General’s Lechon Private Kitchen Taste Test

General’s Lechon Overall Rating: 4.25! (out of a rating scale of 5)

Together with Spanky, we are getting into organizing intimate mini-taste test events called Private Kitchen Ultimate Taste Tests (UTT). The objective is to get to know the owners and the foodies attending the event more while feasting on the food in focus. For our first Private Kitchen UTT event, we had the Ultimate General’s Lechon Taste Test.

General’s Lechon has its own cult foodie following because of its unique lechon flavors — Chili-Garlic and Curry. There’s a constant debate on which flavors are really good and if foodies prefer these innovations or just the original lechon.

Related Blog Posts:
• General’s Lechon 5-Ways now in BGC! (2019)
• GENERAL’S LECHON: The Best Lechon in Manila! (UTT Rating: 3.79) (2013)
• General’s Lechon Private Kitchen Taste Test (2011)

General’s Lechon is the passion business of husband-and-wife team Bryan and Lynett Ong, who wanted to share the awesome lechon originally from Bryan’s hometown of San Carlos City (Negros Occidental).

The lechon is available in four flavors: Original, Garlic, Chili-Garlic and Curry. We only tasted three because the Garlic and Chili-Garlic almost have the same flavor, except for that spicy touch in the latter.

The best size to order is the medium lechon, wherein all the flavors are absorbed by the meat.

Reggie Aspiras is credited for discovering General’s Lechon and eventually inspiring the owners to create different flavors.

How does the Private Kitchen Ultimate Taste Test work?

The Ultimate Taste Test is intended to serve as a venue for small food business owners to receive objective feedback with regard to their best and new products. Also, the event aims to help foodies discover awesome food to share with their family and friends.

We don’t charge a fee for the food business owners for the Private Kitchen Ultimate Taste Test. However, there are two requirements that they must meet:

1. Provide food for taste test for 25 foodies for FREE, and
2. Host the foodies in their own private kitchen.
(Email me at anton@diaz.ph if you want to host the next Private Kitchen UTT Event)

We don’t charge a fee for the foodies either since they are already spending time in attending the event and providing feedback to the owners. But, we do have three requirements for the foodies who want to participate in the event:

1. Confirm attendance,
2. Arrive on time, and 
3. Answer the survey and provide objective feedback about the food and the event. 

If the overall rating is above 3.5, we will feature them in Our Awesome Planet.

All Ultimate Taste Test Events are co-presented by San Miguel Lifestyle Brews.

“I really liked the private kitchen UTT concept, because it was more intimate and gave us a chance to talk to the other people in the event. It was also nice getting to know Bryan and Lyn up close, and they’re a very lovely couple. The number of foodies were just right and there was enough lechon for everyone 🙂 The time was also perfect, especially since i work an 8-5 job so I just went straight to the venue after work and didn’t have to take a leave 🙂 The location was quite near the office so there was no problem.”

We got a 50% response rate to the survey.

And the winner is: (out of a rating scale of 5)
Lechon Curry Flavor Rating: 4.75!
Lechon Chili-Garlic Flavor Rating: 4.17
Lechon Original Flavor Rating: 3.5

Personally, I like the Chili-Garlic flavor because it doesn’t need lechon sarsa to compensate for the taste as it is flavorful on its own. Adding a squeeze of kalamansi does accentuate the flavors though; plus, it is also good with vinegar. The bits and pieces of chili and garlic in the lechon give it a nice texture too.

The Curry flavor actually wins the overall taste test with a 4.75 rating. Most of the foodies love the curry because it’s different and has an exotic taste. It may seem a bit counterintuitive to combine curry and lechon, but it’s amazing to taste how General’s Lechon is able to make it work.

As for the Original Lechon flavor, I wouldn’t recommend it because it’s ordinary-tasting, and there are other better lechons out there.

What the Foodies say about General’s Lechon:

“Perhaps, they can improve the consistency of the flavor in all parts of the lechon and not just on the belly. Some parts I’ve tasted had minimal taste. Although the meat was tender and juicy, I was not able to taste the chili in the chili-garlic lechon (perhaps I got the not-so-good part?). Curry lechon is love! It’s unique that a lechon has this kind of flavor. Original lechon is good too, since I like that it has a bit of sweet and salty taste. The lechon skin is wonderful and oh so good! I love hearing the crispy crack sounds when they were chopping it. And it’s very good that there was not much fats. Overall, I love it! Oh, perhaps they can try lowering down the price a bit, if possible? Some foodies mentioned they can get much lower price inclusive of shipping even if it comes from Davao.”

