Growing up Filipina, it was always natural to have a whole roasted pig, which we call lechon, as part of any celebration. One of the most exciting moments at any party was reaching the pig after weaving through so many meat, rice, noodle and vegetable dishes. The only worry being would there be any crispy skin left. As I’ve gotten older though, this excitement has become more of a joyful memory. This is primarily because my circle of friends come from varied backgrounds, and for us, having a whole pig at a party is more novel.
In the Philippines, having a whole pig is not reserved for parties or celebrations, but it can be found in restaurants, mall food courts and roadside stands. I’m not 100% sure if lechon would be considered the national dish of the country, but it is very much a part of everyday life. It’s like BBQ or burgers or pizza in the United States. With that in mind, I’m not here to rank lechon places in the Philippines, but I do want to share my recent experience while traveling in the Philippines at the end of last year.
As I was only in Manila for a day and a half, my cousin took me to the mall food court near the family house. From my childhood visits, I was thinking that I would be going to a place called Lydia’s, but the one in the food hall at Fisher Mall was Elar’s. The moment we stepped up to order, we were greeted by the familiar site of the whole pig. Our timing was perfect as a new one had just been brought out for serving.
Elar’s had combo meals available or you could order by weight. The combo came with rice, vegetables, soup, and tea to drink, while the a la carte meat is only the meat. There are other combo meals available if you do not want lechon, as well as a combo meal with lechon paksiw, which is a stew made using leftover lechon. This is one of my favorite comfort foods, so I did not miss the chance to order it.
Elar’s did not disappoint. The lechon skin was perfectly crispy and the meat was juicy and flavorful. While the paksiw was not as good as my mom’s (I’m very biased here though), the pork was perfectly tender with the stew broth over the rice the perfect accompaniment to meet my comfort food needs.
Please feel free to share your own favorite lechon places or food memories that you cherish from your childhood in the comments.
Until next time, happy travels and happy eating!
Lechon is pork candy! Yum!