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I grew up in Cebu and for me nothing beats the unique flavors of Cebu Style lechon. My earliest memory of Cebu lechon was from my neighbor, a lechonero who roasted the pigs every weekend without fail. I can still remember the burning pits, the smoky air near the garden and the poor pigs as they squealed to their deaths. Not a pretty memory. In Cebu, one of the most popular lechon can be found in the pits of Talisay, Cebu. The lechoneros roasted their pigs with coal made of a local wood. The woods’ fragrance permeated the cooked meat and you have this feeling that you were not eating a roasted pig, but one that was smoked.

Then my entrepreneurial brother started a lechon business right by Mango Avenue near the Redemptorist Church in Cebu. It was called “Oca’s Lechon” and was quite a hit especially after mass when families wanted to bring home a dish of Cebu Lechon.

When I studied in Manila, I got to taste Manila style Lechon. I was in for a disappointment. I had to dip my tasteless lechon meat in some sauce to get the most out of my lechon experience. It had none of the flavorful taste of the Cebu Lechon.

For me the test of an excellent lechon is whether one would require any sauce to make it tasty. Visayan lechon can be eaten alone, sans sarsa, except maybe for a little dipping vinegar to counter the too-rich taste after awhile.

I came across a new book edited by poet and playwright Ed Maranan and his daughter Len S. Maranan-Goldstein, “A Taste of Home“, an anthology of Filipino expatriates’ reminiscences of food from the homeland. In it, inevitably, were disquisitions on lechon, one by Jojo Abinales. Dr. Abinales (author of the “penetrating” book on love during the time of revolution, “Sex, Love and the Filipino Communist“) lately of Kyoto University, but once a denizen of Diliman and environs, has this to say:

It is the lemon grass which makes lechon Bisaya infinitely superior to its Tagalog cousin. It is what gives the pig’s insides that wonderful smell as the tanglad melds the various smells coming from the burning fat and boiling body fluids. That taste becomes more evident once one dips the cooked meat into a sauce of coconut vinegar mixed with crushed garlic and siling labuyo.

Heaven.

Tagalog lechon on the other hand does not emit any zest: it is bland. My Manileno friends argue that this weakness is more than made up for by the sawsawan, a mix of pork liver, pepper and spices that brings out the best of their lechon. I tried the sauce a few times, but could not get myself to agree with them that Manila lechon was at par with its Bisayan cousin. My lechon moments in Manila were always forgettable affairs.

So you see, it affirms that Cebu Style lechon or lechon Bisaya is superior specially as compared to most of the commercially-produced lechon found in Manila, which is either tasteless or too salty

Now if you want to know where to find Cebu style lechon in Manila, here are three places to order them. I have only tasted the one from Jun-Jun’s lechon which indeed has that exquisite Cebu lechon style. Of course, you can still order it all the way from Cebu and have it shipped via any airplane bound for Manila. I have done this before and it was worth the effort to wait by the airport. This was during those days when Cebu style lechon was not yet available in Manila.

Here are three suppliers:

1. Gourmet Lechon

You can find Gourmet Lechon at the Salcedo Weekend market held every saturday. Otherwise known as Salcedo Community Food Market, the market is located At the Velasquez Car Park, Leviste St., Tordesillas Sts Salcedo Village, Makati City

Cebu Lechon at Gourmet Lechon In Tel Number +632829-7922 #7 Seascape, Jaleveille Subd, San Dionisio, Paranaque City . Look for Danny 0922-5612112

Lechon Price list

Cooked Weight 5-6 kilos is 4000 pesos
7-9 kilos 4,500 pesos
10-12 kilos- 5,000 pesos
12-14 kilos 5,500 pesos
15-16 kilos- 6,000 pesos

Place order one day in advance.

1/4 kilo as shown above is 140 pesos while 1 kilo is 550 pesos

2. Jiro’s Native Lechon for Cebu Style Lechon

Jiro’s Native lechon is also at the Salcedo weekend market.

Contact Nonoy Lazaro at +632-433-6298 or +632-436-0182 or +632-433-1621

The cooked weight of a lechon of 20 to 25 kilos is 7 thousand pesos while for 10 kilos , it is 4,000 pesos. The 1/4 kilo sells for 130 pesos which you can bring home to eat.

3. Jun Jun’s Cebu Lechon Restaurant

Cebu Lechon or Cebu Inasal at Jun Jun’s Cebu Lechon Restaurant at the Fort, Global City, Taguig

You can also read Market Man’s entry on Dissecting a Cebu Lechon where he also lists some places to order lechon. I am not sure if those contact numbers are still valid but give it a try. Another good read is Lechon, Round 3 (Roast Pig a la Marketman).

Know of other suppliers of Lechon Bisaya or Cebu Lechon in Metro Manila?

Tags: cebu lechon, inasal, roasted pig