As a foodie, I can be adventurous when it comes to trying out new food but not to the extent that I’d go for something exotic. Well last weekend, I went out on a food trail with my fellow blogger friends: Carlo and Ley at The Market. It wasn’t the regular food tasting that I was accustomed to because we were challenged to eat rabbit’s meat!
Initially, I was hesitant to try it out for a simple reason that I used to have a pet bunny when I was young and I couldn’t bring myself to eat its meat because they’re so damn cute! However, one of the owners of D’ Bunnychon, Ms. Daryl Balmoral-Garcia, explained to us how beneficial rabbit meat is to our diet since it has the highest percentage of protein, the lowest percentage of fat, and the fewest calories per pound.
IT’S LEGAL TO EAT RABBITS
And as per Philippine law, rabbits are categorized as livestock and poultry just like pork, chicken, and beef. There are also certain breeds of rabbits that can be used as meat like Californian, New Zealand, Palomino, Chinchilla unlike the ones as pets which are the fancy rabbits. Though they can be eaten the difference is their meat to bone ratio which has only a little meat and it can be quite expensive so it’s not practical to use it as food.
Plus, they kill the rabbits in a humane way that is PETA-approved inside their own slaughterhouse in their farm in Leyte.
RABBIT’S MEAT IS SAFE AND CLEAN TO EAT
All their rabbits are safe to eat since they feed them with water and grass as their main diet. For the rabbits’ vitamins, they used pure coconut wine or “tuba” as an alternative to apple cider vinegar. The rabbits also feed on fruits like apple mango and papaya. Then they don’t easily get sick unless they live in a dirty environment. So no antibiotics nor growth hormones were being used on the rabbits.
SUSTAINABLE FARMING
What’s also remarkable about D’ Bunnychon is that all the produce being sold and used like honey, sweet potato (camote), and black rice, are from their farm, as well. They buy these crops from their farmers at a fair price which is equal to the market value. This is their way of helping out these farmers augment their income because they feel that farmers are part of the sectors that don’t have much support from the government in the agriculture industry.
Now that’s what I call sustainable organic farming. And I strongly support the cause so might as well give it a shot. Rabbit meat, it is 🙂
WHAT’S IN THE D’BUNNYCHON MENU
Tasted the meatballs first and I totally enjoyed it with their dipping sauce then I found myself taking bits of everything in the menu and I must say, they’re savory and it’s like you’re eating chicken! I love their roasted and the crispy bunny lechon best plus paired with the colorful sweet potatoes. The bunny meals were filling to the tummy but don’t give you that “nakaka-umay” na feeling afterward.
Then finished it off with their refreshing passion fruit tea with honey for the first time and it’s not bad, after all. Little did I know, I kept refilling my glass with it lols 🙂
Another first was their fresh blue tea made of mint, tarragon, and ternate flowers. I’m not into hot tea and never developed any liking to it but surprisingly, my palates have a liking to their blue tea. Simply an ideal drink to cap off your delectable bunny food trail!
FRESH BLUE TEA
Mint, tarragon, ternate flowers or commonly known as butterfly pea (Clitoria Ternatea) which improves eyesight, hair growth, skin and it is an aphrodisiac, antioxidant, analgesic, and diuretic.
PASSION FRUIT TEA WITH HONEY
Php35/glass or Php150/tumbler
Over-all, last weekend’s taste bud challenge was by far one for the books because got to experience a lot of FIRSTS in one sitting — the bunny meat which turned out to be good, the colorful sweet potatoes, the passion fruit tea, and the blue ternate hot tea.
Grateful to have experienced this one-of-a-kind food trail 🙂
FOOD TRAIL
Location: The Market by Sugbo Mercado along Mantawi Road in Mandaue City
Store Hours: Tuesdays to Sundays, from 4 PM until midnight
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BunnyChon-Cebu
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