Eighteenth dish:
Lechon Belly
(Roasted Pork Belly)
(Roasted Pork Belly)
Part 2
In search for best Lechon in Gensan:
As what I have mentioned last May 27, the relaunching of Yummy Tummy lechon were opened and that was my latter target. Yet today, I arrived at 12:10pm without any other customers inside. I thought it was a little bigger. The place is way too small it can only occupy a maximum of eight individuals inside without any elbow to elbow crashes (furthermore, they will soon expand according to the owner) and it can be quite hot sometimes because the place were located alongside of the road. Plus be carefull with your tables, because they too dance with your movements.
As what I have mentioned last May 27, the relaunching of Yummy Tummy lechon were opened and that was my latter target. Yet today, I arrived at 12:10pm without any other customers inside. I thought it was a little bigger. The place is way too small it can only occupy a maximum of eight individuals inside without any elbow to elbow crashes (furthermore, they will soon expand according to the owner) and it can be quite hot sometimes because the place were located alongside of the road. Plus be carefull with your tables, because they too dance with your movements.
Actual Lechon Belly when I arrived
Photo courtesy of YummyTummy Lechon
Without any more fussy details. Let's dig in and find out how Feriz (the owner and the person behind this recipe) did his own touch to their self-proclaimed "first lechon belly" in Gensan. Feriz was born and raised in Cebu, so I am looking forward to taste the original Cebu's best lechon somehow. When I entered their stall, I was welcomed quite warm and readily ordered their Lechon Belly for a price rate of Ph90 with more than a hundred grams of lechon with rice plus a glass of juice (melon flavor but subject to change daily) it was then finely delivered in no time.
Judgment:
The crispness from skin was totally irresistible and were treated with basting mixture with a minimal amount of soy sauce, which results into pale skin color when it is supposed to be "blood red" in colour, but still having mild to medium saltiness (uneven saltiness althroughout the entire lechon) and definitely crunchy as it should. This is delicious in its own right with a distinctive flavor that lingers after each bite. I liked it!
The crispness from skin was totally irresistible and were treated with basting mixture with a minimal amount of soy sauce, which results into pale skin color when it is supposed to be "blood red" in colour, but still having mild to medium saltiness (uneven saltiness althroughout the entire lechon) and definitely crunchy as it should. This is delicious in its own right with a distinctive flavor that lingers after each bite. I liked it!
Pinkish tone of the meat were preserved yet cooked all the way through.
Their meat were undoubtedly tender but not chewy and were seasoned generously (mild - medium saltiness), very meaty-straightforward but with a much less depth of flavor (plain and flat, I can't recognize all the flavors from aromatics that were slowly sinking in into the meat layers), and besides even if those herbs and spices were barely unnoticeable this also comes with a distinctive whiff of aroma - might be from aromatics (aromatics: are herbs, spices and vegetables --- with the inclusion of seasonings used to stuffed inside the lechon). As a whole it has this lingering aftertaste that was sure to please on everyone's palate. Truly decadent in its form, superb, but not that excellent. Still my curiosity in this utmost overall profile was delicious and satisfying and somehow my mind kept saying it's tasty overtime!
I like the fats from this lechon, because this were gelatinously tender but not off-putting. Strange! But it is! I like this even better compared to Lechon Liempo that I ate before which was too greasy and that corrupts my entire appetite.
Overall, this belly lechon was deliciously tasty and not too salty (3.5/5).
Melon flavored juice
Their juice was plain and very commercialized. I don't know about you, but I prefer pure water than this instant flavored drink.
Their spiced vinegar was clear, lightly spiced not sure but it has a subtle garlicky aftertone and hint of sweetness. When I thought it was cane vinegar, yet they confirmed that it was tuba (coconut vinegar). It was so surprisingly different from a fully fermented sukang tuba which I am more familiar with. As usual, this acidity negate the effects of foul aftertaste from greasy fats. But then again these fats from lechon isn't truly that disgusting, so, dig in to your heart's content.
Blogger's note:
I didn't enjoyed much into dipping this lechon to their in-house vinegar, because the meat in itself was of purely superb and packed with porky essences that was truly appetizing.
I didn't enjoyed much into dipping this lechon to their in-house vinegar, because the meat in itself was of purely superb and packed with porky essences that was truly appetizing.
