In the Philippines, Cebu is known as the “Queen City of the South” for numerous of reasons- not only is it hailed for its scenic views, customs, traditions, art and rich history but also for its diverse food varieties it offers to the locals and tourists alike. Although I could be considered as a true blood Cebuana, having been born and raised in Cebu, I had to experience eating the food in my locality in order for me to understand and become closer in this city that I call home. Experiencing what the common people eat widens your knowledge about a certain place rather than knowing it from what you may have read or heard about it. Being an adventurous foodie has made it easy for me to throw out my inhibitions out of the window and fulfill some of my bizarre and uncanny food cravings and made this food trip a breeze to accomplish. Some notable Cebuano dishes or street food include taho, balut, bam-I, ginabot, kinilaw, tempura, chicken head and of course, the infamous lechon.
(Snapshot of the lechon at CnT Guadalupe Branch)
One of the most popular and scrumptious food specialties in Cebu is the Lechon or Inasal which plays a huge part of the Cebuano culture. This gastronomic journey of mine which highlights Lechon provided me the indulgence to delve and understand further my hometown’s food culture. The evidence of Lechon being an integral part of the Cebuano culture is the fact that dining experience in Cebu would not be complete without the inasal experience. The lechon, in my opinion, is best when it is paired with the puso or known as hanging rice which is an essential part of Cebuano food. One characteristic of the Filipinos is to celebrate different festivities with grandeur and opulence even though the family is on a tight budget or is experiencing financial crisis. Special occasions such as weddings, baptisms, birthdays, reunions, anniversaries and even wake ceremonies would not be complete without the Lechon. The Inasal baboy would serve as the highlight of all the dishes and is most likely to be served at the centre or at a special table during fiestas and other special occasions.
Another dish that is created from the lechon leftovers is the “Lechon Paksiw” where the meat is cut into small pieces and added ingredients such as vinegar, pepper, lechon sauce or Mang Tomas sauce, laurel, etc. to make the delicious dish. There is a religious festival celebrating the lechon called the "Lechon Festival" in Balayan, Batangas celebrated every 24th of June. The festival is characertized by dressing the roasted pig according to the theme of the social organization and parading it in the streets to display the creativity of the costume. The lechon could also be found in other parts of the Philippines like Quezon where it is called the “Lechon Capital of the Philippines” however many still prefer the authentic Cebuano lechon. Due to the popularity of the lechon, some Filipino personalities, celebrities, politicians and even presidents have reportedly requested to have the Cebuano inasal shipped into different provinces of the Philippines.
Lechon has been a part of the long Philippine history having its beginning traced back from the era of Spanish colonization with some evidence linking it to the settlement of the Chinese immigrants In the Philippines. Lechon is a Spanish word for “suckling pig” however the Cebuano term is used to denote the whole roasted pig. Basically, the dish has first been introduced as a part of the Spanish cuisine and was soon integrated into the Filipino gastronomy. It is cooked slowly by roasting it over charcoal however in the different provinces, the lechon is tied in wood over banana leaf and is drenched in oil making the skin “pop” or crunchy. The local lechon is infused with many herbs and spices such as strong lemongrass and garlic flavors that it does not need sarsa unlike the lechon from Manila. The roasting of the pig takes approximately about 5 to 6 hours before the skin would be crispy and have a soft meat inside. Most of the consumers would agree with me that the meat near the ribs is the most delicious part of the lechon because it is near to where all the flavors and seasonings are located. The younger and thicker the pig is, the tastier it is since the method makes a crispy skin but with a very moist meat inside.
In Cebu, there are plenty of Lechon houses that offer great tasting inasal at very reasonable prices. One of the most famous that is associated with Cebuano Lechon is CnT Lechon which is well known for their roasted pigs with crunchy skins and well- seasoned meat retaining its tenderness and juiciness without the layers of pork fat. In my opinion, CnT has no doubt the best lechon in Cebu and tourists agree with me by going into the different branches located all over Cebu just to have a bite of the famous inasal. To lessen the greasiness of the lechon meal, I suggest that you order a small serving of the ampalaya cooked with eggs and eat the meal with soda such as Pepsi or Coke. Another famous shop for its well- seasoned meat is Alejo which is located in the bustling streets of Salvador, Labangon which is quite inaccessible for tourists because it has no other branch established in Cebu. However, this does not hamper customers from flocking in the shop to get a taste of their lechon. The seasonings and flavors of the lechon in Alejo is stronger than that of CnT because I believe that it is all the dirt, grime and muck that gives the lechon its distinct flavour. Other shops that offer great lechon inasal are: Claire’s, Luz’s Inasal, Zubuchon, other Filipino restaurants, and even online! Some online shops include La Loma’s Lechon, Lydia’s Lechon Restaurant, Pasalubong’s Lechon, Express Regalo Online and others that ship lechon right at your door.
(CnT Guadalupe Branch)
(Claire's Lechon Shop at Fooda)
In the restaurants and shops, one could order a kilo of lechon for a price range of Php300 – Php400 depending on the store and you could order less e.g. ½ kilo, ¾ kilo and ¼ kilo. Prices may also differ for the whole roasted pig ranging approximately from Php3000 for the smallest size, Php 4500 for the medium- sized pig and Php6000 for the large- sized pig. During my interview with one of the ladies manning the CnT Lechon shop in Guadalupe, she said that almost all of the lechon houses get their supply from Carcar or Talisay so that they can ensure customers that they are served with the best tasting Lechon in town.
I suggest that readers indulge and take a bite of the different lechon offered in Cebu. However caution must be exercised when eating Lechon because the inasal is notoriously known to be jam- packed with cholesterol which may cause high-blood attack and others. For a payment of Php300, you can already get a taste of the diverseness of the culture of Cebu. You may like some, you may not like the others but at least you can make an educated conclusion. After all, not only do you walk away with a full stomach but with rich and different experiences that you carry with you, for the rest of your life.
Sources:
Dealca, Dionisia. Personal Interview. October 16, 2011
Sources:
Dealca, Dionisia. Personal Interview. October 16, 2011
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