“Bryan is right – the Medium sized Lechon (like what we had last night) is the BEST! You don’t miss the flavors even if you’re eating the meat from the Nape part. I was told the flavors were also present at the hocks! Great! 🙂”

“At first, I felt that the lechon was a bit salty. However, I realized that when you mix some calamansi with lechon it brought out the really nice flavor. Combining lechon with calamansi with rice will be the ultimate experience. The taste test was very intimate because of the small number of guest(s) that were invited. Compared to the ultimate taste test, this one was much more fun because you get to chat with the host and other bloggers.”

“That was a perfect a lechon as I’ve had in a long long time.”

General’s Lechon | Suggestion on How to Enjoy our Lechon: 

1. CRISSCROSS THE SKIN. Mixing the skin with the meat is a big NO! NO! Not only will the crispiness suffer, but a part of our lechon experience is compromised. Serve the skin on a platter, or better yet, eat it straight from the lechon.

2. GRAB THE RIBS. Many say that this is one of the best parts of our lechon. Take a slab or a piece, eat it using your hands, and slowly nibble.

3. FORK THE BELLY. The belly portion contains the most flavor and is also the tenderest part of our lechon. Go dig in using your fork, and twirl it.

4. TEAR ME EARS. Lechon aficionados love to eat ears, and we know that. This will be crispy outside, and the cartilage will give you a nice, chewy time. Try it, and the lechon will never look the same way again.

5. DICE THE BACK AND LEGS. This is usually for the latecomers. Although we don’t like latecomers, we still love them. That is why we made sure that the white meat is still tasty. Feel free to dice this portion.

I like pairing my lechon with San Miguel Premium Beer or Red Wine.

 
The lechon skin was very crispy all throughout the event. (Note: Make sure that the lechon is delivered to you a few hours after it is cooked to enjoy that crispiness.)

What do you think are the aspects that General’s Lechon should improve on?  (Please be brutally honest and give us details, if possible.)

• “I’d love to have the chili garlic flavor more spread out to the entire meat. I got some big chunks but didn’t taste the chili flavor.”
  
• “It wasn’t as crunchy as expected”
  
• “Hopefully, they can make improvements on the Original Flavor, the taste is medyo matabang.”
  
• “Foodies needed more of the lechon’s background — how long it’s prepared, cooked, where the pigs are grown, how they started, why General’s Lechon, etc. …some were mentioned while everyone’s getting crazy over the lechon. And oh, perhaps a bit longer time to take pictures? =) Haha!”
  
• “I will pitch them my Chile Vitas Chile Vinegar to go with it. It is actually better served with Vinegar than lechon sauce. The lechon sauce competes with the tastiness of the lechon meat.”
• “It’s a bit pricey.”
  
• “I honestly feel the price. Brian said it was priced at P5,000. If the owners can lower the price and compete with the existing prices, then I guess the buyers will try their product.”
• “The pigs last night were a little too lean, the ribs were not meaty enough. A previous time I had General’s Lechon, the pig was too fat. So I guess they should improve the consistency of the pig.”
  
• “There were some pieces of the meat that were quite salty, but some pieces were actually okay. I hope they come up with new flavors also!”
  

The secret to General’s Lechon success? Bryan’s wife Lynn. She was the one who insisted on bringing Bryan’s hometown lechon to Manila when she first tasted it when they went on vacation in San Carlos. She brought the lechonero to Manila and created the original flavor of General’s Lechon.

She’s also the one who came up with introducing the Garlic, Chili-Garlic and Curry flavors. Lynn’s very strict when it comes to the quality of her lechon, quite like a “General” instructing her lechoneros to follow strict standards in marinating the lechon and sticking to the number of turns when roasting it.

So it’s no surprise that Lynn is often referred to as the “General” at home. 🙂 Supported by her husband Bryan, she is the passionate person behind this awesome lechon business.

