Taste Of Kawayan

Highly Opinionated: A Filipina Chicagoan’s Favorite Sizzling Plates of Sisig | Eater Chicago

"In this quaint Jefferson Park spot that also cooks the local flavors of Iloilo Province, where my mom is from, the sisig — my overall favorite — sticks to a simple, winning formula: diced pork belly on a sizzling platter with a runny egg, a sprinkle of garlic, greens, and calamansi to spotlight its peppery profile, and, most importantly, a consistent crunch. Each crackling bite packs a tangy punch that practically begs for an ice-cold beer between mouthfuls. It pairs beautifully with garlic rice, which I topped with the restaurant’s signature batchoy soup, a pork and beef broth boiled for up to 24 hours, and I cooled off with a sago’t gulaman, a brown sugar refresher with tapioca pearls and gelatin cubes. During my visit, chef Raynell Parreno shared how he left a medical career to open this passion project, and as an immigrant owner he’s been heartened to see people from other cultures embrace Filipino cuisine." - Alyssa Rola