When Miko Almario was growing up, his adventurous father would take him to carinderia eateries in Metro Manila that he would discover on his own. They were not necessarily clean or enticing, but the food was always good. The tradition lives on—as father to 13-year-old Nuki, Miko feels it his moral obligation to expose his son to carinderia culture. Kids these days, he complains, are all about fastfood joints or expensive restaurants.
The 35-year-old father is a self-confessed stage dad to his son, whose dream is to become a professional baskteball player. On days that Nuki trains with the Gilas U17 team at Philippine Sports Arena (formerly Ultra) in Pasig City, father and son always drop by Aysee, a hole in the wall known for their pork sisig.
On this episode of Carinderia Crawl, father and son each order a sizzling plate of pork sisig, but they eat it differently. Nuki likes to flavor it with soy sauce, while Miko takes it with hot chili sauce. Both agree on the sisig’s plus points: cheap, fresh, crispy and not oily.
WHAT THEY ATE: An order each of pork sisig with egg, rice and soda for a total of PHP315.
WHAT THEY THINK: Miko and Nuki both enjoyed the food because of the fast service and the fresh ingredients. They liked that the pork wasn’t diced too small and the sizzling plate was hot enough for them to cook the egg.
WORDS OF WISDOM: “I love basketball but I know that I have a long way to go because I’m still young. I also try to do better in my studies to have a fallback,” says Nuki. “I will always support my son in anything that he wants as long as it is good. That’s why I am a father,” adds Miko.
Aysee, 17 Saint Martin St, Bgy Oranbo, Pasig City; +63 2 6340443. Mon-Sat 8am-12am.
WATCH MORE CARINDERIA CRAWL VIDEOS:
– Episode 1: KC Tapsilogan at Lugawan on P. Noval Street, Manila
– Episode 2: Menes Eatery on E. Remigio Street, Manila
– Episode 3: Juan Spoon Eatery on Edison Street, Makati
– Episode 4: 15th Avenue Carinderia in Cubao, Quezon City
– Episode 5: Carinderia crawl: Sizzling beef and mushrooms at McDOKS Sizzling
– Episode 6: Tocino and tortang talong at Honey’s Canteen on West Avenue
– Episode 7: Dinengdeng and lapu-lapu at Carol’s Eatery on Retiro Avenue, QC
– Episode 8- Pork sisig at Ilar’s Tapsilog in Manila
– Episode 9: Red Gate Eatery in Caloocan
– Episode 10: Bangsilog at Erlin’s Tapsilog in Manila
– Episode 11: Pork BBQ and liempo at B-B-Q Zone in Teacher’s Village
– Episode 12: Pancit batil patung in Kamuning, Quezon City
– Episode 13: Beef and chicken pita at Hijo d’Pita in Teacher’s Village
– Episode 14: Special bulalo at Bulaluhan sa España in Manila
– Episode 15: Kanto Freestyle Breakfast in Bo Kapitolyo, Pasig
– Episode 16: Mang Tootz in Sampaloc, Manila
– Episode 17: Juana’s Budbod and Coffee in Sampaloc, Manila
– Episode 18: Manang’s Food House at Ateneo de Manila
– Episode 19: Sizzling pork sisig at Aysee
– Episode 20: Bagnet-themed dishes at Bagneto
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