This restaurant’s crispy pata is so tender, you can carve it with a popsicle stick

Homer Simpson once said that the pig is a “wonderful, magical animal,” and we couldn’t agree more. The pig is one of the most generous and versatile animals, an outstanding beast that has birthed not only broods but also numerous culinary empires. One of them in the country is Livestock.

Having three branches now (Sgt. Esguerra Ave., Quezon City, Uptown Parade, Bonifacio Global City, and Eastwood Mall), Livestock takes pride in its snout-to-tail cooking and a menu abounding in the best versions of pork dishes they could ever conceive. It is a pork specialty restaurant and bar established five years ago by a family that runs a hog farm since 1977.

*Livestock’s branch in Eastwood can comfortably seat a great number of people, so it’s perfect for families and large groups of diners.*

*Make it your after-work hang out place, too, as it offers beers on tap and concocts their signature cocktails.*

Did you know what put Livestock on the culinary map? It’s its seriously tender deep-fried crispy pata served with a popsicle stick instead of a knife. No kidding; you can slice through the juicy, melt-in-your-mouth, flavorful meat with that wooden stick. Livestock easily ticked off the most important item off the Best Pork in Town’s list of criteria.

Carrying on our sinful gastronomic adventure, crackling pork belly is also a must-try. It’s a luscious belly roll loaded with a generous mixture of herbs (a secret mix but the flavors of lemongrass would dominate your palate), roasted until the pig’s skin turns tan and crispy you would cry at the sight of its glory. You can douse the meat in sauces, but it actually tastes wonderful on its own.

*Crackling Pork Belly, a tender pork belly roll stuffed with herbs and roasted until crispy*

If you want to take a break from pork, you may want to try their Oyster Rockefeller. It’s a dish of six shells of baked oysters topped with Florentine sauce, a delectable creamy white sauce with spinach.

Everything is best paired with the Bagoong Adobo Rice, a sweet and salty fried rice topped with tomatoes, onions, egg, green mangoes, and of course, adobo bits.

Get the Oyster Rockefeller for appetizer.

*This Bagoong Adobo Rice is the perfect companion for the pork dishes.*

Livestock isn’t only a restaurant; it’s also a bar. It serves beer on tap and concocts signature cocktails such as Earth and Water, a refreshing mixture of gin, lemon juice, basil leaves, and watermelon juice, and French Toast Old Fashioned, a tangy blend of rum, whiskey, angostura bitters, and caramelized bacon. Of course, there’s still pork even in your alcohol.