Is the best Lechon (belly part) in the Philippines in Iligan City?

Our author and contributor “MWLL” is going to talk about the best, the tastiest, the most delicious, the most famous lechon (belly part) in Iligan City, if not the Philippines, so our contributor ask again, “Is the best Lechon (belly part) in the Philippines in Iligan City?”

Lechonicious

Well this is a kind’a difficult question…

‘Coz it depend’s on who’s asking or tasting rather…

And yes, …the categories or criteria for judging matters.

And not everyone gets that chance to become a judge in some lechon event.

However, everyone is entitled to their own opinion… freedom of speech.

And they say that “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”

If this be the case, well, contributor “MWLL” can’t wait for the next “Iligan City’s Indigay sa Lechon!”

2014 Indigay sa Lechon – courtesy iligan.gov.ph

For there’ll be …free Lechon!

 Considering the fact that they say, “one mans meat is another man’s veggie”

 We’d say this is one challenging query.

And so much for that, what “MWLL” really want to share to you about is the best Lechon (belly part) in Iligan City.

So, “Lech all begin!”

“Lechon Wars” courtesy imgarcade.com, dailyembroidery.com & angry birds star wars

A long time ago… in a galaxy far, far away…

…in a place called Iligan City

arise a delicacy…

…since the discovery of how pigs can become roasted

…when their skins turned to the Golden Lechon (pork) Side…

…their taste became well known to out-lander’s from Iligan City and afar.

Traveler’s and blogger’s who visited this “City of Waterfalls” asserts and declares that the best Lechon they tasted is indeed in Iligan City.

And most of them, who happened not to fail to drop by the spring pools in Buru-un… always say the best Lechon in Iligan City is in “Timoga.”

Well, we do have a number of Lechon being sold under nipa hut stalls, haus, and shanties across the road, in front of the Timoga pools.

But to say the Lechon sold there are the best is just partly correct.

Maybe these out-lander’s haven’t got the chance to go around and try the other Lechon sold in the City.

Maybe because their friends or guides just decided to buy the lechon in Timoga since they are going there anyways or are there already.

Who knows what they could have said had they dropped by and buy from the other Lechon Haus within the City before proceeding to Timoga.

Timoga

There are many Lechon Haus in Iligan City but our contributor will only take on a few here.

Lechon served during “Indigay Sa Lechon” will not be included, as this is a City wide Contest and Participants lechon entries are cooked or prepared in the best way possible.

This review was based on the regular lechon sold in the shops or haus that’ll be mentioned throughout their years in business.

Criteria’s for Judging

A. Skin (Appearance, Color, Crispiness, Taste)

Little to no hair present, bright or glossy appearance, golden brown, dark brown, reddish brown color, crispiness, crunchiness or rubbery, just the right saltiness and yumminess.

Based on our contributor’s opinion/conclusion after having tasted a number of Lechon (belly and other parts) in Iligan City for many years, here’s the ranking for those that made it to “MWLL’s” list considered as “The Best in Iligan City.”

1. Jaime’s Lechon Bayug (Within the City’s center)

2. Dodong’s Lechon (Tambo)

2. Dacer Lechon Haus (Timoga)

3. Gloria’s Ihaw Ihaw (Timoga)

4. Liza Dela Cruz Lechon Dealer (Timoga)

5. Anduyan’s Lechon (Within the City’s center)

Inference:

Although a whole Lechon may not have all of it’s skin part as “Crispy” all throughout, we are basing this on a lechon’s major parts that ought to be crispy if roasted just right.

As being very pleasing to the taste and smell, a.k.a. delicious. Jaime’s Lechon Bayug and Dodong’s Lechon ends up in the top two spots for having one of the crispiest, crunchiest and tastiest Lechon “Skin!”

Jaime’s Lechon Bayug (Within the City’s center)

Anduyan’s Lechon skin’s good but most of the skin parts around the belly have that rubbery feel.

Anduyan’s Lechon “rubbery” skin

Our contributor “MWLL” still believe’s they can do better.

B. Meat (Tenderness, Softness, Chewiness and Easiness of cutting, Taste)

Based on the meat’s moistness, succulence, juiciness, being well seasoned and nicely tender.

