Pigs can fly

Probably the best pig skin I’ve ever eaten. Yes, better than the best Chinese style suckling pig skin. The key difference is the crunch – Chinese style suckling pig skin has a crispy crunch, whereas CnT lechon has ‘glass-like’ crunch which does not break down into small fragments upon biting, giving a longer lasting crunch. Not the mention the moreishly salty layer of fat underneath.

But it’s not just the skin – make sure you order the pork shoulder cut of lechon – it’s tender, a tad salty and a touch herby from the secret mixture used to stuff the pig.

Don’t forget the to order the ‘atchara’ – a pickled green papaya salad whose sweet and sour properties complement the fatty pork perfectly.

And I didn’t mention the price. Rice, half a kilo of lechon and ‘atchara’ will set you back around 500 PHP. Incredible value. Just note the opening hours of CnT’s branches – many will be sold out by the later hours of the afternoon – so if you can, stop by for lunch.

Price: ~250PHP per person

Opening hours: 8am – 6pm, Earlier you arrive, the better!

Address: Multiple outlets across Cebu

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cnt-Lechon/100751080018862?rf=161096753940659

Crabsters

I had no idea that these creatures even existed until we stumbled across a restaurant by the name of Alona Hidden Dream, about five minutes walk from Alona Beach (Panglao Island). As a foodie, a mere glimpse of these oddly-shaped animals from 10m away sparked off something in my brain: I had to go investigate. Upon closer inspection, they looked like a slightly alien-esque cross between a crab and a lobster. The lady promoting trying to entice people into the restaurant explained to me that these critters go by the name of ‘Curacha’, only found in the south of the Philippines.

Over the next two days, we ate around 50% of the restaurant’s stock of these arthropods, 6 to be precise. The majority of their flesh resides within their massive head, or rather their main thorax, to be precise. So compared to say Sri Lankan crabs, they are much easier to devour due to the easy accessibility of their juicy flesh. 

The flavour is much more similar to that of a Sri Lankan crab than a lobster, but the meat has a bit more bite which is why these creatures are often marketed as a lobster-crab hybrid, or a crabster as some might call it. Depending on how many you buy, one large Curacha could set you back 1000 – 1500 Piso, so not cheap, but with their sweet, juicy flesh, and excellent meat to weight ratio, and the fact that you might not find these guys outside the Phillipines, these are a must try. 

Best steamed and served plain (or with garlic butter sauce separately to dip) so their sweet flesh is un-adulterated. We demolished many crabsters and crabs on our final, highly satisfying night on Alona beach:

Price: 1000 – 1500 PHP per Curacha, depending on how many you eat and your negotiating skills

Address: Alona hidden Dream Restaurant, Tawala, Panglao (walk along main path perpendicular to Alona Beach for about 5-8mins)

https://www.facebook.com/alonahiddendream

Kinda like ceviche

Moalboal isn’t famous for its food. Top class diving, such as its famed ‘Sardine Storm’, it has. Authentic Filipino food, it has, but hard to uncover. If you are struggling to find genuine local fare, then I’d suggest Lantaw restaurant near Panagsama beach.

Two notable dishes here. First, kinilaw – a Filipino classic. The easiest way for me to describe it would be that it is like a creamy ceviche, with a strong focus on citrus and chilli kick. Watch out for the bird’s eye chillis hiding within. Delicious nonetheless.

And then sizzling shrimp. This dish wasn’t about the shrimp. They were quite small and own their own nothing to write home about. But that sauce, nutty and buttery, is really addictive. I wanted to order another portion.

Price:  ~400 PHP per person (including non alcoholic drinks)

Address: Lantaw Restaurant, Panagsama Beach, 6032 Moalboal

Opening hours: Mon – Thurs 10am – 10pm, Fri – Sun: 10am – 11.30pm

http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Restaurant_Review-g663539-d1807065-Reviews-Lantaw_Restaurant-Moalboal_Cebu_Island_Visayas.html

Overload yourself on Organic

The food here is good. Very good. And organic. And pretty cheap. And it's spot of serenity away from the touristic area of Alona Beach. Now you might be wondering, how did two people eat all of this:

Complimentary starter plate: Freshly made bread and mango jam (awesomely tasty), crispy cassava chips with a cucumber and feta topping

Fresh vegetable spring rolls: crunchy assortment of veggies wrapped in a crispy cassava shell

Halang halang soup, a slowed cooked chicken in light coconut-based broth, enhanced by horseradish-esque ‘malunggay’ leaves.

Seafood soup with noodles (Not pictured), simple yet delicious, with the prawn shell notes running through this spicy soup. Mango and peanut butter shake. No further explanation needed.

Ube ‘jam’: Not really a jam. Just a soft ube (Filipino purple yam) cake. A must have for ube addicts like myself.

Then, somehow waddle out of the restaurant.

Price: 400 PHP per person

Address: Bohol Bee Farm and Resort, Dao, Dauis, Panglao Island, 6339 Bohol

http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Restaurant_Review-g1036817-d1168871-Reviews-Bohol_Bee_Farm_Restaurant-Panglao_Island_Bohol_Province_Visayas.html

One place where sea urchin is cheap

Uni, or sea urchin, is not normally an item which is cheap. But on Virgin Island (Bohol), this unctuously sweet and delicious animal is. Extremely. And downright delicious.

For only 20 Piso, a fisherman will cut a open a fresh sea urchin, and hand a half straight to you. I ate ten such portions. Tip: Ask for the orange ones, orange referring to the colour of the flesh. The more orange they are, the sweeter they are.