Thursday, March 8, 2012

The House of Sisig

What immediately strikes a person when he enters at Trellis at their QC branch is the laid-back atmosphere of the restaurant. It has a very casual, almost a home-like feel to it. Very familiar, too, are the faces of the waiters. Some of them have been with the establishment for a good decade or more; seeing them again brings a sense of nostalgia that is etched in memories.

But one doesn't go to Trellis for the atmosphere, or to reminisce the good-old times. One goes to Trellis primarily for their signature dish: sisig.

For those who are uninitiated to this pork dish, sisig is basically the head of the pig that has been boiled then lightly roasted, after which the meat is sauteed with chopped liver, onions, garlic, and spices. As it has been served in Trellis for the past decades, it arrives on the sizzling plate, all-smoky with the aroma of the dish. One can opt to squeeze calamansi on it and add a dash or two of hot sauce, too.

The simple preparation and presentation belies the intricate taste and texture of the dish. The initial heat from the sizzling plate suddenly gives way to a combination of sourness and saltiness. As one continues to chew on it, he would find an unusual mixture of cartilage and gelatinous bits intermingling on the tongue. The hint of liver provides an extra layer of creaminess without contributing its inherent bitterness to the dish. Washed down with a cold bottle of beer, its complexity is tempered to a mere spicy aftertaste. Eaten with a load of rice, it becomes simplicity at its finest.

There are other dishes not to be missed, such as the seasonal bangus sardines, and the staple pakbet. Delicious too, is their refillable home-brewed iced tea. However, it is still the sisig that remains their raison d'être. In the every-shifting kaleidoscope of the eating screen, the proof its success doesn't lie in its longevity. Rather, it lies in the loyalty of its patrons who still pilgrimage, year after year, to Trellis, the restaurant that was built on the reputation of the humble dish that is sisig.

18 comments:

  1. Ito ba yung sa tapat ng Eunilaine? I spent a lot of years around that area. haha

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  2. Ano to food blog????????????


    Hahaha! Chos!


    What a coincidence, dyan kami lalafang ni Friendship ng dinner mamaya. :)

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  3. City: yiz! :D

    Madame Chuni: adek ako sa sisig and iced tea nila. sawap!

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  4. How is it different from the sisig served in other restaurants across the city?

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  5. Kandy Kane: it's closer to the original sisig in pampanga. yummeeeeeh!

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  6. Hey, I used to live near Trellis. Actually, just around the corner from it. I stayed in that area for over 3 years. I was fond of Trellis, and the cafe/bar beside it, and have had numerous dates there, and at Kowloon down the street. Ah, fond youthful memories. It has been a while since I've been in that area. I wonder how our old apartment is doing?

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  7. masubukan ko nga to. basis ko ng galing ng restaurant ay ang sarap ng sisig nila :D

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  8. malapit lang kami sa Trellis!! :)
    sarap kumain dun, but we only go there pag may occasion. nagtitipid kasi ang mga nanay at tatay ng angkan. ahihihihi :D
    but a visit there is really worth it, ganda pa ng place :)

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    Replies
    1. isa sa mga comfort restos ko ang trellis ;)

      salamat sa pagdaan, at pag-iwan ng comment.

      don't be a stranger!

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  9. Dyan ako unang nakakain ng sisig when I was in 1st year college..a loooong time ago..birthday treat ng isang barkada..

    I totally agree..they have the best sisig..ung ibang sisig after that first one will never compare to Trellis' sisig..

    - cHard

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    Replies
    1. tamaaaah!

      parang unang chukchak lang yan. nakaimprenta forever sa lasa.

      charot!

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  10. when i was working in QC, me and my officemates used to eat there a lot....Sisig is really delicious, the BEST sisig ive ever tasted....i miss Trellis.

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  11. masarap ang Trellis Sisig, bata pa ako kumakain na ako doon, hanggang ngayon!

    kanina lang actually hehehehe

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    Replies
    1. shucks, tagal na rin akong di napadaan sa trellis.

      will do it siguro this weekend hehehe

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