Pig and Khao
“We had the Pork Belly Adobo, Sizzling Sisig, Khao Soi, Hainanese Duck and coconut rice.”
“We got the sizzling corned beef hash and grilled pork jowl which I thought were the two best.”
“The other standout was the Sizzling Sisig, with pork head, chili and a whole raw egg cracked on top.”
Pig and Khao
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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I'm a fan!
Went here last night for dinner. Ordered the sisig, chicharon appetizer, and spicy curry chicken noodle dish (forgot the name of the dish lol). Everything was so bomb. The combo of freshly cooked egg and pork belly atop coconut rice was yum. This dish is comfort food that reminds me of home and makes my tummy smile. That curry sauce and noodles had a kick and was very flavorful. Chicharon = fried pork skin and fat, what's not to like hah! I prefer it without dipping the vinegar but apparently that's more authentic. Not a healthy meal whatsoever but it makes the soul happy so it's all good
Interesting vibe and more modern than other filipino joints I've been to. The restaurant plays hip hop so it definitely has a younger more hip feel.
Would come back.
Wow. Mind blown with my dinner. My boyfriend and I walked away happily, hoping that maybe there was more rib sauce left on our fingers. This is on my list of "frequent dining" restaurants because I will most definitely be back for more food! I walked in with quite some expectations and there were met above and beyond! Thinking of coming for brunch next time.
I made a reservation in case the restaurant was packed on a Wednesday night. Upon arrival, the wait staff were very welcoming. The restaurant was not full at all, but after a couple of minutes, the restaurant started to get packed. The crowd varied between casual to date nights. Our waiter was very attentive throughout the whole night and made excellent suggestions. We had the Sizzling Sisig and Ribs with a side of Coconut Rice.
I never intended to order the Sisig because I'm not a fan of fatty meats. But there were no regrets at all. Flavor was perfect, not too salty but definitely very rich like the waiter had mentioned. Goes well with rice. The ribs were phenomenal, by that I mean we were knawing on the bone and licking the sweet, hoisin-like sauce off our fingers expecting more. The meat falls off the bone and it pairs well with the side of citrusy slaw.
We of course finished with the Halo Halo. Very refreshing and the coconut milk was not too heavy either. Definitely share it after a heavy meal. The flan was my favorite, wish that was a dessert by itself! I would order a whole pan to go!!
Okay. I don't even know where to start. I still can't describe how amazing the food is. The place is small but we somehow came at a magical time when very few people were hungry. Sat up close so we could see the chef work and that in itself was a treat. Flavors from all of Southeast Asia and I just couldn't get enough. I wish I had more room to try everything off the menu. Service was great, food was even better and I wish I was there right now.
The only time I've had Fillipino food was when my mother's friend cooked it and it was amazing so I'm a bit spoiled. I never bothered to venture out and try Fillipino food at a restaurant into my friends came to town and wanted to try this place. I'm so happy they did because the food was absolutely delicious. Every single dish was cooked to perfection and I will definitely be back.
Reasons as to why you would want to go Pig and Khao:
1. You would like to die from a heart attack.
2. You would like to die young.
3. You're skinny and would like to gain weight.
4. You want to tell your friends that you ate a pig's face.
5. Or simply because you like pork & Filipino/Thai food.
Surprisingly enough, they had an off-menu selection with Vietnamese, Thai, Malaysian and other dishes that I didn't pay much attention to since I was with a Filipino expert who would be deciding the dishes for this evening. 😀
Tonight's course:
Small Plates:
Grilled Pork Jowl ($13) – Brussels sprouts (Brussels sprouts were too strong in taste and smell; soaked with flavor), toasted rice (there was toasted rice?!), lime-chili, fish sauce, herbs.
Sizzling Sisig ($15) – pork head, chili, whole egg. (the highlight dish of the night that everyone pretty much ordered)
Large Plates:
Crispy Pata ($26) – Pork leg, pickled green mango, dipping sauces (knife please).
Sides:
Jasmine Rice ($3)
Coconut Rice ($3)
Dessert:
Halo-halo ($8) – Shaved ice, leche flan, ube ice cream, macapuno, pinipig.
I was disappointed with their Halo-halo. I've always wanted to try it since I've seen a video on FB about it but.. meh. Thought it'd be more colorful..
The bathroom was just adorable. It gave off a classy vintage feel. But the downside was that there was only one bathroom… so there will be a line. At least you'll be waiting in line next to the open kitchen(?) so you can watch the Chefs work their magic.
Thanks for popping my Filipino food cherry at Pig and Khao, Mr. V.
Filipino food, it seems, is the hip "new" thing that everyone is in to. As someone who's been eating the stuff his whole life, the current culinary climate and love of Filipino food has produced a pairing of feelings on both ends of the spectrum.
1) There is a feeling of pride and relief, in that food I've considered both awesome and delicious is finally getting some mainstream love; almost a validation that my palate, and the flavor sensibilities of my people, are unique, enhanced, and keen on what tastes good.