Ranking:

      1. Jaime’s Lechon Bayug (Within City’s center) and Dacer Lechon Haus (Timoga)

2. Anduyan’s Lechon (Within the City’s center)

3. Dodong’s Lechon (Tambo)

4. Liza Dela Cruz Lechon Dealer (Timoga)

5. Gloria’s Ihaw Ihaw (Timoga)

Inference:

For the belly part we have a tie on the top spot, Jaime’s and Dacer’s with Anduyan’s coming in as the top two.

Jaime’s Lechon Bayug “Belly” Part, No.1

Jaime’s Lechon Bayug “Belly” Part, No. 2 bought from Plaza Night Market

Dacer Lechon “Belly” Part

Liza Dela Cruz Lechon Dealer “Belly” Part.

Anduyan’s Lechon “Belly” Part, No. 1

 

Anduyan’s Lechon “Belly” Part, No. 2

Our top contenders have lechon that have flavorful meat that can go without any sauce, whether it’s your regular vinegar or sukang “Tuba,” suka “Pinakurat,” Mang Tomas Lechon Sauce, or any Ketchup.

Mang Tomas Lechon Sauce goes well with Lechon

Special mention by “MWLL” is the nice tangy vinegar with chili peppers or “sili” that comes with your purchase of Lechon from Dacer Lechon Haus.

Dacer’s Lechon Haus

And if you’re lucky you could get a delicious bonus “kidney” from a purchase of Jaime’s Lechon Bayug belly!”

Our top placers gives away free sauce along with your purchase.

Although Anduyan’s Lechon have their own free sauce like Jaime’s (vinegar and soy sauce plus chili), there was a time when they gave small packs of suka “Pinakurat” along with the kilo or two of lechon our contributor bought, they must have run out that time.

suka “Pinakurat”

When our contributor first tasted “Gloria’s Ihaw Ihaw Lechon” many years ago, it was really indeed one of the best lechon our contributor tasted. Since having “Jaimes Lechon Bayug” as the best for some time, after tasting Gloria’s, our contributor discovered that another “best” existed in Iligan City.

Gloria’s Lechon

Now why does “Gloria’s Lechon” ended up at the bottom this time?

It’s not because, one of their staff bragged about their’s as “On TV and very famous nationally.”

Liza Dela Cruz Lechon Dealer in Timoga

But, our contributor’s recent taste check, revealed that Gloria’s Lechon meat somehow tasted reminiscent of the kind of “Lechon” usually tasted in those served during “barrio fiesta’s” our contributor partake in in different places before.

Our contributor wishes to express that the lechon cooked and served in “barrio’s” have their distinctive flavor because of the select common spices and herbs they use, that is, “pepper corn, garlic, lemon grass and bay leaf.”

“Put in more spices and herbs and the resulting taste would change,” our contributor say’s.

Now this bring’s us to our next Criteria…

C. Spices and Herbs (Ground Pepper, Pepper corn, Onion, Garlic, Bell Pepper, Spring Onion, Lemon grass, Bay leaf)

1. Jaime’s Lechon Bayug (Within the City’s center)

2. Anduyan’s Lechon (Within the City’s center)

3. Dacer Lechon Haus (Timoga)

4. Liza Dela Cruz Lechon Dealer (Timoga)

5. Gloria’s Ihaw Ihaw (Timoga)

Inference:

Our top two, Jaime’s and Anduyan’s Lechon have the best spices and herbs found within their lechon, that’s, appetizing and tasty spring onions, bell pepper, and onions.

Jaime’s Lechon Bayug with Spices and Herbs

Anduyan’s Lechon “Belly” Part with Spices and Herbs and their Paklay and free sauce.

A bonus for Jaime’s Lechon Bayug is that sometimes you can get “lechon belly juice” collected by the lechon chopper in a small bowl that’s free (if you’ll ask for it) if available.

D. Flavor (Saltiness, Spiciness, Consistency in taste)

      1. Jaime’s Lechon Bayug (Within the City’s center)

      2. Anduyan’s Lechon (Within the City’s center)

3. Dacer Lechon Haus (In Timoga)

4. Liza Dela Cruz Lechon Dealer (In Timoga)

5. Eddie’s ‘Spicy’ Lechon (Plaza Night Market, City’s center)

6. Gloria’s Ihaw Ihaw (In Timoga)

Plaza Night Market

Inference:

Our contributor had tasted a change in the saltiness for Jaime’s and Anduyan’s Lechon belly for once only. Both had their belly’s meat having salt a little over the “just right saltiness.”

