Ihawan: Serving Up the Heartiest Filipino Food in "Little Manila"

I think one of the most underrated cuisines in New York City is that of the Philippines. Although there aren't many Filipino restaurants in NYC, there are a few golden gems that food lovers have either overlooked or have failed to discover for the longest time. Given that New York houses one of the country's largest Filipino-American populations (right beneath California), it's a shame that very few have experienced this interesting culture and their delicious eats!

Filipino culture and cooking is influenced by Spanish, Chinese, Polynesian, and Southeast Asian traditions. The results are a common people with a rich, quilt-like heritage and a cuisine filled with a bold blend of sweet, sour, and salty flavors.

Last weekend I enjoyed a scrumptious meal at Ihawan, a Filipino restaurant located in the "Little Manila" section of Woodside, Queens. Ihawan serves up several hearty and deletable dishes, such as lechon kawali (whole roasted pig), sinigang (tamarind soup), bangus (deep fried milkfish), pork BBQ, and kare kare (ox tail stew in peanut sauce).

Here are some drool-worthy photos:

1. Bangus

2. Kare Kare

3. Lechon Kawali

The Last Bite: Looking back on how much food I ingested that night and remembering my heartburn after, I would have to liken that meal to something like the "Thrilla in Manila" match between Ali and Frazier. Except, in this fight, it was Filipino Food Vs. Me... and I definitely got KO'd!