Pepita's Lechon, featured in today's Inquirer as it just won a Chowzter Award in London, is not a restaurant. It's a private dining affair.
I was invited to have dinner here by Tetta Tirona (who organizes food writing workshops, among other things) a few years ago. When I saw the news of Pepita winning the Chowzter award on someone's wall in Facebook, I was delighted by the news and immediately messaged "Chief Chowzter" Anton Diaz.
Dedet dela Fuente, creator of this Pepita's Lechon, throws "lechon degustacion" dinners. But it is no way degustacion as we know it. You don't get little nibbles but loads of lechon!
Here is the menu we had. As you can see, she first serves a few deadly appetizers before proceeding to present FOUR different kinds of stuffed lechon. And there are several kinds of dessert after that, too!
At the dinner I attended, our palates were teased with these squash flowers and (drumroll please) BALUT.
After this deadly starter, we were given a tour of the backyard where the customized ovens are parked. She hilariously calls the place the "crematorium". Her lechon is de leche (4 months old) and not roasted on a spit but cooked in these.
Then one by one they are served. For this dinner (a long time ago, major #ThrowbackThursday), Dedet served "around the world" lechons: German (with potatoes and roasted garlic), Chinese (stuffed with something resembling machang), Filipino (binagoongan) and French (truffled).
As each lechon came out, they were sliced open and as a testament to how crunchy the skin was, you could here it crack!
And underneath that skin, look at all that gooey, yummy, deadly fat.
She was considerate enough to give this beer as fat chaser LOL.
As if anyone could forget THIS?
Congratulations Dedet!
Pepita's Kitchen
Facebook: Lechon Degustacion at Pepita's Kitchen