2) However, to go with such feelings of euphoria is something a bit more negative, kind of like a jealous ownership over something that I once held a monopoly over. A feeling that is very similar to how us nerds feel now that it's cool to play video games, like Star Wars/Trek, watch anime, and wear glasses; we had to suffer (often in silence) by way of the high-browed "we-art-better-than-thou" snide majority for years… and then they claim ownership?? I mean, I've been eating palaisdaan-style (kamayan to the oh-so-cultured western world, who always finds the next-best coolest thing) for years and always thought it was kinda cool… *sigh* I suppose I just have to get used to the requisite white-bread American dude saying "OMG, you need to try balut, it really isn't that bad" to validate my people's cuisine (as opposed to taking my word for it).
Now that I've said my piece, Pig and Khao does a serviceable job as a gateway to my people's food. Not the best job in terms of authenticity, but a good job in terms of accessibility. I mean, when people pat themselves on the back for eating pig face (i.e. sizzling sisig), it comes across as both funny and baffling. As someone with the mindset that "pork is pork" or "chicken is chicken" or "beef is beef"… no matter what the cut is (be it ear, or snout, or knuckle, or face, or tongue…) I fail to see the daring or adventurous-ness that so many people have the pleasure of experiencing.
Speaking of sisig, it is the best dish here (or at least the best one that I tasted). It is seasoned terrifically, and though I do wish there was just a bit more spicy to it… as well as a hotter griddle (the pork is barely sizzling), they do a good job here of making it as authentic as possible. That being said, it really is just scraps of pig face that's heavily seasoned, with an egg cracked into it (not exactly the peak of culinary science).
The other offerings I've sampled were the pork jowl, crispy pata, and halo halo:
As far as the jowl goes, the flavors are more Thai than Filipino (what with the fish sauce and lime juice). And the dish, to be more accurate, should be enumerated as "Brussel Sprouts with some jowl…" as there is barely any pork in the dish… so if you're expecting a load of meat, you may be disappointed, as this is more a vegetable dish than an actual pork jowl dish. That being said, the fish sauce lime juice seasoning is pretty terrific, and does a good job of cutting through all the meaty fattiness that you are no doubt experiencing with the other pork related dishes you (will have likely) ordered.
The crispy pata is tasty as well. It is listed as a large dish, though it seemed smaller than both the sisig and jowl (which were listed in "medium" sized dishes). Crispy pata tends to be part of the pigs foot/shank/knuckle, and there was a beautiful ring of fat and gelatin/cartilage around the meat. The skin was crispy, though that textural dimension couldn't be experienced to the fullest, as the pork was sliced rather thinly. Typically served with either Mang Tomas (national brand of liver based sauce) or vinegar with hot chili… Pig and Khao offered similar renditions (pretty good job on that end… but not exactly a home run).
I don't really eat halo halo, but in order to give my guest (a virgin to Filipino cuisine) the proper experience, we had to finish with the unofficial dessert of muh homeland. Meaning "mix mix"… halo halo is a curious concoction of shaved ice, milk, ube ice cream, and whatever the hell else you want to throw into the mix (mix). It should typically come out to be (at the very least) a colorful and "viewtiful" amalgamation of mystery ingredients. Such permutations may include sweet beans, sweet corn, mango slices, pineapple, pandan, and other bright/fun/playful things. The halo halo here though? Just a drab of grains to go with the lonely purple of the ube ice cream. From what I tasted… it was fine, but I don't find halo halo all that tasty in general (plus I abhor milk). They could have, at the very least, put at least one or two more colors to the mix. Halo halo is as much a feast to the eyes as it is to one's gut.
In sum, while not the quintessential Filipino dining experience, it's as friendly & accessible an initial foray into Filipino cuisine one can hope for. Forgive my snobbish-ness, I suppose I now know how all my Japanese peeps felt 15 years ago when sushi was "discovered" by Americans.
Hello…HALO HALO!!! I have been dying to try this dessert for two years! The problem was that Boston has no Philipino restaurants (potential business venture??? You can take the idea, just give me free food!)
The halo halo at Pig and Khao did not let me down. Creamy ube ice cream atop a refreshing mix of condensed milk and shaved ice. Little pieces of flan provided a pleasant surprise. Too bad I was sharing this because I totally could have put away one of these on my own.
The rest of the food was also delicious. Dang, Philipino food – where have you been all my life?! We ordered the baby octopus, khao soi, coconut rice, sizzling sisig, and the papaya salad. Everything was solid, but my favorites were the baby octopus, coconut rice, and papaya salad. The baby octopus was tender and flavorful – although you see the entire octopus, so the squeamish might want to stay away. The coconut rice was pure magic and the papaya salad was a refreshing balance to the rest of the meal, which was more meaty and heavy.
Pig and Khao? More like "Pig and WOW!" Will definitely be back for more deliciousness.
It's been awhile but I came back for the delicious khao soi. It was just as good as I remembered!
Don't be fooled by the term small plate. All the dishes were big enough for two. If sharing start with a few small plates and order more if needed. We were a table of 4 and we didn't order any large plates. We had more than enough food.
Khao soi – excellent! Just as good as they make in Thailand. Love! ( this is not a small plate – 2 people can share)
Pork belly adobo – excellent with a touch of spice.
Clay pot special – pork and beef with noodles – very good and flavorful. (Big enough for 2 people)
Papaya salad – very good (2 people can easily share this)
Monkfish – very good
Dessert
Halo halo- very unique and amazing! Try it. Again sharing is caring and this is a big dessert!