Rico’s Lechon’s Manila arrival proves that when it comes to indulgence, their lechon is just the tip.
Rico’s Lechon’s long awaited Manila debut, and the arrival of its famed cooks and roasting team from Cebu was met with lip-smacking anticipation at the unveiling of its branch at The Fort Strip, BGC.
Any visit to Rico’s will most likely see their renowned lechon (roasted pig) take center stage. For the uninitiated, sample their Original Lechon – a no frills approach to the sinful dish, cooked with tomatoes, lemongrass, leeks, ginger, calamansi, and spices – highlighted of course by its crispy skin.

For a little more kick, indulge in their Spicy Lechon – it has all the goodness of the Cebuano lechon magic, just involving a bit more sweating from your end.
Just a note, any dish you pick off the menu can be amplified by their special homemade sauce – Sukalami.
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But while Rico’s crispy on the outside, tender on the inside lechon will always be their calling card, the menu is chock-full of equally delightful Filipino favorites. The Fried Rice Trio, for one, is made with three kinds of dried fish (danggit, tuyo, and tinapa) and is a great complement to whichever lechon you choose.
Dishes that could either stand alone or be part of a feast include, the Seafood Kare-Kare (stew made with thick, savory peanut sauce), Crispy Feetchon (you guessed right, pork knuckles), Sizzling Lechon Sisig (double the sin, double the goodness), Pusit na Pinaputok (squid), and Lechon Humba (a commingling of Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino cuisine), among a host of other Pinoy classics.

For non-pork dishes, try their Chicken Inasal (chargrilled chicken) or the Sizzling
Tanigue (grilled Spanish mackerel). And for some greens, their Chopseuy and Gising-Gising (green beans and ground pork in coconut milk) should add a bit of balance to the feast.

For return trips, sample the Bam-i (Cebu’s native noodle dish) and its distinct blend of canton (egg noodles), sotanghon (glass vermicelli noodles), pork, and lots of veggies and spices; Sinigang na Baboy (classic Filipino sour pork stew); and the Dinuguan (pork and pork offal in rich, spicy, blood stew – trust us, you’ll love it).
 

Rico’s will soon be invading the rest of the metro with branches set to open in Tiendesitas (Pasig), Top of the Glo in Glorietta (Makati), and Ayala Malls Cloverleaf,
and U.P. Town Center in Quezon City.
For more information, contact Rico’s Lechon BGC at (0917) 844-7067; Rico’s Lechon Mactan at (0917) 111-3000, (032) 402-0845, or (032) 383-1498; and Rico’s Talamban (0917) 102-7553.
Words and photos by VIA BAROMA