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<\/a>\nSizzling Sisig. Baboy<\/em> is Tagalog for pork, and these folks know how to do baboy, baby; look closely and you can see the sizzle and steam. Crispy chopped pork belly with onions served on a sizzling cast iron platter. Sisig originated in Pampanga, a province in the Philippines northwest of Manila, where it’s made with pork offal: pig\u2019s ear, jowl, shoulder, and often topped with a fried egg. The chef at Lahi prefers fried pork belly for its flavor and texture. One of my very favorite Filipino dishes and a must-have.<\/p>\n
Two delicious vegetable (but not vegetarian) dishes: There\u2019s excellent Filipino food waiting for you at Lahi, 51-24 Van Loon Street in Elmhurst, Queens. I initially encountered them as vendors at the Queens International Night Market in 2017 and I\u2019m happy to report that their brick and mortar … Continue reading <\/a>
\nIt\u2019s easy to think of sisig solely as delicious sizzling crispy pork parts, but this mouthwatering dish comes in a many varieties. Here\u2019s Sisig Bangus, chopped crispy milkfish with onions floating on a sizzling hot plate. I\u2019m especially partial to their presentation; it leaves no doubt as to what you\u2019re about to dive into!<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nKare-kare (a cognate of the word kari, i.e.,<\/em> curry) is a classic Filipino stew: oxtail, tripe, and veggies in a savory, creamy peanut sauce. Pass the rice, please!<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nHere\u2019s Lahi\u2019s version of another Filipino classic, and one of my favorites, Bicol Express. Crispy pork belly stewed in coconut milk infused with shrimp paste and laden with green chilies. Named for the Bicol Express, a passenger train that ran from Manila to the Bicol region in the Philippines, I guess you could think of this dish that’s both creamy and spicy as running from one terminus on the flavor route to another.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nChami, a cognate of chow mein. Yellow miki noodles (fresh thick egg noodles) stir fried with shrimp and veggies in a sweet and mildly spicy sauce. You don\u2019t see this one everywhere.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nPinakbet. Saut\u00e9ed veggies with pork and shrimp in shrimp paste, and…
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\n…Ginataang Sitaw at Kalabasa. Ginataang means it\u2019s cooked in coconut milk, sitaw are the beans, and kalabasa is the type of squash used here. Factor in some sweet red pepper and shrimp and that\u2019s the dish. Both are delicious, but I have to admit that I\u2019m cuckoo for coconut!<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nLumpia are spring rolls, sprung originally from China. A savory appetizer or snack filled with chopped vegetables and sometimes meats, they’re deep fried and crispilicious.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nChicken Adobo, from the Spanish word adobar,<\/em> to marinate. The protein can be almost anything \u2013 chicken, pork, seafood, even vegetables \u2013 but finessing the adobo is the critical part; the marinade consists of four key ingredients, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and black pepper. Some folks say that adobo is the Philippines\u2019 national dish \u2013 but there are so many unique dishes to choose from! Suffice it to say, it\u2019s a great cuisine.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nLechon Kawali. Lechon is roast suckling pig and kawali refers to the way in which it\u2019s prepared, deep fried in a wok (kawali). It\u2019s sliced into delicious chunks and served with a sauce usually made from (but not really tasting like) liver. Crispy skin, meltingly tender pork belly \u2013 I have yet to meet anyone who doesn\u2019t love this dish!<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nLike I said about the folks at Lahi: they know how to do pork! In this context, the Tagalog word pata,<\/em> as in Spanish, means an animal\u2019s leg, and Crispy Pata is one of my absolute favorite Filipino dishes. It\u2019s a pig knuckle\/trotter\/hock, deep fried until the skin is crispy and the meat is meltingly tender, accompanied by a soy-vinegar dip. Here, it comes to the table topped with crunchy fried noodles, a garnish I\u2019ve not seen elsewhere which perhaps gilds the lily a bit, but I\u2019m not complaining. One day, I\u2019ll eat a whole one of these by myself, even if somebody\u2019s watching! (Although they might want some too. \ud83d\ude09)<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nInihaw na Bangus. Inihaw means grilled, broiled, roasted or barbecued (in other words, using direct high heat) and bangus is Tagalog for milkfish, the Philippines\u2019 versatile national fish. Stuffed with chopped onions and tomatoes, this straightforward simply grilled dish provided a delicious contrast to some of the richer fare.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nKalderetang Kambing. Kambing is the word for goat (in Indonesian and Malay languages as well) and a kalderetang, from the Spanish caldereta, is a stew. Succulent goat meat in a tomato based sauce with potatoes, carrots, olives and a little spicy kick.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nDinuguan. A rich stew made of pork offal in a luscious gravy. Yes, the gravy contains pork blood, but don\u2019t knock it until you\u2019ve tried it! One of the diners at the table described it as chocolate pork \u2013 and everybody loved it. You will, too!<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nTortang Talong. Eggplant omelette with onions and tomatoes.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nTuron: crispy fried banana roll, served here with coconut milk syrup.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nHalo-halo, Tagalog for “mixed”. Over-the-top, famed Filipino shaved ice dessert with something for everyone: sweetened beans, agar jellies, fruits, ube ice cream, and leche flan, sprinkled with crunchy pinipig<\/em> (pounded toasted rice).
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\nLahi is located at 51-24 Van Loon Street in Elmhurst, Queens.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"