Back at Tatang’s
The original plan that evening was to do a quick jog right after I pick up my 3-kilo takeway at Tatang’s Boneless Lechon, my favorite guilty pleasure tucked in an unassuming corner in Lahug in Cebu.
It’s not my first time here as my colleagues and I frequently visit Tatang’s even when they still operated an open-air eatery along AS Fortuna. We have been avid followers of their lechon belly ever since. Their meat is packed with the right balance of local aromatics and the roasted skin is ridiculously crispy every single time.
We usually order their spicy version which is untamed in both flavor and heat. It’s best tempered with sinamak (spiced vinegar), generous heaps of rice or pusô and a bottle of ice-cold Sparkle.
What set Tatang’s apart from every other boneless lechon belly purveyor in the city is this. They freshly roast theirs right inside the store.
But my already weak attempts at a healthier diet was made even weaker as I stared at the belly logs gloriously roasting by the charcoal pit. Boy, it was just too hard to resist.
I reasoned to myself that I needed to perform a ‘quality control’ from this batch since I will be bringing 3 kilos of Tatang’s Boneless Lechon overseas after all. It was a brilliant excuse.
I abandoned my running plans at that point, ordered a Php95 Tatang’s value meal and left as soon as I am done my QC. I could have stayed longer and sample more but I still have to freeze these babies and then meticulously pack each in my check-in baggage afterwards.
Packing these spicy babies was quite a challenge, mind you.
I was not sure if they will survive the long flight ahead but for some reason, they did. All my sister and I did was reheat a slab in a broiler – one for noche buena and one for media noche.
They do looked a bit dried up after reheating but I’m relieved to know that the spices and flavors were all still there. More importantly, the skin still crackled in every bite.
I could only wish that I brought an entire Tatang’s belly roll (around 5-6 kilos I gather) in retrospect. But I rest in the thought that these few slabs brought more than enough Filipino holiday cheer to my family and friends almost halfway across the world.
Maybe Tatang’s owners can save me the trouble of packing their boneless lechon belly next time, by expanding their porcine empire outside the Philippines?
Tatang’s Boneless Lechon
Facebook Page
Wilson St. Lahug, Cebu
For reservations and inquiries: +639175478561, +6332 3164719
Best of Cebu Blog Awards
2015
