Baliwag is one of our go-to lechon manoks for those times we just want our simple comfort food favorites. We did not know they also serve an extensive selection of other ready-to-cook and ready-to-fry Filipino food that we usually crave for. But the question is, is it any good?
We did a taste test of most of their Filipino ready-to-heat and ready-to-fry Lutong Pinoy food. Here are the top 10 winners and our favorites:
ABOUT BALIWAG
In November 1985, when the Lechon Manok craze was sweeping the nation, Dwight and Dolores Salcedo pooled P5,000 from their savings and borrowed another P5,000 from their parents to put up their own kiosk. They named it Baliwag Lechon Manok after Dolores’s hometown of Baliwag, Bulacan.
Over the years, they have added other well-loved items into their menu such as liempo and chicharon. They have also expanded their food business to include restaurants and fast food outlets.
The simple and grounded ways with which the couple has handled their business have allowed Baliwag to become one of the most iconic Filipino brand names nearly 25 years after it was started and, God willing, for decades more.
Baliwag Lechon Manok At Liempo
Ang #FavoriteLechonManok ng lahat!
Facebook: Baliwag Lechon Manok at Liempo
Instagram: @baliwag_lechon
Email: inquiry@baliwaglechonmanok.com
Website: http://www.baliwaglechonmanok.com/
LUTONG PINOY
1). Chikitas
We got this frozen and we had to fry this on our own. We are not really into frying, and we were happy to learn a technique from Baliwag’s recipe that made it deliciously crunchy.
It was a hit with the boys actually, and I think we will be seeing more of this fried chicken on our table. The gravy was also a hit but, don’t get us wrong, you do not need the gravy for the chicken. But if you are a gravy person, this will not disappoint!
2. Bagnet
We air-fried the bagnet to get crunchy skin with the inside still juicy. It had a good layer of fat to meat ratio. Best to chop it into pieces and eat with the sukang Iloko.
3. Dinuguan
I love dinuguan. As for Baliwag’s version, I loved the taste of the blood with less sour taste, and the mix of meat, fat and innards. I also loved its black color. Best to eat with a bit of chili and chicharon for the crunch!
| Chicharon Laman (120gm) ₱110
Choose your own poison—Chicharon Plain, Chicharon Spicy or Chicharon Laman (Meat). We loved mixing all three flavors for excitement, to bite into a chicharon and be surprised that you got the plain, the spicy or the one with laman or meat.
4. Embudito
Surprisingly good! The embudito was malinamnam, with raisins and egg. Yum! Yum!
5. Pork Binagoongan
We loved this Baliwag version that was full of sauce, not sweet and bagoong that you could really enjoy. It was served with eggplant and tender pork with fatty goodness. Yum!
6. Kare-Kare
A classic peanutty kare-kare with a solid, sweet, salty bagoong. You’ll get a lot of extra sauces and big chunks of tuwalya.
7. Beef Kaldereta
The kaldereta had a generous serving of beef, tomatoey sauce and soft potatoes. The boys loved this!
8. Pork Sisig
What we liked about the sisig was that it had a good portion of meat and just enough fat portion to make it yummy. It came with a special creamy sauce to add sizzle to its flavor.
9. Lengua
The Lengua, served with lots of mushroom sauce, was soft with good size and thickness. Sarap!
10. Beef Steak
Loved the sauce and its trueness to its Filipino flavor. With soft beef meat and creamy sauce.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Aside from the convenience of simply buying their lechon manok, we now have alternative immediate or spur of the moment ready-to-heat and ready-to-fry meals that have Lutong Bahay taste with tamang presyo.
You can have a simple Filipino meal or a step-up meal (lengua, kare-kare) which can be tedious to prepare. No need to go to the mall because Baliwag has a number of kiosks all over the Metro and nearby provinces.
Just go down the car, fall in line and buy at the counter. Just a few minutes of your time and voila, you are on your way home to have a hearty meal! Just don’t forget to cook rice. Remember the dishes come with a generous serving of sauce!
These ready-to-heat and ready-to-fry dishes are good for 2-3 pax, and 3 ready-to-heat packs are good for one meal for a family of 6 (budget about ₱750).
Baliwag Lechon Manok At Liempo
Ang #FavoriteLechonManok ng lahat!
Facebook: Baliwag Lechon Manok at Liempo
Instagram: @baliwag_lechon
Email: inquiry@baliwaglechonmanok.com
Website: http://www.baliwaglechonmanok.com/
Live an Awesome Life with Christ,
Founder & Digital Creator, Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: Thanks to Nikkei Team for the experience. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
Disclosure: Our taste test was courtesy of our good friends from Baliwag. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. For a vegetable dish to balance the meal, get the laing.
It was legit packed with gabi leaves with the right spicy kick, passing the Bicolano mom taste test.
We liked it with more with gata. Hopefully, there will be a vegetarian version for my mom.