Pepita's Kitchen - Niles

Best stuffed lechon de leche in town. Other must-try dishes are its hip log and Mango Trifle dessert.

Hands down the best lechon in the city. Order extra truffle rice with yours.

The Cochinillo is so succulent and tender. we used plate to cut them . And the Truffled Mushroom Rice stiffing is really very good. Only the best for my family and close friends. Never fails.

Lechon, the roasted crisp pork that unites all Filipinos and draws absolutely anyone out of any sort of diet or abstinence. Having lechon tells you that whoever is hosting the party means business: today you will eat and you will eat well. Lucky are the turkeys of America for they only get hunted and served once a year; lechon is the all year round centerpiece to any celebration in the Philippines, big or small. Actually, scratch that; no celebration is small once you have lechon on the table! That's even more true when you have Pepita's Kitchen's lechon de leche. That's baby pig to you natural, free range, native baby pig. In the hands of Dedet Dela Fuente, the Lechon Diva herself, whose home is opened to friends and strangers alike, this baby pig is stuffed with foie gras, or curry, or an assemblage of Chinese delicacies. It is absolutely sinful, there is just no way around it: you will pay for this with your health, but hey, life is short. Valar Morghulis, and I would rather have enjoyed a pig this good than never in my life. Of course, aside from your blood pressure, you also pay a price for this delicacy of delicacies. However, while the lechon de leche ranges from 7 to 11 thousand pesos,(depending on size of pig and season i.e. good luck getting an order during Christmas time I've seen it serve about 15 people in a table with seconds. That's because the lechon de leche is stuffed with rice along with either foie gras or even sisig. (Yes. There are numerous stuffings from laksa to German sausages to Spanish paella. These are the ones you can order for pick up or dinner at Pepita's Kitchen itself. And it will be a great main event alongside other dishes; I mean, you can't have all lechon throughout the night... Or can you? When you avail of the lechon degustation, expect 8 to 12 dishes of sin after sin after sin. Lechon starter here, lechon chicken there, a lechon sorbet, a lechon butter, etc etc. It's crazy! Bring the family, plan a barkada night, and make yourselves at home at Dedet's Pepita's Kitchen. Dedet is awesome, an excellent host and a lovely woman. (It may come out to 1,500 to 2,500 per person but it will be worth it!

Hayop na degustacion was called as such because of the variety of animal meat such as pork, lamb, shrimp, crab, and cow included in the roster of meals. Dedet always welcomes the guests with a dinner bell as the feast commences. Enter curly-haired Pepita Lileya. She serves Pepita 's Magic Potion to begin the toast of the night. Gulping the concoction of lemon juice poured over a slowly dissolving tuft of cotton candy on lambanog is literally a kick of flavors in the mouth. The first course served is the Tendon Chips with a Special Dip. It is the healthier take on the much-loved chicharon whose salty taste is balanced by the mild tang of a sinigang-flavored mashed taro. Following that is the Hiplog,a huge shrimp topped with bits of salted egg, whose rich texture plays in the mouth like a shrimp in the semi-salty waters of the mangroves. Next up is the Bone Marrow with Oxtail Marmalade and Special Salt. One must scoop the core of the marrow topped with crushed chicharon, while the oxtail marmalade follows through in order for one paradise to intensify another. After the heart-drenching courses, the Salad Surprise intends to lower the impending boost of blood pressure. Gladly, this salad is absolutely not ordinary as one will be blown away with the astonishing fireworks-in-your-mouth effect of the watermelon pop rocks in the mix of wild arugula, edible flowers, homemade cashew butter, and yogurt white cheese with herbs. From the garden-based vegetables, a beach-sourced chow known as Sipit Sarap, a cracked crab claw drenched in crab fat and coconut cream, is served on a plate with a crab design. The dish is both a tastebud-saturating and a visually appealing feast. Guests will feel fortunate to gorge on the Lucky You, glass noodles drenched in basil oil. The lamb takes centerstage with Lambada, which is actually caldereta using lamb meat. One may dance the Lambada after an explosion of fiery flavors roaring in the mouth. Then, in order to prepare for the star of the night, the Cheers Palate Cleanser, a fresh calamansi sorbet, washes away the piquant taste from the Lambada. After much anticipation, the most awaited lechon de leche of choice of the guests roll in. Little Pepita Liyora entertains the guests by cutting open the lechon. Once the knife hits the crispy pork skin, one can hear the beautiful symphony of crackles it creates until the stuffing inside pours out like prey begging to be devoured. One of their bestsellers, the truffle rice-stuffed lechon, when it reaches even the tip of the tongue, initiates the opening of heaven 's gate and the ringing of glory bells. To cap off the degustacion, desserts such as the Cholesterol Sweeper, which is oatmeal in either dark or white chocolate, and the Guinataan Brulee with layers of carabao flan set the buds to jig in delight. Another option to finish off the banquet is by experiencing the powers of a top dessert called the Super Suman. Like a hero with special abilities, the Super Suman brings an intensely delightful rush that all Pinoy desserts bring. It is sticky rice sprinkled with all kinds of Filipino sweets such as yema, chocnut, ube, pastillas, pili, and mangoes. No wonder every guest willingly screams at the end of the dinner, Hayop sa sarap!