Lechon, Pancit Malabon, and Cake

Our Tita has recently celebrated her birthday. It was a Friday afternoon and the kids were having fun playing with Sponge Bob balloons while my sister, her family, and I were excited to enjoy the delicious lechon, the Pancit Malabon, and the butter creamy cake.

Lechon La Loma ni Aling Nelia is owned and managed by Eddie and Nelia So. They offer the tastiest and crispiest lechon in town. Instead of the usual lechon sauce, we eat the lechon with bagoong and a drop of lemon or kalamansi to lessen the umay factor. The smallest lechon costs P4,500 plus delivery charge. Lechons that weigh 6 to 7 kilos cost P6,000 to P7,000 and it’s free delivery. Aling Nelia also offers lechon belly: 4 kilos cost P4,000 while 2 kilos cost P2,000. The newest craze they offer to the market is the Cochinillo, which originated from Spain; they cook weeks-old piglets inside wooden-ovens, very similar to the way we cook lechon here in the Philippines. If you wish to place an order, call Aling Nelia at least one day before the occasion and you can pay through cash-on-delivery (COD). They cater to Metro Manila areas only.

Susie’s Cuisine originated in Pampanga in the early seventies. They started as a small carinderia and has now expanded to different provinces. Their specialties are pancit palabok and kakanin. Our family loves the Pancit Malabon with crunchy chicharons, not bland and not too salty, the taste is simply just right. Try their small bilao for P590 and their big bilao for P785. Now, they also offer budget meals that cost P150 to P185, however, these are available only at the Main Branch (Nepo), Dau, Dolores and Jasa.

Tita's birthday cake was a Confetti Cake from Tous Les Jours, a South Korean bakery franchise owned by CJ Foodville. Tous Le Jours means “everyday” in French. It is an Asian-French bakery serving a selection of baked goods and beverages and has branches in more than 1,300 locations in Asia and the US. On November 11, 2011, Tous Les Jours opened its first branch here in the Philippines.

To quench my thirst after eating sooo much food, I drank four refreshing glasses of Arizona Green Tea with Honey. It is an antioxidant-filled beverage that contains no preservatives or artificial colors. My sister usually buys it from Landers but it is now available in Lazada at P329 (3.78 Liters). Just a tip: simply put ice cubes on your glass then pour some tea. No need to add water. Happy healthy drinking!