Lamian Nga! : Rico's Lechon opens in Tiendesitas

It's no secret how much I love Cebuano lechon. Apart from my all-time fave, very sosyal Truffled Stuffed Lechon, I love the saltiness of the Cebunao lechon and the fact that minimal dipping is required. Apart from this, I love Cebu. The Queen City of the South where you can get the yummiest finds. It's here where I load up on roasted meats, dried danggit (fish) and my ever favorite -- dried mangoes with chocolate.

So, when word went around that Rico's Lechon from Cebu will open their first store here in Manila sometime back in August, I was really excited to give it a try. Unfortunately, being full time Mommy to my twins doesn't really make me as mobile as I used to be so even a short trip to the Bonifacio Global City entails a whole lot of coordination, planning and logistical arrangements. You see, every time I visit Cebu, I make it a point to have lechon. I have my go-to Cebu Lechon spot which I would frequent every time I'm in the city. Somehow, I know of Rico's Lechon and their famous Spicy Lechon but I never really got around to trying it.

Now is finally my chance! I'd say, the stars have aligned now that Rico's Lechon is finally in Manila and not only that, they just opened a new branch closer to me as they recently opened their doors at Tiendesitas in Pasig. This new branch is HUGE. A 300 seater restaurant with several function rooms allowing you to host your private lechon parties with your friends and family.



Upon arriving, we got down to business. First up was their regular Lechon (Php. 250 / 1⁄4 kg) which we immediately ordered even before going through the entire menu. I initially wanted the Spicy flavored one but Paul reminded me that we might not be able to take the heat so we played safe for lunch that day. The lechon came really fast and together with it were our Garlic Rice (Php. 45 / 145). I tell you, never have lechon without rice. You'll regret not ordering for sure.

The lechon was very flavorful and crunchy. As in Paul and I were making a lot of noise munching on the very crunchy skin. It was so good as the skin didn't had any thick layer of fat underneath. The meat was also very tender and while they served us with their homemade Suka Lami, I honestly felt that there's really not much need to dip the meat into anything as it was so full of flavor on its own.

However, if you want a slight spicy and sour kick then help yourselves to Rico's Lechon's homemade vinegar blend. I liked it and wouldn't mind having this with the lechon or with any fried fish too.

To go with our plate of lechon, we also got the Beef Tripe Kare Kare (Php. 380). I always love Kare Kare but one of my main gripe are the kind that's just loaded with veggies and just a handful of meat or tripe. This one is perfect who loves beef tripe as you'll get a generous amount per serving. Also, I enjoyed the sauce very much as you get that nutty texture which is so good. I highly recommend this.

Another must-try dish is the Chicken Binakol (Php. 320) as highly recommended by our friend Leslie of ShootFirstEatLater. We weren't able to try this as there were just two of us sharing a meal so adding a huge serving of soup will be too much. I'll make a mental note to try this on my next visit.

To end our meal, we made sure to save space for dessert. We had their best-selling Oreo Mango Float (Php. 180) which I loved! If you're the type who loves homemade refrigerator cakes then you'll enjoy this even more! Think Mango Float with a generous amount of oreo bits. So yummy! Paul and I agreed to just share one but halfway while enjoying this, I think we both wished we got one each.

I also tried the Maja Kalabasa (Php. 95) which is also one of their newest items. I liked it as well as it wasn't very sweet and it has a nice texture brought about by the corn kernels.

It was really an enjoyable meal at Rico's Lechon and I'm so happy that they now have a branch here in the Ortigas area. Apart from their famous lechon, there's a lot more that you and your family/friends can enjoy as well.

Check out Rico's Lechon at the 1st level, Food Village Building B, Tiendestias, Ortigas East, Baranggay Ugong in Pasig City. Call them at 0917-8950000.