King Belly: Boneless Lechon Belly, Lechon Sisig, and more!

King Belly

Every Filipino occasion is made even more special when lechon is served. But admit it or not, lechon is quite expensive and not everyone can afford that's why some of us can only have a taste of it during fiesta or big events.

vibrant and well-lit with natural light

But here in Marikina, there's a restaurant that serves special Boneless Lechon Belly for a very affordable price. King Belly is located at E-Com Building, Riverbanks Center. The place is spacious and vibrant. It is so pleasant to stay here as during daytime, it is well-lit with natural light. There is also an al fresco area with a serene view of the Marikina River. And yes, wi-fi is available.


spacious and pleasant	customers are their king

We've met the owner and chef, Chef James Pascual Crisologo, when we visited King Belly. It is not a surprise as he is really hands-on with everything in the restaurant so more often than not, you'll find him here. According to him, "King" means their customers are their king, and "Belly" with a letter B that is shaped like a big, big belly is what they wanted their customers to be when they leave the restaurant -- tummy-filled and fulfilled.

al fresco

King Belly may appear like "another" fastfood joint, but no. Definitely no. If there is a similarity with fastfood, it would be the low price and the self-service. But food preparation wasn't shortcut -- no preservatives nor extenders. Sauces are made fresh everyday! For the food taste, checkout each dish below.

Lechon Best Sellers

Boneless Lechon Belly (meal - 99Php, 1/4kg - 195Php, 1/2kg - 390Php, 1kg - 780Php)


boneless lechon belly slice	herbs

The Boneless Lechon Belly is the pride and signature dish of King Belly. There's a bit of similarity with Cebu lechon but you'll find more of the differences once you've tasted it. Chef James's years of experience and influences from different parts of the world are reflected in this dish. One very notable about this lechon is the flavor that has seeped through the meat making it savory all over, not just the outer parts. And those herbs, uniquely here at King Belly, are refreshing to the palate. Though they're meant for the lechon, I like putting them on my rice for an added oomph!

1/4 kg Boneless Lechon Belly

Something to note is to eat your lechon belly while it's freshly served to enjoy the crispiness of the skin to the fullest. I took a lot of pictures before trying out the food that the skin is no longer as crispy as it should be. But the meat remains totally flavorful even without sauce or anything.


Boneless Lechon Belly	Lechon Kare Kare Meal

Lechon Kare Kare Meal (113Php)

Lechon Kare Kare

Lechon Kare Kare is relatively new in the menu and I'm so glad they added this. The sauce is not the creamy type but you'll know it's not artificial. It is good even without bagoong, but hey, kare-kare isn't complete without it, so yes, I still prefer it with bagoong. The lechon here is so tender that even though I'm used to beef tripe ("tuwalya") in kare-kare, it doesn't matter at all.

Lechon Sinigang Meal (99Php)

Lechon Sinigang

For someone like me who is used to overly sour sinigang, especially when cooked using sinigang mix, you'll find this Lechon Sinigang a bit lacking of sourness. But then again, this was made with no shortcuts nor artificial flavoring, plus the lechon flavor is obvious so that made the difference. Anyway, if you find this lacking sourness, you can always ask to increase the sourness to your liking, which we did.


Lechon Sinigang	Lechon Sisig

Lechon Sisig Meal (99Php)

Lechon Sisig

Aside from the Boneless Lechon Belly, this Lechon Sisig is my other favorite. It is really flavorful and there's kick of spice typical to a sisig. But since it is made from lechon, there is an added distinct taste that makes me want to have more rice to go with it. Glad that for just Php40, you can already have unlimited rice and drinks!

Tokwa't Kangkong (45Php)

Tokwa't Kangkong

Whether you're going solo or with a group, your additional Php45 will make your meal special with this Tokwa't Kangkong siding. Definitely not your typical kangkong and will make your food experience even more appetizing.


Tokwa't Kangkong	Bihon con Lechon

Bihon con Lechon (65Php)

Bihon con Lechon

From the outside, this Bihon con Lechon looks like a normal pancit bihon topped with lechon skin. But once you've tasted it, you'll realize that it is lechon in a form of pancit. The lechon was cooked with the pancit and not just topped so the dish really embodies the lechon taste. It is a nice creation and a twist to the usual pancit bihon.

my son can't resist grabbing the food

If there's one thing that I'll suggest, probably it's to have more dessert options. At that time we dined, they only serve ice cream. After a heavy and satisfying meal, it would be nice to cap it off with a selection of desserts. Still, Chef James did a great job overall! A nice ambiance, great food, affordable, and a concept that enables everyone to enjoy Boneless Lechon Belly not just on special occasions. Looking forward to try their Grilled Pork Spare Ribs when I come back!