WHEN LIEMPO TASTES LIKE LECHON…

“I like Balamban Liempo’s skin better than others!“

“The tender meat plays around your mouth, giving you a never-ending desire to grab more.”

“Well-cooked meat and heavenly crunchy skin dipped in a special local vinegar would make you crave for more.”

“Its lingering aroma is so captivating that you couldn’t help but be curious of how it will taste.”

“Ang tambok maayo pagkaluto. Dili luod kon usapon ug dili bidli. Dili pud siya ‘langsi’ sama sa uban nga pagkaluto sama sa lechon nga mabahoan gyud nimo ang baho sa ad sa baboy.”

“Tastes like lechon!”

“Juicy and yummy!”

“Even the fats really taste great… It suits your budget.”

These were the raving reviews of the members of the Cebu Bloggers Society after relishing the scrumptious masterpieces of a food business founded by a Cebuano couple.

Last Sept. 13, ten Cebu bloggers were given an exclusive opportunity to savor Balamban’s uniquely grilled liempo without having to travel to the midwest part of the province from Cebu City.

They visited the second branch of Balamban Liempo Food Corner in Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City (across University of Southern Philippines). The business is owned by Jojo and Honey Vergara.

Honey, who is from Abucayan in Balamban, has brought to the province’s busy urban district her hometown’s unique liempo flavor induced by (secret, they say) herbs and spices.

She and her husband combined their skills in cooking, marketing, management, and sales in opening up their first branch—which they described as a “hole in the wall”—in Cor. Tres Borces and S. Cabahug Streets, Mabolo, Cebu City just last July.

Four months running, the couple is already operating three outlets—the third one is in Highway Mandaue City near North Atrium—and offering delivery services at the same time.

With the aim of becoming the take-out destination of choice nationwide, Balamban Liempo is eyeing to operate a total of five stores by the end of the year and ten more stores by 2010.

Here are more of what CBS members think about Balamban Liempo after their food trip:

“Balamban Liempo is definitely very tasty. Well-cooked meat and heavenly crunchy skin dipped in a special local vinegar would make you crave for more. When you buy a whole piece of liempo for only P160, that is already good for four to five persons. It is great for barkada, officemates, and family,” said Empress of Drac (see post).

“It tastes not the typical liempo. Its lingering aroma is so captivating that you couldn’t help but be curious of how it will taste. No reek smell that is usual in some grilled pork. As you take a bite, you will be surprised how tender and succulent the meat is. The skin is crunchy and the fat is gooey just the way I like it,” quipped Cebu blogger Ethelbert (see post).

“The Liempo was awesome, mouth-watering, and totally lip-smacking. Its aroma was unique compared to some other grilled liempos I’ve tasted – thanks to the native herbs, spices and the secret ingredients which by the way we all failed to distinguish,” remarked Beejing (see post).

“First thing that captured my senses is the minced green leaves which are being mixed inside and outside the pork belly. It gives a different aroma that everyone has noticed and appreciated… But what I am craving for is the best part of the liempo, the brittle brown crusty skin. It sounds like chicharoon, very crunchy, and it tastes like a special lechon. Yummy indeed,” added Tanom (see post).

“The crispy skin that shows off its brittleness in your mouth every time you take a bite. The well-cooked fat portion of the liempo extracts a juicy liquid that makes you salivate. The tender meat that plays around your mouth and gives you a never-ending desire to grab more. And together with its secret herbs and ingredients, it will definitely blow your minds out!” commented rabsin_d (see post)

“Aside from the hungry-stimulating smell as it pass by in front of me, It could really make one’s diet be forgotten. You can taste the crunchy sensation of the “skin” and the juicy entity of the meat. Plus! the spices! that makes me wonder what those are,” said Miong (see post).

Sa pag-hukad pa lang sa Balamban Liempo di na ka makapugong sa pag-tubod sa imong laway. Ang kahumot sa liempo ug sa mga nagkadaiyang lamas nga gisagol. Aduna pay panit nga daw sama sa lechon nga kagub-gub kun ingkiton. Ang tambok nga maayo pagka luot. Dili luod kung usapon ug dili bidli. Dili pud siya “langsi” sama sa uban nga pagkaluto sama sa lechon nga mabahoan gyud nimo ang baho sa ad sa baboy,” said Clado (see post)

“For the past few years I never tasted such uber delicious Liempo,” remarked Tiborsho (see post).

“What you see is what you get! Juicy and yummy! The taste is really excellent and would make you ask for more,” quipped webslave (see post).

“They have this unique ingredients that every-time you take a bite, the taste would sink in to your nerves,” said Guada (see post).

Balamban Liempo’s contact details:

Mobile: 0922-620-5921 / 0928-502-2605
Tel no: 415-8592

Facebook and Friendster – balamban_liempo@yahoo.com
Blog – cebu-classifieds.blogspot.com

Balamban Liempo also sells lechon manok at P145.00 each. Delivery is within selected areas in Mabolo, Mandaue, and Lahug at a minimum order of four pieces liempo or lechon manok.

* Liempo is a spanish term for pork belly, derived from the belly of pigs.

(This blog entry is a product of bits and pieces taken from each of the ten blogs submitted to Nancy Cudis, the online editor.)

Tags | balamban liempo, balamban liempo cebu, cebu liempo