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Sizzling pig’s face — that would be the best way to describe the Filipino dish called sizzling sisig. It’s a sour, pungent recipe, one that employs minced hog’s ears, snout, tongue, and brains. At Lutong Pinoy in North Miami Beach, you can try it with just ears and snout.
The kitchen boils the pig parts and then cooks them over a flame with chilies, soy sauce, citrus, and vinegar. When it arrives at your table, the sizzling sisig ($9.95) sputters fat from its fajita-like platter. It tastes intense, and its texture is meaty, chewy, and slightly firm.
At this small, 3-month-old restaurant, offal lovers can also get a taste of beef innards. The papaitan ($5.99) is a robust stew with cow’s liver, tripe, heart, and bile — a traditional ingredient in Filipino cookery.
Less adventuresome eaters can sample egg rolls, breaded eggplant, deep-fried round scad fish, and sautéed pork with vegetables. Beginning this week, the restaurant will also serve a selection of street-food-inspired dishes. And just about everyone can end their meal with halo-halo, a sweet concoction that combines crushed ice with evaporated milk, jellies, and sweet beans.
It’s refreshing enough to wash down any entrée — fried fish, pig snout, or beef heart.
