Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Bay Area Sisig Search
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.
Gerry’s Grill
First stop, was Gerry’s Grill in Union City. Gerry’s Grill originated in the Phillipines and opened their first U.S. branch in February 2006. Not only does Gerry’s Grill specialize in barbecue, they serve plenty of traditional Filipino dishes as well. They pretty much cover their bases of being that restaurant you go to if you want to sit down and enjoy a full meal, or just to go to have a drink and few appetizers.
It was time to start with the first sisig of the day. We asked our server about the sisig at Gerry’s Grill. He told us that they used plenty of pig skin in their sisig. When the dish arrived at the table we could all see the mountain of pork. Time to dig in.
The sisig at Gerry’s Grill had hints of sweet flavors shine through. The pork skin was chewy which complemented the sizzled bits of pork and chicharrón.
Patio Filipino
We took a short ride across the San Mateo Bridge and headed towards San Bruno to Patio Filipino. We all took our seats ready to take on the next sisig dish. The first thing that we noticed was how different the sisig looked.
I wanted to know more about the sisig so I asked Betty of Patio Filipino, “What makes the sisig at Patio Filipino special?”
Betty replied, “Our sisig is made fresh. We use the pork belly from lechon.”
The sisig here was creamier from what appeared to be the usage of eggs. The balance between sweetness and spiciness was there. The pieces of lechon were chunky and crunchy. We all looked at each other and nodded in agreement that the creaminess of the sisig at Patio Filipino was the highlight of the dish.
Tribu Grill
Since we were still in San Bruno, we wanted to check out a Filipino restaurant that was in the same area. With several restaurants being all nearby, I wondered if the sisig dishes would be that much different from one another. Opening the menu at Tribu Grill revealed the answer. I saw that they used pork face, which our server explained was the combination of the cheeks, ears, and snout. So far, this usage of pork in this sisig was closest to Aling Lucing’s original recipe.
The sound of this sizzling sisig was music to all of our ears. After tasting the sisig, we all noticed the flavors of vinegar stood out the most. Texture wise, the crispy bits were the best parts. Knowing that Tribu Grill used pork face was a plus.
The House of Sisig
We headed towards Daly City to The House of Sisig, a small family owned and operated restaurant. My curiosity sparked and assumed that if you have a restaurant name like that, you’re serving up a rocking sisig.
They used a cut of pork different from the first three restaurants. Here, they used pork butt. When the server approached our table with the sisig, they also brought along extra chopped jalapeño peppers and onions on the side. The sisig here was very meaty. I noticed a strong grilled flavor coming from the pork, which we all agreed was the way The House of Sisig stood out from the other restaurants.
Poleng Lounge
The final stop on our search led us to the NoPa neighborhood in San Francisco to Poleng Lounge. From the outside, you wouldn’t expect this restaurant to be serving Filipino fare. When you step inside, the feeling of being in a laid back modern lounge captivates you.
Poleng Lounge uses pork shoulder and pork face in its sisig. They bring the balance of chewy pork fat with the crisp piece of pork meat. Keeping the dish traditional as possible was their goal. Whatever marinade or selection of spices they used for the pork definitely is making this sisig scream with robust flavor. After the last bite of pork bits, we all raised our glasses in celebration for accomplishing the goal we set out to achieve.
The End Result
We ate our way across the Bay with our minds set on finding the best sisig. What we all discovered is that every restaurant featured their own take on sisig, crafting it into their own. There’s that impression that there are different sisig recipes that can satisfy anyone’s preference. The sight of seeing how each restaurant doing a different sisig fascinated us and we applauded their adaptations of the dish.
Many might think that only adventurous eaters like Andrew Zimmern would let such a thing pass through their gullet. It’s only when you actually get a taste of sisig when you can appreciate the flavors. Just eat. You won’t even flinch or think twice about this classic pig head dish. Your taste buds and stomach will thank you. Your rising cholesterol levels will forgive you. It’s worth it.
If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, take a look the this map as a guide to the spots featured on this sisig search. Thanks Foodbuzz for the chance to share this special sisig search with the world.
View Bay Area Sisig Search in a larger map
wow, sounds like an awesome adventure. I’ve never had it but it looks delicious. I can’t believe you had that twice in one day, that’s true dedication
Oh wow, you guys must’ve been stuffed to the brim! Funny that this was your 24 topic. You just gave us some good info on sisig last month. Guess we should trust the expert on this one! Great 24 post.
Hey Lando, you sure do like your pork yeah? =) it is ALL good in my book. I love sisig and thank you for posting this. it is definitely making me very hungry.
Foodhoe: Hi there. It’s a dish worth checking out at least once. It was funny that my friends and I said the same thing… “I can’t believe that we ate all that pork.”
Duo Dishes: I know, we actually took a break after eating at Patio Filipino. We had to all take a walk around Tanforan Mall in San Bruno to get some exercise in before tackling the next batch of sisig. We’re all trying to piece together our own version of sisig, so when we get the recipe out, I’ll be sure to send you a copy to try.
