Aling Lucing’s Sisig

Disappointment. That is all I get when I try out the different versions of sisig in the metro. Either the dish is like swimming in a lake of cholesterol (or by itself composed of fats) or is paired with a weird ingredient like mayonnaise or freshly cracked egg, it doesn’t fail to fail my expectations of the Kapampangan dish. Probably it’s because I myself come from Pampanga and thus a witness to the greatness of the classic recipe that Aling Lucing concocted in her restaurant decades ago. 

With my good friends from Manila, I decided to give Aling Lucing’s a visit yesterday.  Once we arrived at the place fondly called “crossings”, the humble resto is a hard miss. It’s like a historical landmark that stood the test of time. I recall that the place when I was a kid and it still looked just the same, like a commonplace karinderia that served the best sisig. 

We ordered the famous Sisig (P175) and grilled tilapia (P70). As expected, the sisig tasted great! It had the right flavors blending in. Actually, that may be the reason why they don’t serve kalamansi or soy sauce with the dish. Because it is expected to taste great, as is. No masking or overpowering flavors from either ingredient – unlike most restaurants do. It’s also not too guilt-inducing as well. As I noticed the dish itself, it is composed of equal proportions of meat and fat. The meat is grilled before hitting the pan, adding a smoky flavor without the excess fat.

Overall, we were pleased from what we ate. One of my friends even commented, “Hindi ka lang niya binubusog, pinapasaya at sinasatisfy ka pa niya.” I wasn’t surprised at all. Pampanga won’t be the culinary center of the Philippines for nothing.