Visiting Cebu can be a gastronomic journey for anyone who loves good food. The island offers a variety of delicacies like the Peanut Browas, Butterscotch, and Toasted Mini Mamons as well as food items that can readily tickle your taste buds. After all, Cebu is home to the best tasting roasted pork in the world. Aside from the lechon, the island is also home to another pork dish that never fails to pique the interest of any food lover, the liempo of Balamban.
Liempo of Balamban – image source: everythingcebu.com
Balamban
Balamban was once a Spanish pueblo that included neighboring towns of Asturias and Tuburan. It was once known as baling-balang in reference to the way the natives linked their arms together to carry a Spaniard across a river. The name was later shortened to bang-bang before it eventually became Balamban. The town is also known as the “Ship Building Capital of the Philippines” with the presence of Tsuneishi Heavy Industries, a renowned ship-building company.
Balamban was once a Spanish pueblo that included neighboring towns of Asturias and Tuburan. It was once known as baling-balang in reference to the way the natives linked their arms together to carry a Spaniard across a river. The name was later shortened to bang-bang before it eventually became Balamban. The town is also known as the “Ship Building Capital of the Philippines” with the presence of Tsuneishi Heavy Industries, a renowned ship-building company.
Liempo of Balamban – image source: wikimapia.org
Liempo of Balamban
Aside from the ship-building industry, the Municipality of Balamban is also known for its liempo. The pork liempo or pork belly of Balamban is prepared using a special method. The residents of Balamban add a number of herbs, like dahon sibuyas or spring onions, tanglad or lemon grass, and garlic, among others, into their liempo. All of these ingredients add to the flavor of the pork. The whole dish is cooked over charcoal. In addition to its uniquely savory taste, the meat of the liempo of Balamban is also so tender that you could swear it melts in your mouth.
Aside from the ship-building industry, the Municipality of Balamban is also known for its liempo. The pork liempo or pork belly of Balamban is prepared using a special method. The residents of Balamban add a number of herbs, like dahon sibuyas or spring onions, tanglad or lemon grass, and garlic, among others, into their liempo. All of these ingredients add to the flavor of the pork. The whole dish is cooked over charcoal. In addition to its uniquely savory taste, the meat of the liempo of Balamban is also so tender that you could swear it melts in your mouth.
Liempo of Balamban – image source: topsy.one
Some people who have tasted the liempo in the town itself are all in agreement that it does not only taste good, but it is also very tender. While there are numerous Balamban Liempo outlets in and around the island, you may want to go to the town to get a taste of their special liempo at the source.
Liempo of Balamban – image source: foursquare.com
Getting to Balamban
To get to Balamban, you can hop on a van for hire at the Ayala Center Cebu PUV Terminal headed for the town. The trip takes around an hour depending on the traffic. You will be treated to majestic views of the mountains of Cebu since the van will pass through the transcentral highway.
To get to Balamban, you can hop on a van for hire at the Ayala Center Cebu PUV Terminal headed for the town. The trip takes around an hour depending on the traffic. You will be treated to majestic views of the mountains of Cebu since the van will pass through the transcentral highway.
Liempo of Balamban – image source: Balamban Liempo Facebook Page
The liempo of Balamban has taken the country by storm as it became one of the few local brands to gain national recognition mainly due to the Balamban Liempo stalls that have opened up all over the country. If you happen to pass by Balamban, you should not fail to miss out on visiting one of the stalls close to the public market of the town and taste the liempo that started it all.
Liempo of Balamban – image source: ourawesomeplanet.com
Have you tasted the liempo in Balamban already? Tell us about it on the comments section below.
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