As the pioneer of the famous Spicy Lechon, the secret to their success lies in how they prepare the pig, seasoned only with traditional herbs and spices, and it has always been this way ever since owner Enrico Dionson started the business in 1997.
The menu also highlights other Filipino faves besides lechon. Rico’s has always been my go-to spot whenever I visit Cebu, and here’s why we couldn’t be more excited!
RICO’S LECHON MANILA
26th Street Corner 7th Ave
The Fort Entertainment Complex
BONIFACIO GLOBAL CITY
landline: (02) 828 9353, (02) 856 0470
mobile: +639 17844 7067
Facebook: RicosLechonOFFICIAL
website: www.ricoslechon.com
Rico’s Lechon is located at the Fort Entertainment Complex in Bonifacio Global City. (Near Early Night and K-Pub.)
The interiors of the 180-seater restaurant feature a modern tropical vibe. (A mix between the fancy Mactan Promenade branch and the tropical Mabolo branch.)
What makes a Cebu lechon different from the ones we’re used to in Manila is the flavorful meat, which doesn’t need any sarsa (liver sauce).
Rico’s takes pride in using native (organic) pigs which are stuffed with leeks, lemongrass, tomato, vinegar, ginger, calamansi (Philippine lemon) and other spices then roasted whole over a charcoal pit.
The secret to their scrumptious lechon is the addition of spring onions and garlic in the stuffing.
We loved how we can watch the lechon being chopped while waiting for our order.
Original Lechon (P900/kilo), Spicy Lechon (P950/kilo)
Eating at Rico’s isn’t complete without trying their famous spicy lechon. Spicy food lovers will rave about this particular lechon once they taste the flavors that are perfectly in sync.
The meat is bursting with aroma and taste from the infusion of garlic and leeks. The lechon is just freaking good! I used to have it with their homemade Suka Lami (vinegar), but now I prefer to eat it as is to better savor its flavorful, tender meat.
The best part? The golden brown crunchy skin that everyone fights for.
I usually scrape off the fat whenever I eat lechon skin, but with Rico’s, I didn’t have to. I noticed it had less fat because they use only organic and native pigs.
Fried Rice Trio (P90/cup, P260/plate)
They have yummy fried rice made from a mix of three kinds of dried fish—tinapa, tuyo and danggit.
I love the strong flavors, but I think it’s too overpowering to be enjoyed with the other dishes. Best to order regular rice instead.
Sizzling Lechon Sisig (P330)
The lechon sisig didn’t meet my expectations. It was just okay.
Crispy Feetson (P330)
One of our favorites is their regular lechon feet deep fried to a perfect crisp! Munching on its crunchy skin is quite addicting and kind of reminds me of chicharon.
The meat inside is, surprisingly, still tender and juicy. Best paired with their suka lami.
Gising-gising (P280)
Gising-gising is a green bean dish mixed with ground pork and coconut milk.
The vegetable dish’s sauce was too runny for me.
Sizzling Tanigue (P380)
For something healthy, we liked the Tanigue.
The fish is perfectly seasoned and excellently cooked.
Dinuguan (P220)
Before you try this dish, you should know that dinuguan—which roughly translates to “blood”—is a rich Pinoy dish made from pig’s blood, intestines, meat, onions, vinegar and chilies.
I loved the dinuguan, with its savory thick dark soup and sour notes. But my teammate Sean didn’t like it.
Tapioca Pandan (P100)
For dessert, we delighted in their Tapioca Pandan
This traditional dessert is made from pandan, agar-agar, pearls, evaporated milk and condensed milk. It is very simple but also quite addicting.
Their slogan, Da Best Gyud, lives up to our expectations. Indeed, their lechon is worthy of being called one of the best in the Philippines. Though the prices are a bit higher than those in their Cebu branches, this is due to shipping costs and the prime location of their new branch in BGC.
They also have take-out in a box like what they offer in Cebu if you wish to bring some home.
Congratulations Rico’s on your opening!
Source: www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2018/07/ricos-lechon-manila.html