Eddie’s Spicy Lechon at Plaza Night Market.

For Eddie’s Spicy Lechon, spiciness is okay but unlike to one Spicy lechon found in Cebu City, Eddie’s spiciness is only concentrated on the belly.

For Gloria’s, well, already mentioned-the big shift.

E. Staff

Good customer service, accommodating with your wish or demand for the part you want to buy, and friendliness exist among the staff’s of most Lechon haus.

Jaime’s Lechon Bayug’s “friendly and accommodating staff” at Plaza Night Market.

However, our contributor had the share of experience too once when purchasing.

The experience was at Gloria’s Ihaw Ihaw (Timoga).

After going to and fro, back and forth, checking the different displayed lechon in the different shops in Timoga, for our contributor was quite “picky” about the belly.

After going back to Gloria’s and our contributor again checked out the lechon displayed in their shop, and inquired again, one of the female staff who saw our contributor shop hopping suddenly snapped at our contributor.

This left our contributor bewildered as to why this woman could say roughly.

Did she get annoyed because our contributor was being picky and taking time before buying?

It’s our contributor’s money and our contributor have the choice to choose the best part to buy before parting with the money for satisfaction.

Please don’t forget the rule, “Customer’s always right” and “Customer’s have the money to keep you in business.”

Well, our contributor just took his business to Dacer’s Lechon (a little over the belly and close to the ribs but nevertheless went on to savor that delicious lechon that don’t need no sauce.

That kind’a treatment happened ahead of the time before our contributor bought and tasted Gloria’s Lechon (was served by another staff this time) that had the big shift.

F. Extra Bone(s)

Usually a whole roasted pig “Lechon” has 216 bones.

When one specifically “specifies” to purchase one or two kilograms of a lechon’s “belly” part cut from an uncut whole lechon, one would expect to get what one pay’s for.

Unless it’s a boneless Lechon Belly, buying a Lechon belly part or “tiyan” strictly speaking, means getting the bones too, that is, the backbone that goes with it, that is included in weighing.

Now our contributor had experienced FOUR times getting extra “out of place bones” from the “belly part” that our contributor specified to buy.

These lechon choppers must think that these customers must be dumb or have no knowledge of a Pig’s “Anatomy” or of the “Skeletal System.”

Anatomy or the Skeletal System of a Pig or Lechon. Got from virtulweberbullet.com/meatcharts_photos/porkskeletal.jpg

Whether they are under instruction’s from the owners or not, that we don’t know.

Why does our contributor states so is because of this.

If you strictly purchase Lechon “BELLY” or “Tiyan” to be cut from an uncut lechon you expect to get backbones… BUT being knowledgable about “Anatomy and the Skeletal System” one would not expect or NEVER Expect to get or see “out of place bones” like a Lechon’s leg bone (femur’s head) or “backbone with ribs” along with the “belly” cut.

being knowledgable about “Anatomy and the Skeletal System” one would not expect or NEVER Expect to get or see “out of place bones” like a Lechon’s leg bone (femur’s head) or “backbone with ribs” along with the “belly” cut.

“out of place bone” in a Lechon “Belly” Part.

Anduyan’s Lechon “Belly” Part with “out of place bone.” “Anatomically and Strictly speaking, A Lechon ‘Belly’s’ backbone don’t have ribs included.”

Having Lechon chopper’s who practice deception by virtue of including a leg bone (femur’s head) or backbone with rib bone attached in a specified “lechon belly” order are these two Lechon Haus/Sellers.

      1. Anduyan’s Lechon (Within the City’s center)

2. Eddie’s Spicy Lechon (Plaza Night Market/City’s center)

Plaza Night Market Lechon Display

Our contributor experienced this from Anduyan’s Lechon “THREE TIMES” and “ONE TIME” from Eddie’s Spicy Lechon at the Plaza Night Market, strictly instructing to buy the “belly” part or “tiyan” only that one time.

A “Lechon’s ‘Belly’ part” with only a few backbones included. Image got from virtualweberbullet.com/meatcharts_photos/porkskeletal.jpg

ANDUYAN”S LECHON

First Time – Lechon belly with femur head

Leg bone (femur’s head) is not a part of a lechon’s belly.

