Unbeknownst to many, sisig hasn't always been the magical mix of crispy chunks and fatty goodness that most Filipinos hold close to their rapidly enlarging hearts. When sisig first came to the metropolis from Pampanga, it was simply a sauteed mix of marinated meat, often fatty, and always chewy. Somewhere along the line, chicharon was added to give a contrast of texture and saltiness. One of the crossroads between deep fried crunch and fatty goodness was Aysee's.
More than that, Aysee's Sisig is one of the original sisig joints in Metro Manila. Found just a (very steep) short walk away from ULTRA and Capitol Commons, Aysee has been serving up deep fried pork bits in various shapes, sizes, and forms.
The centerpiece, of course, is the sisig. The way to eat it is sizzling and fresh with an egg at the restaurant, with the skin still crackling and the egg frying in pork fat. Aysee's sisig is set apart by 2 things.
First, it's buttered. Well, margarined. In any case, the extra fat on top of fat, while not good for you AT ALL, adds an extra layer of savoriness and sheen on top of the meat.
Second, the texture. While sisig is usually either crispy nuggets or chewy bits of meat, Aysee's manages to be both. Instead of using just chicharon, or just pig snout, the sisig here is made primarily out of lechon kawali. It's glorious. The result is both crunch and meatiness.
Speaking of the lechon kawali, that's worth a trip too. It's served either on its own or with tokwa as a separate item. I can only explain eating the lechon kawali as an explosion of pork. An initial crunch almost literally gives way to a liquid burst of fatty goodness. You'll have to get that fresh and hot from the restaurant though.
Aside from the pork specialties, Aysee's also specializes in Pinapaitan, which is served on a burner and in a pot to share. I've never tried it, but regulars rave about it.
I'll have to be honest and say that the rest of the menu is just OK, and nothing to write home about. My sister loves the Sizzling Corn and Cheese though, but she could probably eat a whole can of corn by herself and be happy.
I'm not in the business of reviewing restaurants for food aside from their specialties though, as I think it's only fair to judge a restaurant for what it's famous for. On that count, Aysee's hits it out of the park. I'd put their sisig up against any other on the planet. read more