Isaw (Chicken's Small Instestines)

Almost all around the world has it's own way of turning animal innards into something appetizing. After all, small intestines is still protein and fat like common meat. Only two barbecue stand offers grilled meat and intestines in my neighborhood. They only sell this product late in the afternoon starting at 3PM and closes late at night or when the the stock of the grilled meat is sold out.

(Above) Isaw bought at Tacio St., corner P. Florentino St. (Below) Isaw from Blumentrit corner P. Floreitno St.

The grilled Isaw is clean from the two barbecue stand mentioned from the picture above. There are ways to determine if the Isaw you ate is unclean if: it has an ass-like odor, tasted a bit bitter from the food and enzymes from the chicken's last meal, it has a bit of gritty feeling while chewing it. I never had any problems eating Isaw for the past couple of years bought at the stores that I've mentioned.

Here's what makes the Isaw have a bit of a nutty flavor.

The barbecue stand at Blumentrit carefully prepares their meat prior to grilling. They first marinate the meat then allowing it to simmer in a few minutes at a low flame with a mixtures of soy sauce and other spices. After the process of marinating and simmering, they skewer each meat and innards on a thin bamboo stick then placed over a hot charcoal while brushing a sweet sauce mixture on each side. And the result? The flavor gets through every strand of the meat and innards. Another reason why they meticulously prepares the meat and innards, is because, they want to eliminate the odor and taste that comes along with the small intestines.On the other hand, the barbecue stand at Tacio St. only marinates their skewered meat and chicken innards before grilling.

So, if you want your Isaw sweet and with flavors that seeped thoroughly inside the meat, the barbecue stand at Blumentrit is right for you. Though the size of the Isaw on it's stick is quite smaller for P3.00 than the ones sold at Tacio St. for 5.00. But if you want something that's not so sweet with light soy sauce taste, go visit the barbecue stand at Tacio St.