Diplahan Lechon: A Taste of Zamboanga in Manila

In a perfect world where high level of cholesterol can get us nowhere near six feet under, lechon rules. We will surely eat our way to oblivion without giving flying hoots to our own mortality because hey, it’ll be pure porcine bliss, buddy.

But we are not in a perfect world. So, occasional glimpse to the perfect world that a perfectly roasted pig could bring will do. And a glimpse to that perfect world we were given indeed, when we were introduced to Diplahan Lechon of Zamboanga City weeks ago.

No plane ticket required to experience the wonder that is Diplahan Lechon, all thanks to the great people who brought them here in Manila. Yes, Diplahan Lechon from the south made its way to Manila, ready to rock our world inside out.

Diplahan Lechon’s namesake is a municipality in Zamboanga City where it was rooted from. Only two families in Diplahan hold the knowledge on how to properly execute an authentic Diplahan Lechon. So, imagine the horror when none of the two cared to share this Zamboanga’s pride. I shudder at the thought, really. But heaven blessed Manila, it's already here. (My friend The Pickiest Eater shared a detailed account of how Diplahan Lechon in Manila came to be.)

Save for the basic facts shared to us by the people behind Diplahan Lechon, I have little knowledge of the place where it came from. I have not been to Zamboanga City, but during our dinner, an invisible bridge that stretches from Mindanao to Luzon came in the form of pork bliss. Each bite I took served as a sort of an introduction to an uncharted territory. It was a blissful journey, dare I say.

And just like a traveler trekking an unfamiliar place for the first time, I reveled at the decadence that was set before me, ready to get lost in the name of adventure and experience. The credits for the joyride of flavor should be given to the generous herbs and spices luxurious spread on the pork's meat. The lemon grass that was tucked neatly inside was an added bonus as it added flavor, not to mention a pleasantly intoxicating aroma to the lechon.

To say that Diplahan Lechon was downright flavorful would be an understatement. Because each strand of meat doesn't just suggests unity of flavors from diverse herbs and spices, rather, it also mirrors long hours of hard work before such festive dish was served and enjoyed. Truth be told, I deemed that it was the kind of food which goes beyond its ingredients, even beyond its history. I've tasted countless lechon before, but that dinner, it felt like it was the first time. It was the familiar and well-loved pork dish yes, but it was delivered in a different light.

It was an honest flavor, unmitigated in every sense. Pork and herbs, succulent meat and crisp skin, hard work and love, heirloom secret and history. No proverbial liver sauce required when having Diplahan Lechon since we were told that it goes perfectly well with its own vinegar sawsawan. Personally, the lechon can do without it, not because I have slight aversion for vinegar, but because naked without the sauce, Diplahan Lechon's flavor still shines through.

As if the wonder wasn't already enough, our Diplahan Lechon experience was taken a notch higher when we were served with the fried lechon skin. I am not big on anything crispy, but upon tasting this genius execution of pork skin, I was floored. Needless to say, I fell in love with it. Twice cooked pork skin was such a revelation, I almost teared up.

Diplahan Lechon in its ability to showcase the culinary power of the south that reverberates up to the north is indeed worthy to be called "The Pride of Zamboanga City." And no matter how many food bloggers raved about it, you wouldn't really know why unless you try it.