Cebu's famous Zubuchon is finally here in Manila! They already have 2 branches as of this writing, one in San Antonio Village, Makati and one in Sm Megamall which just recently opened.
ZUBUCHON is coined from the words ZUBU which is the old name of Cebu in Spanish maps and CHON from the word LECHON meaning roasted pigs.
Zubuchon source their pigs from backyard raisers all over the province of Cebu. They feed them 100% organic feeds a week before they are cooked and totally cleansed. What makes Zubuchon unique is that their pig is stuffed with more than a dozen herbs and spices and the pig's skin is pricked all over then sprayed with fresh coconut water which results to a crispy brown skin once roasted.
Their Lechon has no MSGs, no preservatives and food coloring and no soy sauce used!
They source their pigs from backyard raisers all over the province and are fed 100% organic feeds a week before they are cooked to totally cleanse the pigs’ systems. "Zubuchon" is stuffed with more than a dozen herbs and spices, the pig’s skin is “acupunctured” or pricked all over, then sprayed with fresh coconut water. These processes result to a crispy and brown skin once roasted. No MSG nor soy sauce are used.
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| San Antonio Makati Branch |
MISSION: To produce very high quality and superb tasting lechons and related food products and dishes using the finest ingredients and artisanal methods.
To provide good value and superior service for customers
To achieve profits for the benefit of all the stakeholders, with an emphasis on employees and the communities we operate in.
To achieve profits for the benefit of all the stakeholders, with an emphasis on employees and the communities we operate in.
I was surprised that there is a good hole-in-the-wall restaurant in San Antonio Village, Makati. The place is commutable and one tricycle away from Taft. It's pretty spacious and can accommodate a hundred pax. This is a good place for private events & reunions. Regardless of the size, the restaurant still get jam-packed and even has queue on peak hours. Waiting time per order is pretty manageable so it's not something to worry about.
The ambiance is really cozy and the interior is very welcoming. I like how it is brighten up with natural light in the morning because of the huge windows installed and even has an veranda or al fresco area where you can chill or smoke [not-allowed anymore as of this writing] while waiting for your order.
It is well-ventilated and the staff are very accommodating. The demand for their Lechon is quite high so a lot of customers go here for take-aways. Better call them to place your orders ahead to avoid waiting for a long time.
A kilo of Lechon serves for P450.
FOOD
Ensaladang Talong P130
Grilled eggplant and tomato salad with vinaigrette dressing
I can't believe that for P130 I get to have a high quality appetizer as good as this. I just love how the quality of their food makes you want to pay more. STRAIGHTFORWARD, SIMPLE BUT GOOD.
ZUBUCHON (P290 Small)
Zubuchon's Lechon can be ordered in Plain or Spicy Version. I've tried both already but I prefer the spicy version more than the regular one because it's more tasty and palatable. The plain one can very blunt sometimes. Even if i'm not a fan of spicy food I can tolerate this one cause it's not just your typical spicy lechon, the savoriness of the meat and lechon skin flavor is very distinct which will make you want to beg for more, the skin is crispy and very crunchy!
Zubuchon Monggo
Mung beans with lechon broth, lechon, coconut cream and vegetables
I don't eat Monggo as a viand cause I don't know how I'd enjoy eating them. Haha! This was my first experience eating Monggo and I was forced to try it cause my bosses were enjoying it so much that I got so jealous I knew I had to try it. YES, HINDI AKO NAGKAMALI. PATI BA NAMAN ITO MASARAP? AT THIS POINT I was already thinking may hindi ba masarap sa restaurant na to?
Calamansi Shake
Their Calamansi Smoothie is nothing but refreshing. It tastes so fresh which is just the perfect drink to take out all the umay from the tasty dishes. They offer seasonal fruit shakes and smoothies which are really good! On my second visit they had kamias and longgan shake but we weren't able to try it cause I still ordered the Calamansi Shake. Haha!
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| Ensaladang Talong |
Zubuchon's Lechon can be ordered in Plain or Spicy Version. I've tried both already but I prefer the spicy version more than the regular one because it's more tasty and palatable. The plain one can very blunt sometimes. Even if i'm not a fan of spicy food I can tolerate this one cause it's not just your typical spicy lechon, the savoriness of the meat and lechon skin flavor is very distinct which will make you want to beg for more, the skin is crispy and very crunchy!
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Zubuchon Spicy Lechon |
I like how there's no need for Mang Tomas or any sauce to fully enjoy their lechon. It's good on its own, I've never tried an authentic cebu lechon ever so this was another first for my foodventure. No MSG yet addicting!
They do offer a special sauce though if you insist - they serve ginger, onions, soy sauce, calamansi and tomato on the side.
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| Zubuchon Regular/ Plain Lechon |
Baked Scallops P230
Scallops baked in butter and garlic topped with melted cheese
This is the bomb! One of the best bake Scallops I've had in years. It's served hot and fresh from the oven the butter were sizzling and the cheese were oozing from the sides of the shell. It's so appetizing and the cheese had a buttery milky texture it was really good that the next time I come back, I will be eating this all to myself! It's so tiny you wouldn't want to share it with anyone :(
This is the bomb! One of the best bake Scallops I've had in years. It's served hot and fresh from the oven the butter were sizzling and the cheese were oozing from the sides of the shell. It's so appetizing and the cheese had a buttery milky texture it was really good that the next time I come back, I will be eating this all to myself! It's so tiny you wouldn't want to share it with anyone :(
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| Baked Scallops |
Zubuchon Dinuguan P280
Dinuguan is traditional blood stew but Zubuchon's version is served with lechon meat and coconut cream. I was surprised how good this dinuguan tasted. I would usually taste a hint of sourness on every dinuguan I would eat but this one is different.
It's very light and has a savory flavor, the texture is very rich and a little creamy but not overpowering. My friends who haven't tried dinuguan in their entire life and who were even afraid to try it were impressed on how good it is! This is best paired with rice <3 The perfect ulam to rice lovers!
It's very light and has a savory flavor, the texture is very rich and a little creamy but not overpowering. My friends who haven't tried dinuguan in their entire life and who were even afraid to try it were impressed on how good it is! This is best paired with rice <3 The perfect ulam to rice lovers!
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| Zubuchon Dinuguan |
Mung beans with lechon broth, lechon, coconut cream and vegetables
I don't eat Monggo as a viand cause I don't know how I'd enjoy eating them. Haha! This was my first experience eating Monggo and I was forced to try it cause my bosses were enjoying it so much that I got so jealous I knew I had to try it. YES, HINDI AKO NAGKAMALI. PATI BA NAMAN ITO MASARAP? AT THIS POINT I was already thinking may hindi ba masarap sa restaurant na to?
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| Zubuchon Munggo |
Their Calamansi Smoothie is nothing but refreshing. It tastes so fresh which is just the perfect drink to take out all the umay from the tasty dishes. They offer seasonal fruit shakes and smoothies which are really good! On my second visit they had kamias and longgan shake but we weren't able to try it cause I still ordered the Calamansi Shake. Haha!
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| Calamansi Shake |
Ps. The parking space is huge so bringing a car is A-Ok!
Another Tip: Bring a credit card cause you might be overwhelmed with how cheap the price range per order is, you might keep ordering and get surprised that your billing already reached 4 digits. LOL. (Guilty of this!)
No wonder Zubuchon is claimed to be "THE BEST PIG EVER!" by Anthony Bourdain. Their old way of cooking these roasted pigs is what really makes this restaurant unique and worth trying. How they maintain the quality of ingredients and the effort and time they put into producing these Lechons is the reason why people keep coming back. I've been here 3 times already and I think I will keep coming back!