For the love of...

This blog begins here. This is Cathy’s Fastfood, our first lechon rice love.

Photo by: PP

And this is Fritson the multilingual pig. We bring him with us because we like to be reminded where our food comes from so we can send gratitude in the right direction. Fritson likes to come along because he likes living life on the edge… of the plate. Hahahaha! But seriously, he likes the fact that we’re so appreciative of what pigs do for humanity. *Bu-hii, bu-hii* (Japanese pig squeal)

Padma: When I was in high school we would go to Cathy’s on special occasions. Meaning, when we were flush.

Fifi: Lechon rice at Cathy’s was always an expedition because we would forget about if for months on end then suddenly remember and obsessively plan the next lechon rice session. The troops had to be called in and the timing had to be right.

Padma: Yeah, for the longest time Cathy’s was the only place we would go for lechon rice.

Fritson: *Snort snort*

Fifi: We’d call in our own personal gang of nasty Baguio Boys to feast with us and finish our leftovers (if there were any).

Padma: And if the mood was right we’d order a round of beers. YUM lechon rice and beer. BURP. There’s something definitely comforting about eating lechon rice in Cathy’s. Whenever I come back from spending a long time away from Baguio, a meal in Cathy’s is part of my “Things I Have To Do When I Get Home” list.

Fritson: Oink?

Padma: Once on my way home from spending six months (or something like that) in the Netherlands, during the layover in HK I noticed two men in jeans, cowboy boots, cowboy hats and leather jackets. Definitely from Benguet. Confirmed when one of them shook his head as an attractive young thing walked by and muttered to his companion, “Ukinana, napintas! Huu!”. When we boarded the plane to Manila, I found myself seated by the two manongs. So we struck up a conversation. They were on their way back from six years – six years! – working in South Africa. They were building roads and dams, if I remember right. They complained that people hardly ate vegetables in South Africa. It was always meat, meat, meat. We got to talking about what we would do when we got home and all 3 of us had Cathy’s on our minds! We parted ways after picking up our bags in the airport. I finally made it to Cathy’s two or three days later and wow, one of the manongs was there too, already tucking into his plate of lechon rice! We waved to each other and laughed in recognition. We were home!

Fifi: The comfort of Cathy’s made it a fitting choice to be the first stop for our new lechon rice reviews. Over the years, we have found other spots through friends or as a result of a hunger that needed immediate satiation. Watch this blog for reviews of these other lechon rice hotspots. It’s all part of the Baguio experience.

Padma: Yeah, “Fly The Butterfly”.

Photo by: SP

Fifi: Yeah, “Be Proud. Be Baguio.”

Padma: Yeah, we’re doing our part, “fostering a culture of caring”.

Fifi: Yeah, for lechon rice. Through this blog!!!

Fritson: Sweek (Dutch Pig Squeal)