Lechon ni Bai

Tuwing Pasko, ang star ng Noche Buena ay ang lechon.  Sobrang love ko ang lechon… obvious naman di ba?

Joke lang. Si Aki boy yan! 🙂

Pero mahilig talaga ako sa lechon, and last week, my officemates and I got to try Bai’s Boneless Lechon Cebu. Ang sarap! Itsura palang, yummy na di ba?

Here’s what my foodie officemate, friend and lawyer extra ordinaire, Alex Lopez, can say about Bai’s Lechon:

Lechon – I’m talking about the entire pig here – is a festive dish partaken by a big group of people.  Thus, it is almost always present in Filipino celebrations such as fiestas, weddings, birthdays, or even Christmas celebrations.  But it can also be a bit too much, if not impractical.  Let’s face it, not all of its parts are made equal.  The tougher parts such as the shoulders and hocks are not as enjoyable as the belly, which is most flavorful because of its fat content and for making up the cavity that gets filled with spices and aromatics.  And if you belong to a family (yes, I belong to one) that, from time to time, buys lechon for Sunday lunch – in our case, even for breakfast – then you probably know that the liempo or the belly is one of the fastest moving parts.  

This is why the now rather ubiquitous, porchetta inspired, lechon belly is much appreciated.  And Bai’s Boneless Lechon Cebu is a welcome addition to the growing list of lechon belly players. 

A specie of the lechon that Anthony Bourdain proclaimed “best pig ever,” Bai’s certainly lives up to its lechon Cebu heritage.  Open the box and the smell of lemon grass instantly fills the room. Heck, I could already smell it when I inspected the unopened box in our office pantry.  If a lechon is that fragrant, you know it’s all porky goodness.  Despite being trapped in a box for quite some time, the skin held up pretty good.  It was crunchy and definitely tasty.  The meat was succulent and perfectly flavored.  Every bite is just as flavorful as the last one.  Bai’s certainly does not scrimp on marinade and fillings.  Even the drippings looked like olive oil peppered with herbs.  For a moment there I considered dipping bread in it.  All in all, this is one lechon that refuses to let its parts end up as paksiw. It may not be good for the heart but it’s definitely good for the soul.  

P.S.

I also learned that Bai’s is microwave oven friendly.  Pop several chunks in the microwave and let the drippings work its magic.  You’ll be surprised.

“Every bite is just as flavorful as the last one.” My officemates and I can attest to this and to all that Alex said. So for this Holiday season, why don’t you take home a lechon belly from Bai’s Boneless Lechon Cebu. You’ll be the best family member ever 😛 

Bai’s Lechon

www.baisbonelesslechon.com

Get a chance to take home Bai’s Lechon by joining this giveaway:

Etiquette for Soshal Climbers Giveaway