One thing you’ll notice when eating around the Philippines is that we’re completely obsessed with our pork, which is probably why we cook it so well.
In the midst of all the good food in Cebu, there exists the “Porketarians” or Pork Lovers. As a result I created a list of the top five best pork dishes in Cebu.
Alejandro’s Crispy Pata
Photo by Grid Concepts
Enter Alejandro’s Crispy Pata – what else would they be known for? Branded as the house that Crispy Pata built, the pork knuckle is simmered, drained and deep fried until crisp. The meat is tender and juicy inside, with a crisp, crackling exterior served with a variety of dipping sauces with chili and calamansi. I have ordered Alejandro’s a couple of times and needless to say the meat was very tasty that you can eat it without any dipping sauce. I’m not a big fan of pork but I became one after trying Alejandro’s.
Balamban Liempo
Liempo – a Spanish term for pork belly. Liempo roasted over charcoal, oozing with herbs and secret ingredients to make it tastier is what Balamban Liempo is known for. What makes their liempo stand out is its soft meat and crunchy skin seasoned with herbs and the right blend of aromatics grilled to perfection. I suggest you eat it with puso (hanging rice) and vinegar to experience the real Cebuano dish!
Lord of the Ribs
Photo by Grid Concepts
He wouldn’t call himself the Lord of the Ribs for no reason. Founded two years ago by Joema Casenas, he initially started by participating in food bazaars and have gained a big enough following that he is able to open his first restaurant in Banilad. Joema’s brilliant idea was to pair a rack of ribs with their famous white dipping sauce. What everyone loves about their ribs is that every bite will give you that tender, fall of the bone, smoked taste. Want some tip? Eat it with curry rice for the ultimate foodgasm.
Tatang’s Lechon
Photo by Grid Concepts
Lorenz Florendo, owner of Tatang’s Lechon, started his lechon business in 2013 and garnered a lot of attention from the locals and tourists due to their lechon’s juicy, fragrant meat and extra crispy skin. What sets them apart from other lechon restaurants is the meat cooked fresh at their store. So if you come or order at the right time (11:00am for lunch and 6:00pm for dinner) you get the hottest and freshest lechon possible centered with locally sourced fresh ingredients from the market every morning! If you’re visiting Cebu, make sure to include Tatang’s in your itinerary.
Pirikara Buta Don by Son-Gohan
We all love the gyudon. But what if we’re in the mood for something other than beef rice bowl? Butadon is a dish made with pork instead of beef in a mildly sweet sauce. This delightful Japanese dish consisting of a bowl of rice topped with sweet and spicy bacon cut pork simmered in a homemade Japanese chilli garlic sauce, complimented with dashi maki tamago – a sweet rolled Japanese egg omelette and sake infused onions will amaze you. Tender and succulent meat I must say!
Cebuano born and bred, Mitz is a registered nurse turned Marketing Manager for foodpanda. A devoted lover of words and wit, Mitz wanted to try her hand at writing. She will never refuse a piece of dark chocolate or anything matcha.
