Zubuchon- Cebu's gourmet lechon

I'm still in Cebu and dinner last night was at the gourmet lechon restaurant named Zubuchon. Now who isn't familiar with Zubuchon? Owned by one of the most popular food bloggers in the country "Market Man" or www.marketmanila.com and endorsed by THE Anthony Bourdain - no wonder it's already a byword in the local and national lechon gastronomic scene.

Their branch in Escario in Cebu is most probably the most stylish lechon house I've been - simple yet posh and tastefully garbed for Christmas. I just like how the black, white and red motif goes well with the season as well as stand out on its own.

But it didn't distract me from going to the lechon display where the roast pig is sliced in full view. There, as if Anthony Bourdain is peering at every guest and says "Best pig ... ever" as they see what's printed on the glass wall.

Then there's Zubuchon's version of boneless lechon - just waiting to be served.

And on our table came Zubuchon Sisig which had a nice aroma though I find it very "wet" for a sizzling sisig. It's made from pure Zubuchon cheeks and meat as what was said on the menu. Despite the consistency it was a good first gastronomic impression.

For the sides we had Eggplant Salad which I simply adore because it seem to be "fresh" tasting. The concoction of vinegar plus the eggplant, tomatoes and onions was perfectly balanced off the richness of the sisig and all other meat dishes we had then.

Just like the Adobong Kangkong though it was just ordinary, I still loved the "crunch" of it.

The dinuguan - still with lechon, had hints of gata if my taste memories serve me right. Despite creaminess and the indulgent main ingredient - still wsith Zubuchon lechon, it wasn't still the dinug-an taste and lookI go for which is almost black, sour and bloodily creamy.

For the soup we had chicken binakol and as Ilonggo I explained to everybody that in the simplicity of it all - its like chicken tinola just with coconut meat and coconut juice giving it a sweeter broth but the ginger gives some spice to it.

And choosing for our drink we definitely followed what we read on the table - that Zubhcon goes well with Kamias shake. I just love sour fruits turned into shakes and kamias is one of my faves to be made into one. And Zubuchon had one of the best kamias shakes I've tried. There's plenty of kamias skin which acts like pulp and their blend still has the tug of war between the sourness of the fruit and the sweetener they used. So aside from balancing the taste of the lechon, it had to balance of itself. And I am still craving for more...

The center of the gastronomic attraction was of course the gourmet lechon - with all the herbs and spices and the olive oil it is rubbed with prickling of the skin to give it a signature bubbly finish. A usual the lechon skin was good- the crunch and all the flavours but the meat itself wasn't that flavourful.It was just like any ordinary pork meat and it was quite tough.

I've had better taste of Zubuchon a few months ago when I chanced upon it at the Cebu airport - I bought a kilo from one of the stalls and when I got back home fresh from the sealed package I tasted it and it was very good. Just the right saltiness (I find CNT lechon too salty for my tastebuds) with a barrage of herbs and spices. That then became my standard taste for Zubuchon so I was surprised that the taste wasn't like that when I had it at the restaurant that time.

Was it because the already packed ones had "more time" to develop the taste? You know for the flavours to really "seep" in and become more even? But that is opposite of what wqas written on the paper table mat that "The best way to eat lechon is to eat it when there is steam still rising from its rear end."

Anyway, I guess its just a sign that I'll have to be back again at the restaurant (at the same time buy a packed on) the next I find my self in Cebu. And before i forget they have this very nice pasalubong corner where some of their signature products are for sale as well as other items Market Man find worth sharing and his standard. That will be again part of my next visit to Zubuchon in Cebu and I can't wait ...

Ultimate Ilonggo Favorite: KBL Kadyos, Baboy, Langka

K.B.L. or Kadyos, Baboy, Langka is the ultimate favorite dish of most Ilonggos. It is also one of the most missed native dishes as kadyos and the souring ingredient, batwan , are hard to find when outside of the Ilonggo region. Basically, it is boiled/stewed pork dish owing its "deliciousness" to the combination of the soft and tender pork, the tamed sourness of batwan and the malinamnam na sabaw . One of the "secrets" of the malinamnamn na sabaw , is the fact that the pork, whether just the plain meat or pata (hocks) are first grilled or broiled. This gives the broth a rather smoky taste that makes it more appetizing.. Learn how to make the Ilonggo dish KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka) with the recipe below. Ingredients 1 kilo Pata (pork hocks) or pork cubes, GRILLED and sliced into bite size pieces 1 unripe Jack fruit, cubed 2 cups pigeon pea (kadyos) 6-8 pieces batwan fruit (or tamarind powder) 1 piece pork broth cube (

An Ilonggo favorite - Valenciana

Found in almost all occasions like fiesta, birthdays, reunions and others, Ilonggos really love valenciana because most if not all have grown accustomed of having it in special gatherings at home. A complete " go, grow and glow " dish because it has the carbohydrates, protein and vitamins and minerals in just one spoonful, Valenciana is really an " occasional dish ". Here's the recipe for Valenciana

Takway

The gabi (taro) is just one of those plants which is edible from "roots to tops". The most popular of which is the tuber part which is used in a variety of dishes and mostly in combination with coconut milk. Its leaves, of course, is the main ingredient of a Bicol specialty, laing . It is dried then chopped and sauteed with other ingredients including, again, coconut milk. Then there is takway . The local term for its tendrils/runner, that part which is torn between being a stem or a root for it neither grows upwards nor downwards - it grows sideways . Scraped off of its outer skin, takway is often a key ingredient in vegetable dishes like laswa and the gabi tuber with coconut milk and local snails know as bago-ngon . It is also popular when cooked adobo style with guinamos , the local bago-ong . It is very popular in the region that even big supermarkets sell takway in style - cleaned and plastic wrapped in styro with some additions to make it easier to prepare.

Batwan

Ilonggos know batwan or batuan by heart as the fruit is almost endemic to the Western Visayas. Its scientific name is Garcinia binucao, derived from the Tagalog name for the fruit, binukaw. It is a large green fruit with large seeds and its a favorite souring ingredient in most Ilonggo dishes especially KBL or kadyos, baboy, langka and the Ilonggo-style paksiw known as "pinamalhan". It is characterized by a tamed sourness compared to tamarind and kamias . The fruit is sold by pieces or kilo in wet markets and even big grocery stores. Batwan is the preferred souring ingredients for the Ilonggo favorite- KBL. The photo shows boiled batwan with skin and without skin (right) A favorite riddle when we were young - "Among the many fruits in the forest, but one (batuan) is the best. What is it?"

A cooking weed called Lupo

Lupo is a weed that is commonly found in ricefields and roadside in provinces. It is most prevalent in Ilonggo cooking compared to others as it is mostly the Ilonggos who can recognize lupo , though maybe called differently in other places. Most commonly used in laswa or monggo dishes to add greens like kamote tops, it also makes a good partner in sinabawan na isda recipes. It has hints of bitterness but don't expect it to be ampalaya-bitter like. It is mostly sold in wet local wet markets by the tumpok .

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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