i met up with some of my high school classmates whom i have not seen personally for a few years back when i was on my vacation last march.  it was a way of reminiscing our good old high school years, specially the fun moments we had together.

it was also a good chance for me to tick off one of my 10 things i have not done before item when everyone was asking to decide where to have our late dinner.  the mall we met up was just near barrio fiesta, a filipino restaurant that is famous for the dish, crispy pork knuckle or crispy pata.  i then suggested the place and they agreed, unknowingly, they did not know my real purpose.

it has been years since i last ate pork.  i stopped eating it when i was in junior high school, the reason still unclear even to myself which is straightforwardly odd!  to cut it short, let’s not talk about it and focus on the crispy pork knuckle itself.  hehe.

crispy pata is the hind leg including the knuckles of a pig boiled in broth with spices, drip dried or drained, rubbed again with spices and then is deep-fried until golden brown.  here is the famous crispy pata of barrio fiesta.  crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside.   i wonder how much percentage of cholesterol one serving has.

i ate a piece and the taste reminded me of my ma’s lechon kawali (pan-fried roasted pork) that she cooks before.  though it tasted good it did not mean that i will go back on eating pork again, it was just a self-dare for myself for my list.  another thing, i also stopped eating beef more than four years ago – and i think that deserves a separate post. 😀