Regular General’s Lechon (10.25 – 10.5 kilos)
Original – P6,000; Chili-Garlic – P6,300; Curry – P6,500

General’s Lechon
“Freshly Cooked All the Time”
San Carlos City, Negros Occidental
(They only accept orders for delivery. They don’t have an outlet yet)
Telephone: +632 408-6850, 964-5900
Mobile: +63917 897-5966, +63917 8LECHON (853-2466)
Email: the_generals_lechon@yahoo.com, sales@generals-lechon.com
Address: 3 Guillermo St., Paranaque City.
Facebook: General’s Lechon

Related Blog Posts:
• General’s Lechon 5-Ways now in BGC! (2019)
• GENERAL’S LECHON: The Best Lechon in Manila! (UTT Rating: 3.79) (2013)
• General’s Lechon Private Kitchen Taste Test (2011)

Live an Awesome Life,

Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Call or Text Me: +63917 5683-627 (LOVE-OAP)
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Full Disclosure: General’s Lechon sponsored the Ultimate Taste Test for free. We invited our foodie blogger friends and foodie friends in Facebook.

P.S. We are holding the next big Ultimate Taste Test 6.0 event in mid-September, entitled “Ultimate Rockwell Taste Test” 🙂

P.P.S. Thanks to all our foodie friends who attended this Private Kitchen Ultimate Taste Test for General’s Lechon. Here are some of the photos and their testimonials:

“Not only were those Lechon tender, juicy & succulent, as they’re intended to be, but also packed with beautiful flavors! I can tell that Chilli-Garlic is going to be a big hit. Loved the not-too-overpowering Thai Yellow Curry flavors that you can immediately get a whiff of even before the paper cover is removed. Perfectly cooked Lechon x 3! Beautiful flavors + yummy, succulent, tender, juicy Lechon + Crispy skins = May I order, please? <craving! drool!> As the song goes- Bakit ngayon ka lang dumating sa buhay ko?!?!?!?!? Hahaha!”

“I’ll give a very crisp salute (to) the Generals for their Lechon. As crisp as the skin of their intensely flavored, instantly addicting Chili Garlic flavor!”

“The best lechon in Metro Manila, unique flavors and crispy skin just a call away.”
– www.Talesfromthetummy.com

“My name is Tina Vitas. Although my diet is generally Western & healthy (lots of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, yogurt, soy milk and minimal animal fat), I am and always will be a big fan of Philippine lechon (together with crispy pata and chicharon bulaklak). Thus far, the best lechon I’ve tasted was in Cebu. But after last night, Cebu lechon definitely has competition in my book. General’s Lechon has these three outstanding attributes – the meat was both flavorful & tender, the skin was perfectly crispy and the ratio of fat to meat was in good balance. No lechon sauce required. But I believe it’s best served with a good, spicy vinegar so you can eat more!!!”
– Tina Vitas

“General’s Lechon is really one of a kind! Where else can you find Chili Garlic and Curry flavored lechon? Indeed fit for a general! :)”
– Charmaine Muya | Email: charmainemuya@gmail.com

“General’s Lechon brings lechon into a whole new level with their flavored lechons. I’d love to spunk up my lechon cravings with chili garlic or curry that they infuse in the meat. All elements are still there, the crispy crackling skin, the soft tender meat, but now with variants!!! Lechon made more drool worthy. “
– Jane Chua, Between Bites | Blog: www.janedchua.com  | Email: betweenbites@gmail.com

“General’s Lechon is one of a kind in taste and quality. The meat is so tender and juicy, the flavors are unique, the skin is crunchilicious and the whole lechon tasted fresh. The lechon in itself is good to go with pancit or rice even without sauce. Don’t miss the belly and ribs part for the flavorful goodness you’d get. Thumbs up!”
– Glenn Ong | Email: glenn@glennong.com | Blog: www.glennong.com

“General Lechon is worth the try especially when we are used to the regular Luzon and Visayas lechon. It bring us out from the ordinary taste.”
– Alvin | Email: avealvin@yahoo.com

“General Lechon is an awesome new way of enjoying Filipino’s staple fiesta food the lechon, with different exciting and tasty flavors to choose from.”
– The Philippines and Beyond | Blog: www.brianong.blogspot.com

 
Thanks to Bryan and Lynn Ong for welcoming us to the Ultimate General’s Lechon Taste Test! 🙂