Downside:
There are some part of the belly meat - fatty membrane that is impossible to digest thru chewing. So, spit it off and make yourself free from this unwanted additional cholesterol into your body, or eat it at your own health risk (there are more health or safety concerns associated with this issues regarding these topic though, hence, I am just saying).
There are some part of the belly meat - fatty membrane that is impossible to digest thru chewing. So, spit it off and make yourself free from this unwanted additional cholesterol into your body, or eat it at your own health risk (there are more health or safety concerns associated with this issues regarding these topic though, hence, I am just saying).
SINAMPALUKANG LECHON
(Roasted Pork Belly in Tamarind Broth)
The broth was cloudy with a dense pale-brown colour, slightly thick and was deeply flavored with tamarind's volatile souring richness and some wedges of riped tomatoes, very authentic and way too heavy. Along with very thin cube like gingers in, creates a spicy tone and soothing to your throat. The gabi/karlang (taro root) was cooked through and bit mushy with its immensing natural mild sweetness and starchy contrast and some slices of semi sweet radishes were also indispensable, naturally delicious! I also love the idea of using alugbati (malabar spinach) as a substitute from the classic addition of using kangkong (water spinach), delicious by the way, very distinct and unique. This is something I would like to try on a dish like sinigang soon, very different with a slight gooey slime like attribute and thus having such distinct characteristics and taste as it was.
Pork lechon chunks were given much more detail into this dish, that had gone more extraction due to the boiling process of cooking, more flavorful and superior than that of plain cooked lechon as is. In this sour broth dish it had reached another heights of flavor that explodes inside your mouth with its soft and spongy textures to melt in your mouth skin to fat layers down to its meaty-tenderefic parts were like heaven (it will certainly make you forget that it was a sinful meal packed with cholesterol), and take note, it's flavours were made completely intact in this chuncky slices of lechon pieces. Very delectable!
Note:
There is something new to this lechon, they added a liquorice note onto it and the culprit was the native chinese spice called "star anise". I only savored this on the last part of my Sinampalukang Lechon, because there is a single chunk that carries this sublte liquoricey undertone. Do I like it? Well, certainly, only if it's just a hint coming this spice. For me it is like a perfume to my senses, but this was kind of strange, but still delicious.
There is something new to this lechon, they added a liquorice note onto it and the culprit was the native chinese spice called "star anise". I only savored this on the last part of my Sinampalukang Lechon, because there is a single chunk that carries this sublte liquoricey undertone. Do I like it? Well, certainly, only if it's just a hint coming this spice. For me it is like a perfume to my senses, but this was kind of strange, but still delicious.
Downside:
Albeit the broth's heavy richness, it was purely out of balance. There is no seemingly flavor whirlpool that may occur. The meat's flavor was intact into its pure form, but not having any leverage between all of its components. Plus the level of sourness in the broth was astonishingly high enough, I haven't slurped into it bottomlessly, 'cause if I do, it will surely leave a tingling sensation all over my mouth down to my throat.
Albeit the broth's heavy richness, it was purely out of balance. There is no seemingly flavor whirlpool that may occur. The meat's flavor was intact into its pure form, but not having any leverage between all of its components. Plus the level of sourness in the broth was astonishingly high enough, I haven't slurped into it bottomlessly, 'cause if I do, it will surely leave a tingling sensation all over my mouth down to my throat.
For me this level of acidity was 4/5 and its overall doneness plus my experience that day with this meal was 3/5. 😂😅
Blogger's note for the owner/chef/restaurateur:
Thanks to the generousity of Feriz Amarga with his wife. They possessed a very welcoming vibe, also, thanks to the free Sinampalukang Lechon and an additional rice. More power po and God bless sa business. Will certainly be coming back for more food adventure into your lovely place.
Thanks to the generousity of Feriz Amarga with his wife. They possessed a very welcoming vibe, also, thanks to the free Sinampalukang Lechon and an additional rice. More power po and God bless sa business. Will certainly be coming back for more food adventure into your lovely place.
YummyTummy lechon were open daily from 10am-8:30pm. They can be found at Lukban St. near RD Plaza - Fitmart, opposite of Methodist church, Gensan City.
Photo courtesy of YummyTummy Lechon
List of their menu, photo courtesy of YummyTummy Lechon
Sir Feriz Amarga and me
Happy Eating!
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