Ihawan Restaurant (70th & Roosevelt in Woodside, Queens) is the place to go for authentic Filipino food in New York. Known for their pork barbecue skewers, we also frequent this place their other specialties, namely Daing na Bangus (fried milkfish), Crispy Pata (fried pork knuckles), and sisg (sizzling pork facial muscles and ear).
The Daing is perfectly fried and the serving is very generous. Served whole and butterflied and deboned, it is a favorite breakfast treat eaten with rice and dipped in spiced vinegar.
The Crispy Pata is just fried pork personified. The photo is self-explanatory.
And finally, the Sizzling Sisig is an explosion of taste. A famous drinking dish, finely chopped cheek muscles are sauteed in onions and sprinkled with lemon juice before serving. I don’t think you’ll find anything quite like it.
I’ve lived in NY for a decade and have sampled several restaurants in the tri-state area, but nothing comes close to Ihawan in authenticity and value. And I haven’t even mentioned the avocado shake yet! (Say what?!) Notice I didn’t mention anything about decor and ambience. It’s a Filipino restaurant. What do you want?
Mangia!
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