This January, droves of tourists are flocking to Cebu for Sinulog, an annual festival that turns into a giant street party at night and a food fest for the rest of the day.
Kuya Tonipet Gaba and the ‘Pop Talk’ team made an early trip to the so-called ‘Queen City of the South’ to review the best lechon and hole-in-the-wall restaurants Cebu has to offer.
‘The best pig in the world’
When food critic Anthony Bourdain came to the Philippines in 2008, he went to Cebu and triedlechon—that crispy-outside-juicy-inside roast pig that many Filipinos admit is better in Cebu than any of their own hometowns. Bourdain took it a step further. “This,” he said, “is the best pig in the world.”
One well-known brand is Zubuchon, which was the one Bourdain tried and liked. Its name is a portmanteau of the words “Zubu,” the old name for Cebu, and “lechon.” Zubuchon is known for their lechon rice bowls and their rather unexpected kamias shake—a sour yet refreshing complement to the fatty lechon. ‘Pop Talk’ guest reviewer Chef Anthony Gomez liked it, saying,