Second Time – Lechon Belly with femur head

Anduyan’s Second Time – Lechon Belly with femur head

Third Time – Lechon belly with a backbone that had ribs

Lechon belly that had backbone with ribs

EDDIE’S LECHON

First Time – Lechon Belly with femur head

Eddie’s Lechon. First time – Lechon Belly with Femur’s head

Our contributor doesn’t know how to call this… do you have any idea?

Can we call this “CHEATING?”

Well, our contributor feels CHEATED…

For EDDIE’S SPICY LECHON, our contributor’s first purchase was our contributor’s last.

But, in case you’re wondering WHY our contributor kept on buying or patronizing ANDUYAN’S LECHON although he experienced it and getting VICTIMIZED Three Times already.

Our Contributor really likes the taste of ANDUYAN’S LECHON and changed the attitude of “Looking or Observing” the belly part when cut to make sure the lechon chopper doesn’t put in that “out of place bone.”

Anduyan Lechon’s

First time, our contributor, in good faith, didn’t expect any to receive any “TRICKERY” from the lechon chopper.

Second Time, our contributor, forgave them and thought that maybe they’ll not do it again.

Third Time, our contributor was distracted and had to move away from the chopping area to talk with an acquaintance met in the Haus.

In good faith, our contributor thought that the lechon chopper would not do it again because our contributor had been a loyal customer and somehow felt that it won’t happen again.

Well, it didn’t happen again, that is, getting a leg bone “femur’s head” BUT, this time, the “Third Time” around, our contributor got a “backbone with ribs” along with the belly part of a whole uncut lechon part, after our contributor “Anatomically” specified to be “Belly” or “Tiyan” only.

 

This just goes to show that the “Lechon Chopper’s” resort to trickery and are DECEITFUL, that is, conceals or misrepresents the truth.

If they are under strict instruction from the owner, it shows that these owners have a get rich quick scheme attitude, UNSCRUPULOUS Entrepreneur’s, and don’t care about their customer’s but only care about their own PROFIT and are OUTRIGHT, “IN YOUR FACE CHEATERS!”

 

If you’re not looking they will resort to it!

If you’re looking they will still resort to it.

How?

Sleight of Hand!

“Sleight of hand”

Our contributor after getting victimized TWO Times already and still patronizing ANDUYAN’s once again saw a freshly roasted whole lechon chopped and once cut had a leg bone femur’s head inside but didn’t get it after buying because our contributor was watching the lechon chopper’s hand movement.

Another time our contributor saw a whole one again cut and the inside showed a piece of “sternum with few ribs part” resting inside the lechon ribs.

Extra “Sternum with few rib parts” inside a freshly cut whole lechon.

WHAT?

“That’s Anatomically wrong! EXTRA BONES! Out of place bones!”

Our contributor hopes that these Lechon haus choppers whether under the owner’s instruction or not, that practice “DECEPTION” would come to their senses, make good, change, and do better…

And please STOP “CHEATING” decent customers out of their money for ones own greedy “advantage” and unscrupulous gained “profit.

 

 

Is our money not good enough for what we pay for?

If your product cost a little bit higher, then price it right, we are willing to pay for the extra cost.

But please don’t give us what we didn’t pay for.

So, there we go.

Post Script.

Gloria’s Lechon in Timoga (12 kilometers from the City’s center) is one of the best in Iligan City, and that includes their “sinugbang (or grilled big fish jaw) panga.”

However, Gloria’s Lechon is not the only Lechon “haus” that sells tasty lechon there, there are others, as well as those within the City.

Our contributor forgave, gave a second chance for Anduyan but still was cheated. Our contributor hopes that they can do better next time.

 

Disclaimer: “One dudes likes may be distasteful to someone else.” This review is purely based on a matter of personal opinion based on the taste tasted and the experience experienced by our contributor. The “Size and Extent of Body Fat” is not included in our criteria for judging as Lechon sold in the different “Lechon haus” here may come in different sizes and degree of body fat. The contributor author focused on the “ideal sized Lechon,” that is, from one Whole Native Pig weighing around “18 to 20 kilograms.” Suckling pigs or “Lechon de leche,” “Boneless Lechon belly,” “M.O.A.P.’s or Mother Of All Pigs,” and “Monster Hogs or Hogzilla’s” are excluded.