Jo: Yes, I do! Who doesn’t like sizzling pieces of pork? If I start talking about the crackling sounds and the mouthwatering aroma, it’s going to make me hungry too.
Thanks for the invitation to this event. I had a blast, all of the sisig we ate was wonderful….even though our stomachs were terrified before we started. It was interesting how each one of the sisigs were unique in their own way. Keep up the good work.
wow! i didnt know there were so many restaurants that serve sisig in San Francisco! my husband loves sisig!
I liked how each restaurant that we visited had their own take and ways of cooking sisig.
-Gerry’s sisig really reminded me of bacon in terms of crispiness and flavor.
-Patio Filipino’s richness and creaminess reminded me of the different variations of Carbonara made with cream. I loved how they weren’t shy on the eggs either. It’s a great place to go for a nice dinner or to celebrate with a group of friends and family.
-Tribu Grill’s strong bite of vinegar, authenticity, and rustic approach to sisig with chunks of face meat was something I really enjoyed and appreciated. I’d have to say Tribu is a place you could take your family to for a traditionally prepared sisig with the usage of meat from the pork head.
-House of Sisig’s large portion and great grilled flavor really stood out. The pork butt was tender and had just the right amount of fat in there to make it rich and moist. It’s definitely a place to take your friends to when you’re craving for a hearty meal.
-Poleng Lounge caught me off guard with their eye catching interior and laid back atmosphere. I wasn’t really expecting to get a good sisig here. I was wrong. The best way to describe Poleng’s sisig is that it’s pretty much a combination of all the restaurants we went to. Poleng Lounge is a great place to relax at on a weekend night with a few drinks, appetizers, and good friends. It was the perfect way to end our Sisig hunt.
It wouldn’t be fair for me to pick a “favorite”, since each restaurant had their own take and approach to sisig. Every single sisig we had that day tasted differently and I enjoyed all of them equally. It really comes down to personal preference, like Lando said.
Until the next 24, 24, 24!
A friend of a friend told me about you Guys Site ! and Lady! I’m going to San Francisco Next week and
I need places to eat Great Recipes I love Sisig …
Thanks for this wonderful recipe and photos~
Welcome~~~
http://foodcreate.com
Join our food community and share your recipes , post your comments!
And you can visit me if I can visit you:)
Have a great Sunny Day~~~
Glad you got to Poleng Lounge to try its version. I haven’t had sisig too often, but I did love the interpretation there. Like you said, it’s full of bold, unforgettable flavors.
What a fun adventure and a great 24 post!
Lando…what a fantastic post! I am missing sisig and now I know where to go in San Francisco when I get the craving! Awesome job and those photos look great. I didn’t know Gerry’s Grill exist in San Fran.
Makes me crave for sisig. I think sisig is only a Luzon (?) thing as i never found a sisig joint here in Gen San.
Thanks for the feedback all!
Raquel: Thanks and I hope that you do get a chance to visit one of these spots to fulfil your sisig craving.
Gay: The dish didn’t make its way down south? That’s something that I didn’t know.
Just an awesome undertaking overall, well done! You’re lucky to have such a variety of sisig up in the Bay. I also have a sisig recipe if you’re ever interested in making it yourself: http://burntlumpia.typepad.com/burnt_lumpia/2008/11/sizzling-sisig.html
Great post, I didn’t know about Poleng’s sisig and I love how house of sisig gives lots of extra jalapenos.
I. Am. So. Jealous. Five places to eat sisig, and that’s just the beginning I’m sure. There isn’t a single Filipino restaurant in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area so my chances of finding sisig are pretty nil (thank goodness for BurntLumpia’s recipe – gotta do it myself!). But I really enjoyed this around-the-Bay tour and hopefully, the hubs and I will get a chance to visit SF in the near future to stuff ourselves full of sisig!
I live in San Bruno and I have only dined at Tribu Grill and Kuya’s along San Mateo Avenue. I will try the 5 restaurants where you tried the sisig. I am sure they were all good and all had their own versions. Good job!
Wow, I’ve never even heard of Sisig but then again I’m not very familiar with Filipino cuisine beside Lumpia! Those dishes look very yummy though!
I’ve haven’t had too much Sisig but when I have it, it’s amazing.
what about Mercury Lounge in SF? i just came across them recently, i think via Yelp, and found that they had sigsig. it’s listed under “Hearty” in the dinner menu.
great post. i saw that episode of No Reservations (i heart Anthony Bourdain). i will definitely look up these places for some sigsig. you got me jonesing for some now!
~tara
Must. Have. Pork. Sisig.
But where to get it here in Kuching? I think I’ll have to attempt it at home. (But I don’t think I’ll do a pork head). Got a good recipe?
Hey Nate,
Marvin’s recipe:
http://burntlumpia.typepad.com/burnt_lumpia/2008/11/sizzling-sisig.html
is a great way to start. Feel free to play around with the soy sauce and vinegar levels.
Rose’s Dad makes sisig using pork belly so if you don’t want to use pork face meat, try using that instead.