Thank you Philippines!

Isla Pilipina

2501 W. Lawrence

773-271-2988

www.islapilipina.com

I cannot say enough about this place. The food here made me want to slap my momma! It may be small and not look like much from the outside but they are serving up pure love at Isla Pilipina, let me be the one to tell you! They have the friendliest staff with good knowledge of the menu. We had never been to a Pilipino restaurant before and we asked our server for some guidance. This was a wise choice for a couple of newbies. Next time we will venture out all alone. And next time isn’t going to be long coming. We are planning to go back tomorrow; did I fail to mention that we were just there this past Sunday? There were too many items on the menu that sounded irresistible and obviously are seeing that we are planning to trek back over there tomorrow. Can’t lie, this place excites me.

Ok, let me tell you what we had the first time and what I plan to order the next time. Told ya, I’m excited. I imagine that over time I will try the entire menu, at least it sounds like a good idea right now.

We started off with the pork bbq appetizer. The plate has skewers of pork which have been marinated in some delightful concoction that I think has soy, some citrus, lemon grass, ginger, and a few other ingredients that I haven’t got quite yet. No worries, I will be giving myself another opportunity next time. For $3 you get 2 skewers with 3 or 4 slices of delicious, tender pork. This will be a repeat for sure!

The fried butterfish with a vinegar dipping sauce was a great treat. This is a small fish about the size of the palm of your hand that they season nicely and quickly fry. It is served whole and comes off the bone in nice small little bites that you dip into the vinegar sauce. Each bite is bright and fragrant.

The entrees were both suggested by the server. He must be smart!

The Bicol Express is an intoxicating mixture of seafood, pork (I know what you are thinking but it works beautifully!) and, vegetables in a coconut milk sauce. This was amazing, listen to me on this one. The mussels are plump and exploding with flavor; there are also perfectly cooked shrimp, and tender squid swimming around in this dish. I’ve promised myself that I will get something new each time I visit but this dish will be calling my name every time I walk through the doors.

Pinakbet is on the vegetable list at Isla. However, you may question that listing once you read about this dish. Yes! This dish has pork in it as well (you’ll soon learn that I love PIG butt and I cannot lie! You will be wondering why you’re singing “Baby Got Back” a little later, lol). If you don’t mind a little pork on your plate you will surely enjoy these vegetables though. This dish has Kabucha squash, eggplant, and bittermelon. To be honest, it is mostly veggies so don’t let me scare you off with the talk of delish, succulent pork. Also, be careful taking bites of the bittermelon. It is, in my opinion, used to flavor the dish not to be eaten. It is a great balance for the shrimp brine paste in the sauce. This is packed with loads of flavor. Yum!

The next visit will bring the Crispy Chicken which appears to be a small mountain of deep fried pieces of chicken. As it was delivered to a table across the dining room I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. I immediately uttered, I’m getting that next time! I said the same when the server carried a plate of Inihaw na Baboy directly past my face. I almost reached out and snatched one of these incredible looking grilled pork strips. I have to stop talking about them, my mouth is watering.

Let me finish by saying that if you live in Chicago get to Isla Pilipina, immediately. If you are planning to visit Chicago and want to get away from the tourist traps and the heart of the city, get on the train, or in a cab, and find your way to Lawrence and Western. You will be happy you did!