats: The Four Best Sisig Restaurants in Metro Manila

“Food for us comes from our relatives, whether they have wings or fins or roots. That is how we consider food. Food has a culture. It has a story. It has relationships.”-Winona Laduke 

Filipinos are well-known for their love of food—no matter how wildly exotic this particular food might be. In fact, Filipinos are rather known to be one of the world’s most adventurous eaters—so much so that some of their favorite food staples and classics can be regarded as a gastronomic or epicurean adventure by itself. One of the finest examples of Filipino ingenuity when it comes to the skill of conceiving new dish ideas is the sisig.

A ubiquitous presence during drinking sessions and at times, family gatherings, the sisig is a savory dish that originated all the way from Pampanga. As Filipinos are known to put their meats into a total utilitarian use, no part of the pig goes to waste which is why more often than not, ingredients may include pig ears and intestines apart from the meat. Today, contemporary renditions of the dish have expanded to include other kinds of meat such as beef, fish, and chicken. Vegetarians are not left out as well considering that a modern take on sisig makes tofu the main ingredient of the dish. Seeing as there is quite a lot of interpretations to this local dish, it can be quite a challenge to figure out which restaurants and eateries would serve you the best one. Undoubtedly, you can find them in Pampanga, but if you are not up for a road trip, there are some sisig joints in Manila that would cater to your sisig fancy as well.

To help narrow down your list in the search for the best sisig place, we have rounded up a list of restaurants you should definitely try:

1.)    Manam 

For some individuals (particularly non-adventurous eaters) sisig can be quite of a challenge to eat. After all, it is not every day that you get to eat sautéed pig ears in spices. However, if you wish to broach yourself into the world of exploratory eating, it is best if you start with a sisig restaurant that does it right such as Manam’s. For sisig newbies, the dish is easy to chow down and is quite delectable and tasty that you would soon forget you are eating pig’s ears and intestines.

2.)    Sisig sa Rada 

Known for being notoriously cheap and overhyped, Sisig sa Rada is undoubtedly the best cheap sisig you can get in the metropolis. Be wary though as the lines can get rather long and as early as 10 AM, you can already see patrons starting to queue. While Sisig sa Rada had its humble beginnings, it rose to popularity with its famous sisig which left office workers around the area clamoring for more. So, if you are on a budget and are looking for a Filipino favorite, best try this well-known and loved sisig joint.

3.)    Gerry’s Grill 

Depending on your taste, Gerry’s Sisig is undoubtedly one of the best offered in the Philippines. And the best thing about them is that they have branches peppered all over the country. So, regardless of whether you are in Manila or not, you will always get to sample one of the best sisig dishes offered in the country. As Gerry’s is rather serious about how they cook their sisig, you can expect a delicious burst of flavor with every bite which is less greasy and a lot crunchier. Indeed, the perfect match to your cold beer.

4.)    Sisig Hooray 

If scrumptious and delectable sisig available to-go is what you have in mind, then you might want to consider Sisig Hooray’s Barkada Siza Pork Sisig. It will set you back by only a hundred and fifty pesos; you can share the yummy goodness with your officemates and your friends.

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Discovering Pampanga: Top Five Kapangpangan Restaurants to Try

“Food is a lot of people’s therapy—when we say comfort food. We really mean that. It is releasing dopamine and serotonin in your brain that makes you feel good.”-Brett Hoebel

Without a doubt, Pampanga is widely known and revered to be the culinary and gastronomic capital of the Philippines. In fact, it has been said that the place is considered somewhat of a Filipinos food haven what with all their epicurean delights. The province’s reputation for good food has been said to stem from its history being an American and Filipino military Air Base. Clark Air Base, known to be a military facility for both Filipino and American forces from 1903 to 1991) is in proximity to Angeles. For this reason, foreign ingredients and international goods have since become more accessible to local chefs and culinary. As a result, Filipino cuisine assimilated with global ingredients have become somewhat of a staple in the province. Signature Kapangpangan dishes such as tabang talangka, morcon, pindang and even the world-famous sisig have since then ensued.

Considering all this, it is no doubt that the title of being the gastronomic mecca in the Philippines is well-deserved. So, if you are ever in the area or perhaps, you might want a quick bite after a day of adventure in Alviera, give some of their restos a try. However, if you truly want to give yourself a treat and sample only the best Kapangpangan dishes, then here is a list of restaurants that should make it to your itinerary:

1.)    HUES Restaurant 

Located at park Inn Clark, Hues Restaurant is rather known for their delectable and sumptuous cuisines. The restaurant features a casual dining experience that offers a wide selection of local favorites and international fares that there is bound to be something for everyone. Some of the must try items in their menu are: Boneless Chicken Inasal, Blacken Chicken and Baby Back Ribs Adobo.

2.)    Café Fleur 

A restaurant conceptualized by Chef Sau Del Rosario , Café Fleur incorporates the aspect of travel into the chef’s unique passion for food. The café is divided into concepts and each concept has something different to offer to its patrons. The ground floor is the Café which mainly serves casual food, cakes and smoothies. Right across that is Leh-Leh which is largely a Thai-inspired eatery. Lastly, the topmost floor is called Babo—an elegant dining area that serves exclusively Kapangpangan dishes.

3.)    Bale Dutung 

Known as one of the most highly acclaimed restaurants in Asia, Bale Dutung looks like a simple home turned into restaurant from the get-go. But do not let appearances fool you, as this humbled abode has reached celebrity status. In fact, this restaurant was featured in Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations”back in 2008. If you want a homey ambiance to amplify the food experience, Bale Dutung is an ideal place for you to dine in.

4.)    Everybody’s Café 

No list claiming to be a collection of must-try and best restaurants of Pampanga would ever be complete without including Everybody’s Café. In fact, one might even go as far to suggest that Everybody’s Café is the epitome of Kapangpangan cuisine as you can find most of the Kapangpangan staples on their menu. The menu largely consists of exotic food, but they do have some food items reserved for those who do not have the nerve to eat unfamiliar food. The timelessness of this café is attributed to the fact that the recipes have remained unchanged since they were introduced back in the sixties—and even then the restaurant already garnered a following from older generations.

5.)    Mila’s Tokwat Baboy and Sisig 

A household name to most Kapangpangans, Mila’s Tokwat Baboy and Sisig is an unassuming carenderia that serves the best and most addicting crispy sisig. Established in 1989, this eatery was originally famous for their Tokwa’t Baboy, but they serve a range of dishes today.

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