The original Mama Finas is located in Elmwood Park, NJ, and has much better prices and a much better cook. My friends in north NJ be sure to go to the Elmwood Park branch, not the East Village branch.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/mama-finas-house-of-filipino-sisig-elmwood-park
I’ll be frank. After this review, you couldn’t get me there at gunpoint.
Sincerely,
Your vegetarian friend.
4
Amazingly, she brought up the tongue and the teeth in the very first sentence! A new record.
2
A wonderful review, gorgeously evocative. Makes me hungry.
2
So where is your recipe for sisig? I want to make it (since I'm nowhere near the East Village and even further from the Phillipines).
2
Did three years in the Philippines as a Peace Corps volunteer many years ago. While I have many fond memories of friendly people and wonderful experiences from those years, alas, the food is not one of them. Mostly utilitarian grilled and stewed something with rice . . . filling, yes. But, I wouldn't cross the street for a Filipino restaurant. Indonesian or Malaysian, now, that's a different story . . .
7
@KCox. Filipino food has come a long way since when you may have experienced it. If you are open to trying again, consider Perla in E Passayunk for a more modern and elevated approach. I find that my American friends quite enjoy it.
8
I am always turned on by descriptions of new yet-to-be-tasted treats described in this column. My rule is always "at l least taste it." I may have found my limit. There doesn't seem to be even one culinary principle that this purported food seems to satisfy.
1
What are those culinary principles of which you speak, if I may ask?
1
Cleaved pig face Uggh! Sounds like a horror movie character.
I'm by no means a vegan but I'll pass.
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@ Robert Red bank NJ
Alas, there are national and regional cuisines, whose claim to fame is using unappetizing organs of unpleasantly looking animals. The Alsacian cuisine is, in my humble opinion, one of such examples.
3
You can usually acquire the "parts" separately if that makes it less scary. Large Hispanic markets usually carry them all. Way cheap and very tasty when the time is taken to prepare them correctly.
This is so interesting. Why is your opinion needed here? The writer explains that this restaurant uses tamer ingredients in its interpretation of these traditional dishes. Most folks around the world don't have the luxury of food choice that most Americans do - and every part of available animals/plants must be used, OR THEY'LL STARVE.
It seems that what's objectionable to you in this review is the prioritizing of reality over your delicate sensibilities.
6
Unfortunately I am not there to try out this restaurant but wish I were. I was in the Navy and worked with many Filipinos. I was introduced to many of their specialities. My favorite include Pancit, Adobo and lumpia which today are part of my menu. Thanks for this article.
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@ MEOW Metro Atlanta
It looks like you are the expert to answer my question:
Where can I buy the giant fork and spoon (Slide 5)?
I would like to use them in the kitchen, not only to look at.