Now roasting: Rico's Lechon Baka
The lechon baka craze is still on as Rico’s Lechon’s “big brother” joins the bandwagon.
Succulent slices of roast beef belly — with just the right amount of fat — are making everyone hungry on social media. People on my FB feed are putting in their two cents about how good it is, or pining for the moment they get to taste it.
The search is over
I, too, got intrigued about why everyone’s talking about lechon baka. Unlike Dalgona coffee, sushi bake, ube-cheese pandesal, and other crazy lockdown eats, lechon baka isn’t something new. So I had to find out what the deal was for myself.
Rico’s Lechon Baka is packed with flavor, and hand-sliced upon ordering so that the meat retains its moisture. The slices are thick, juicy and way tender.
Besides, if there’s anyone who knows how to make a superb Filipino-style roast, it’s Rico’s Lechon. Add to that, the man behind the brand doesn’t settle for less and knows the secret to succulent lechon and steak.
Epicure and restaurateur George Pua is a self-confessed lechon and steak lover. In fact, he loves lechon so much that he managed to acquire this famous Cebuano brand in no time. George was also the one who brought Tony Roma’s to Manila.
“Rico’s Lechon Baka is marinated a day before we roast it so all the flavors are absorbed by the meat when it hits the coal,” shares George. “As they say at Tony Roma’s, a good steak starts with a good meat grade and the perfect cut. We adhere to that same principle at Rico’s.”
Although Rico’s Lechon has its own roasting pit that can accommodate a whole cow, the brand roasts only the beef belly.
“Roasting a whole cow would be too tedious. And it would be difficult to get the consistency right,” explains George.
Rico’s Lechon Baka comes in two variants: Original (for only P350 for the Junior Size, serves 1-2 pax) and Spicy (priced at P380 for the Junior size, and P1,460 for the Fiesta size).
I like the spicy variant, which goes well with a bowl of steamed rice and Rico’s Lechon Suka Lami as a dipping sauce.
In his FB post, former Senator JV Ejercito, who travels for food, enjoys his Rico’s Lechon Baka with a mushroom gravy sauce.
“Rico’s Lechon Baka is so good it goes well with just about anything,” enthuses George. “You can pair it with pan de sal, with corn-on-the-cob, or enjoy it as bar chow.”
A friendly competition
According to George, Rico’s Lechon decided to include lechon baka on its menu, not to compete with what’s already out on the market, but because there’s a growing demand.
“Also, we need to keep evolving. We need to stay relevant,” explains George. “I’d like to call it a healthy competition, one that makes the public look forward to dining out again.”
According to George, the restaurant industry is one of the sectors that was badly hit by the pandemic.
“To survive the pandemic, we had to learn to pivot,” shares George. “We are still looking for ways to fine tune the way we are selling, serving and delivering food.”
When the pandemic hit, Rico’s Lechon was quick to adapt. They started to roll out frozen and ready-to-eat lechon packs for distribution to supermarkets in April of 2020. That, too, became instant hits.
And for someone who has survived life’s many trials, even COVID-19, George firmly believes that, in life and in business, “everything that happens is part of God’s plan.”
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Rico’s Lechon Baka is available at Rico’s Lechon BGC, Tiendesitas, and U.P. Town Center, and will soon be available in all Metro Manila and Cebu stores. For pickup and delivery, call the Lechon Fulfillment Center at 0917-8147648, 7799-0810.
