When I was invited to Naimas Taste of Home, the name clued me in that it would have Ilocano dishes.

It had a cozy and native-influenced al fresco area.  

What awaits inside is a more spacious area.  They even have a second floor.

Food


Mga Pulutan/Appetizers

Sizzling Sisig (260 php)

Crispy Garlic Isaw (240 php)

The Sizzling Sisig and Crispy Garlic Isaw is worth the cholesterol.

♥ Crispy Tawilis (220 php)

But, I liked the Crispy Tawilis more.  It was very crispy and not too salty.

♥ Sizzling Litid (250 php)

I also loved the Sizzling Litid.  I think I enjoyed most of this sizzling plateful.

Naimas Nachos (260 php)

Naimas Nachos is deep fried wanton with the usual nacho grande toppings.  This is the perfect bar chow as it doesn't get soggy even after a long period of time.


Mga Paborito/Favorites

♥ Adobong Hipon sa Aligue (360 php)

One of my favorite is the Adobong Hipon sa Aligue.

♥ Paksiw na Mata ng Tuna (280 php)

But, the Paksiw na Mata ng Tuna is just as good.

Pigar Pigar (380 php)

I was expecting the Pigar Pigar to have some liver.  But, I guess it was all beef which was good too because it was tender and flavorful.

♥ Kinulob na Peking Duck (460 php)

Definitely save some space for the Kinulob na Peking Duck.  For the price, this is a steal! 

Mga Gulay/Vegetables

Gising Gising (210 php)

The Gising Gising is the healthiest among all our orders.  This is good but I guess everyone prefer the more sinful ones.

♥ Sinigang na Bulalo (380 php)

Well, I haven't had a Bulalo I didn't enjoy so I was also comforted by the warm and savory Sinigang na Bulalo.

♥ Sinampalokang Kambing (320 php)

This is my first time to try a goat dish here in Manila.  Trying the Sinampalokang Kambing brought me back to my childhood memories.  

I've spent some of my summer vacations at my mom's ancestral home in Ilocos Sur.  Every time we'd go there, my uncle would have our staffs buy a goat.  By the time we'd reach the house, there will be a live goat tied to the wooden post by the well.  The dried well was said to bring good fortune to the family.  The goat will be served to us for dinner as a special delicacy.  

How I miss those care-free days.  Everyday we would play with the neighborhood Ilocano boys (who used to bully and tease us by climbing up and make noise on our bed room window only to find out they just wanted to be playmates).  We would run or bike towards the tobacco fields to play hide and seek, luksong baka, patintero and our favorite of all: tumbang preso.  When we hear the church bell rings at 6 o' clock echoing across the entire town, we would head home for dinner which was the highlight of each day.  The manangs would set up our marbled folding tables and pair it with plastic stools by the window side so we could have a wonderful dinner with scenic view of the night sky wonderfully lit by stars, plaza light and church light.

Pancit Canton Regular (350 php)

I think this is hands down the tastiest Pancit Canton I've ever had.  And, look at the toppings... so many!

Pang-himagas/Desserts

Turon sa Saba (120 php)

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
If you're looking for heart warming dishes from the Northern Philippine provinces, Naimas Taste of Home should definitely be on top of your list.  Just expect the dishes to have a bolder taste and flavor than its native counterparts.  But, based on the impressions of my fellow diners, they seem to like it better.

I watch as the staff fried and prepared my order.


Isawmazing offers its customers the option to choose the flavor they want.

Classic Isaw Stick Pork (10 php)

I was so excited as I was given my Classic Isaw Stick Pork.   I had mine with vinegar only similar to those sold in the streets.  It wasn't as good as I always imagined it to be.  It was not as crunchy as it looked.  It was a fun to chew with its gummy texture.  But, the taste was bitterish.  Fellow Tsinoy Foodie Kurt advised that I should just try those from the streets which is cheaper and better.  
Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Isawmazing grants hygeine conscious citizens like me the opportunity to try fried Isaw variants.  I honestly don't mind paying for the premium.  But, I hope they should at least reach the taste quality offered in the streets.