Lechon is a dialect term for one whole roasted pig. This is a very famous and sought after main dish in occasions such as fiestas, birthdays, weddings and the like here in the Philippines. Its popularity is derived from its unique taste of crisp pig’s skin and the very tender meat.
On the second day in our trip to Cebu, we decided to have lunch in a popular restaurant specializing in Lechon, the CNT Lechon. Friends we knew suggested trying their Lechon because according to them, it was the tastiest Lechon they had ever tasted.
We were at first lost on how to get to the restaurant since our only idea of its location is along SM City Cebu. (Well, kinda hard since SM City Cebu is really very wide on all sides!) The cab driver is not also familiar with the place so what we did was to look out on names of the stores and restaurants but still to no avail. Finally, the driver told us that he would just drop us in a famous Lechon house (which he forgot the name) fronting the mall. I guess we were still at luck since we were dropped in front of CNT Lechon restaurant. (Manong driver, please, no jokes!)
We were expecting a wooden restaurant setup similar to a seafood restaurant since back here in Iloilo, Lechon are found in Seafood restaurants (A pig in a seafood house?!) But we found a two-storey building, where the parking lot is in the first floor and the restaurant itself is on the second floor. Actually, we just found out that the main branch of CNT Lechon in Guadalupe, Cebu has the wooden structure.
As we enter, we can see many people lining up, taking turns by number to order their Lechon. After a long queue and waiting, we finally had our turn. We had half kilo of Lechon, some crabs and two Puso (Cebuano’s delicacy of cooked rice wrapped in banana leaves and shaped like a cube.)
The Crispy and Tender CNT Lechon
Puso Rice
CNT Lechon Restaurant
Since we had our taste of many Lechon feast all our lives, we are not new to its taste. It was like any other great tasting Lechon we have in Iloilo like the ones from Tatoy’s and Breakthrough. The meat is indeed very tender and the skin has the right crisp. I wasn’t really that amazed probably because they only have toyo mixed with vinegar for the sauce. (I was used to the sweet tasting sauce paired to it.)
The Verdict:
Overall, I can rate the place and the food, satisfactory. The place was not really that relaxed as expected since it was hot that time we were there and very crowded (similar to eating in a carinderia, but with a good edge of course) The food was okay, just like any other Lechon I have tasted. The price is reasonable given that a kilo of Lechon is expensive.
In our stay in Cebu, I haven’t come across Lechon offered in any restaurants we had eaten or in any bistro we have seen. So if you want a good taste of Lechon any day, try CNT Lechon.
CNT Lechon
Reclamation Area, In front of SM City Cebu
and
1377 V. Rama Ave., Guadalupe, Cebu City
