It is a foodie’s dream to be invited for dinner at Dedet de la Fuente-Santos’ home. The woman behind Pepita’s Kitchen, known for its wonderful stuffed lechon (roasted pig), finally invited me to a dinner — dubbed Hayop na Degustacion — that I had anticipated for a long time.
She warned me to starve myself as she had prepared a 12-course dinner. Three dishes immediately stood out to be my favorites. First was a dish simply called tendon chips, which were very much like a crispy and lighter form of chicharon (pork crackling). They were made from tendon and not pork skin. I fooled myself thinking this dish was healthier since it was tendon. I gobbled it up with the delicious sinigang na gabi (sinigang yam) dip, which went so well with it. Second was the Hiplog or hipon at itlog (shrimp and salted egg yolk) that was to die for. I guess this was a Filipinized version of the famous Chinese/Singaporean dish of fried prawns in salted egg yolk batter. This was served in a spoon, perfect in every way. The third dish that stood out was the bone marrow, served with oxtail marmalade and Dedet’s special chicharon salt. I scattered the crushed crackling mixed with salt over the melting bone marrow and took spoons of oxtail marmalade in between the bone marrow bites. I didn’t care about cholesterol as I was already in heaven!
The Sipit sarap (delicious claw) was a crab claw cooked in creamy crab fat. I couldn’t get enough of this creamy artery blocker, especially when eaten with hot rice... I had to get another serving. (The Sipit sarap is included in Dedet’s to-go menu.)
Dedet is known for her stuffed lechon — stuffed with truffle rice, Bicol Express, binagoongan rice, laing rice, rice with chestnuts, cashew nuts and mushrooms, pancit Parañaque among others. That night, we tried two of her succulent, juicy and crispy lechon creations. The first was the Than Long lechon stuffed with pasta with garlic, butter and crab. This was complemented with an extra garlic butter crab sauce for those who, like me, wanted additional sauce. I had three servings of Than Long lechon.
My stomach still gave way for the second lechon, a ham-flavored and ham-stuffed roasted pig. Of course I still had room for dessert, guinataan brûlée with layers of carabao flan.
It was really a wonderful meal that showcased Dedet’s talents in the kitchen. Aside from her stuffed lechon, she added other dishes such as gooey lasagna and balut paté in her to-go menu.
If you’re interested, this 12-course lunch or dinner is available for a minimum of 15 people. Believe me, eating any of Dedet’s lechon is so worth it!
(For more information or reservation, call 0917-8660662 or 425-4605 or e-mail pepitaskitchen@gmail.com for inquiries or a copy of Dedet’s to-go menu.)