Lechon @ La Loma, Quezon City, Philippines

What will the New Year be without lechon? This Philippine delicacy has been revisited and reinvented but nothing beats the lechon from good ol' La Loma. Just looking at the picture below brings back childhood memories of drives to this place every year, where me and my cousins will pick out the fattest and shiniest looking pig. Of course, we seldom order the whole thing, imagine the fat and calories each succulent pig has! But, oh dear, it's all worth it.

As with all sinfully good food, the best part is definitely the skin. This should be the part that you eat first, while it's hot and crispy, or else, you'll lose that crunchiness. Next, move on to that piece of meat with fat layered on top of it. Just a bite will send you off to lovely, piggy heaven...well, not too soon, I hope =). Happy New Year, everyone!

Pre-Christmas Dinner @ El Cirkulo, Pasay Road, Makati

If you're around in Manila, you have to try the roasted suckling pig at El Cirkulo. Having lechon or roasted suckling pig in the Philippines is part of every special occasion, and I do mean every special occasion. I know this is so loaded with calories and fat but being a Filipino would mean embracing the culture, which includes the food =D.

Having eaten lechon from almost every shop that sells it in Manila, the one at El Cirkulo surely stands out--the flesh was just melts in your mouth and the skin was so crispy, not soggy and oily at all.

We ordered half of the suckling pig which is good for 8 people. Believe me when I say, we totally wiped that suckling pig off the plate!

Boracay Times @ Sur Beach Resort, Boracay, Aklan

One of the best times I've had during my visit in the Philippines is our trip to Boracay. We stayed at a cozy resort called Sur at Station 1 (the beach area is divided into 3 stations). One of my family's requirments is that the place should be affordable and with a view, well, a beach front view, and Sur fit the bill.

However, we weren't expecting Sur to have one big fat secret: an in-house chef. You can ask Chef Jack Piangco to cook practically anything for you. If it's seafood you want, he can help you shop for them and recommend which way is best to prepare and serve the fresh seafood in the market. You can also tell him what time you would like to have lunch or dinner so that all you do is come down and eat! What more could you ask for?

Here's a rundown of what we had. Most of them were steamed so that we can taste the lovely sweetness of the seafood. The best I've had was the lobster. Yum!

Aria Italian Restaurant @ Boracay, Aklan

On our first night in Boracay, we wanted something nice and light. Aria is one of the more popular places in the beach, if you prefer food that is not grilled. Surprisingly, the pizza and pasta were both good, considering that we're at the beach and not really in the city. We had pasta Arrabiata and a Napolitana pizza.