Zubuchon Reluctantly

It's like this... I was at the Mactan Airport this morning, checked-in at about 330AM for a 530AM flight to Tacloban (with an onward 2hr van ride to Carbalogan). As I waited for my boarding call, I happened to have looked in the direction of the line of stores and restaurants where I got reminded that someone I am to meet in Catbalogan have been wanting to taste Zubuchon. So, reluctantly, I dragged myself into that store and bought a kilo of their lechon. Hoo humm...

Why the reluctance? Ah, don't get me wrong, I like Zubochon myself. But when someone wants the Cebu kind of lechon and they equate it with Zubochon, that is where I kind of, disagree. Yes, Zubuchon is not "Cebu Lechon" or "Lechon Cebu" or not even anything Lechon of anywhere Philippines. It is in fact something 'better' if you like, therefore it should be named something else!

I am more apt to call this thing something like a 'fusion lechon' and/or 'gourmet lechon', if at all it cannot be named something else that is not lechon. And yes I may agree, that Anthony Bourdan may have said it is the best pig ever. But he did not say, it is the best lechon ever. Because, Zubuchon is just not lechon anymore. It has been made sophisticated with many things inside it that, it has many other uncommon herbs (yes tasty) but for many a Bisaya, it does not anymore taste lechon but something else.

That is where I am coming from. Besides, I think when Bourdain shot his TV Show in Cebu and everywhere Philippines, Zubuchon was not even born yet. Well yes, the folks who served him THE pig is now the owner/founder of Zubuchon, a Cebuano, who lives in Alabang (I think) hehe!

Alright, here is the other reason of my reluctance... it was just half past 3AM, how could there be a warm fresh lechon waiting for me in that store, right?! But this is where Zubuchon has also some kind of 'pioneered' - selling frozen lechon. Yes, they sell it in styopore packs frozen. So who knows when the actual cooking took place?!. Add to that, you cannot really actually reheat a frozen lechon so rhat the panit (skin) will become crispy the way we all like it!

In fact, here is my experience... the Zubuchon skin is only at its best if you chanced upon a fresh warm whole pig (meaning fresh from roasting) being cut right at the store-restaurant where you are buying from. And it does not even mean, skin will surely be crispy from any part, especially the succulent underbelly. This means, if you do not see your lechon being cut from a whole fresh pig, chances are (100% actually) the skin will not be crispy, whether at time of purchase or at time of re-heating!.

Now now... sa dami ng sinabi ko above... when I presented the Zubuchon to the 'recipient', it was immediately heated and served. Verdict of the recipient: "amo na ini an Zubuchon? If we only knew magdadala ka ng lechon Cebu, we could have asked you to bring 3 kilos". i-it na man!!

Oh well and anyway... I still say, Zubuchon is not Lechon Cebu. It is a, well... Zubuchon!