The San Francisco Bay Area is a melting pot of cultures. We are fortunate enough to live in a diverse community. We get to sample tastes of food from all over the world without leaving home.
One thing for certain is that the Bay Area is home to the one of the largest Filipino communities in the nation. The San Francisco Bay Area is home to over 321,333 Filipino Americans, according to the 2000 Census. Somebody has to be cooking good Filipino food in the area with that many people. There’s one standout Filipino dish that I was in search for here in the Bay Area – sisig, a sizzling pork dish that blows your senses away with its taste and texture. It’s the quintessential dish to pair with beer. It’s that dish that brings you and your friends together.
The Story Behind Sisig
Anthony Bourdain was right on point when he described the history of sisig on the No Reservations Philippines episode. Clark Air Force Base commissaries in Angeles City, Pampanga were disposing unused pig heads. They had no use for them. Local Filipinos were purchasing the heads because they were readily available and cheap.
Lucia Cunanan, better known as Aling Lucing, of Angeles City is known as the sisig queen because it’s believed that she invented the dish. She created sisig by taking chopped pieces of pork ears and cheek meat, marinated them in vinegar, and combined them with onions and calamansi juice. She then served it on a hot skillet, creating a sizzling mural of sweet, tangy, spicy flavors of taste and texture. While Aling Lucing may have created the dish, over time, other Filipinos began to come out with their own variations.
This inspired us to search the best sisig in the Bay Area. I was fortunate enough to try the sisig at Aling Lucing’s during my last visit to the Philippines and ever since then, I missed it. This would be a way to temper my cravings. This leads us to the question, is there a spot in the Bay Area that comes close to Aling Lucing’s sisig? Could there be a spot that would be actually better than the Queen’s?
There’s something about the sound of sizzling pork bits that brings a smile to my face. With an, “Oh, yes,” moment that follows after seeing the dish. Grab yourself a beer and get ready to embark on a pork nirvana with us…
The Search Begins
A group of our close friends who all love pork and sisig were invited to join us. The idea of trying sisig at several restaurants fueled our excitement. It even got to the point where we looked at each other’s faces and questioned our ability to achieve the task. I selected five different restaurants, each having their own characteristic from the hole in the wall restaurant to the modern lounge, just to get a general mix of how each place makes sisig.
Continue Reading » Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Bay Area Sisig Search
This salsa was featured in my Smoked Spanish Paprika and Cumin Spiced Barbecue Shrimp recipe. The only hard work with this recipe is chopping and slicing the ingredients going into the salsa. The easy part is that you just combine all of the ingredients together, refrigerate it, and take it out when you’re ready to use it.
Ingredients
1 Whole Mango
1 Whole Avocado
1/2 Red Onion
1 Kiwi
2/3 Cup Pineapple Juice
Salt
Pepper
Steps
Start by slicing the avocado. I find it easier to cut the avocado vertically and opening it to remove the seed. Take a spoon and scoop the meat out of the avocado. Now it’ll be easier for you to work with. Slice the avocado into strips.
Approach the kiwi with the same spoon scoop method, but instead of slicing, chop the kiwi.
Cut the mango next by slicing it vertically down by its seed. Slice the open face of the mango making a square pattern. Once you have this square pattern going, take a spoon to scoop the meat out.
Go ahead and chop the onion.
Combine the ingredients in a large bowl. Next, add in the pineapple juice. Season the salsa with a teaspoon of salt and pepper. Carefully toss the ingredients together and refrigerate it when you’re done.
Continue Reading » Mango Avocado Salsa
Summer is here. That means it’s time to get your grill fired up. Gas or charcoal, take your pick.
One question that sits on my mind is, “What to barbecue?” I could do a plain old hamburger or steak, but I wanted something more exciting that would combine some of my personal favorite spices to bring out rich flavors. And then, it hit me. What could be better than having sweet shrimp sizzling in a smoked Spanish paprika butter sauce right on the grill?
Continue Reading » Smoked Spanish Paprika and Cumin Spiced Barbecued Shrimp
Sun shine. Music on blast. Chefs showcasing their culinary flare. Food from some of the best in the nation.
The Great American Food & Music Festival in Mountain View featured everything a food fanatic could ask for. Not only did you have chef demonstrations from local Bay Area chefs like Nancy Oakes and Chris Cosentino, but Food Network celebrity chefs made appearances as well.
The highlight of the event was having the opportunity to sample…
Katz’s Deli Pastrami Sandwiches
Pink’s Hot Dogs
Graeter’s Ice Cream
Anchor Bar Chicken Wings
Barney Greengrass Bagels
Southside Market Barbecue Brisket and Sausage
Zingerman’s BLT Sandwiches and Bacon Platters
Tony Luke’s Cheesesteaks and Roast Pork Sandwiches
Junior’s Classic Cheesecake
Burger Meister’s Hamburgers
June Taylor’s Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
A Selection of Charles Chocolates
and Bouchon Bakery’s Chocolate Bouchons
You can picture the long lines now. And, believe it, the lines were epic.
Here’s a collection of photos from yesterday’s event.
Busy Grilling at Burger Meister’s Booth
Bite into Katz’s Pastrami Sandwich & Tony Luke’s Philly Cheesesteak
It’s All About the Snap in Pink’s Hot Dogs
Clockwise: Chef Nancy Oakes, Aida Mollenkamp, Chuck Siegel, and Chef Bobby Flay
Continue Reading » The Great American Food & Music Festival Photo Recap
Sometimes standing in line for a sandwich and having the sun scorch the back of your neck is well worth it. For a Porchetta sandwich from RoliRoti, I’d do it again without hesitating. With the line about fifteen people deep, it was only a matter of time until we reached the front to order our sandwiches. The aroma of roasted chickens and pork filled the air with each step taken.
Right when we reached the front of the line we were greeted by the beautiful sight of the Porchetta being prepared for sandwich orders.
The hasty slicing action of the roasted pork led to all of the juices drip onto the cutting board. The folks at RoliRoti know not to let the juices go to waste. A quick grab of a piece of bread to wipe down the cutting board to absorb all of what was left over ensured that you wouldn’t miss any of the flavors.
Continue Reading » RoliRoti’s Porchetta Sandwiches
With San Francisco’s Dine About Town promotion making a return, it’s giving diners budget friendly dining options and opportunities to visit many participating restaurants in San Francisco. Three course menus starting at $21.95 for lunch and $34.95 for dinner are available. When I heard about the program, I quickly looked up the list of restaurants to see if any restaurants that I have wanted to try were participating.
With such a long list to research, I randomly clicked away to read descriptions. Some made my list, the others I merely skipped. A couple of random clicks down the list and I stumbled at this interesting find:
“Featuring innovative New American cuisine, Luce’s menu is refined and elegant, yet unpretentious. Luce showcases the legendary wines of Frescobaldi with a sophisticated New American menu, and a wine list of distinction. At the helm is Chef de Cuisine, Dominique Crenn, who Esquire magazine’s John Mariani named Chef of the Year 2008. Crenn’s passion for local fare and global flavors are showcased throughout Luce’s lunch, dinner, and dessert menus…”
A quick look at the sample three course menu and we were off to see what Luce was all about.
Luce is housed inside the Intercontinental Hotel in San Francisco. A quick stroll down the hotel’s lobby will lead you past the bar and into the restaurant. The elegant sphere lights hanging above you and large windows covered with translucent curtains surrounding the restaurant, give Luce quite the modern feel. Selections of wines were on display and behind it, if you looked carefully enough, you could get a glimpse into the kitchen.
Continue Reading » Lunch at Luce – Dine About Town Report
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