Dinakdakan

Dinakdakan
Dinakdakan at Morning Sun Eatery, awarded a Bib Gourmand distinction in the inaugural Michelin Guide.
Alternative namesWarek-warek
CourseAppetizer or Main course
Place of originPhilippines
Region or stateIlocos Region
Serving temperatureHot or Room temperature
Main ingredientsPork (jowls, neck, ears, innards and pig’s brain or mayonnaise as a substitute), vinegar, calamansi, onions, ginger, chilies, and black pepper.
Similar dishesInsarabasab, Pulpog, Kilawin, Sisig

Dinakdakan also known as warek-warek, is a tangy and creamy Filipino dish made from chopped pork—commonly jowls, neck, snout, ears, innards, and traditionally pig’s brain—that is grilled or boiled, then marinated and seasoned with vinegar or citrus juice, typically calamansi. Originating from the Ilocos Region, it is commonly served as pulutan (food eaten with alcoholic beverages) and is sometimes eaten with rice.

The main ingredients of dinakdakan include vinegar (sukang-Iloko), calamansi, chilies, onions or shallots, minced ginger, and salt and pepper. The dish is often compared to sisig, another Filipino pork dish; however, unlike sisig, dinakdakan usually features larger, less finely chopped pieces of meat and traditionally includes mashed pig’s brain as a creamy component, with mayonnaise commonly used as a modern substitute.