I remember the first time I saw it. A cut of pork, pale pink with streaks of white running through it like delicate brushstrokes. It didn’t look like the pork I’d grown up with. This was different—luxurious, almost shy in its beauty. It was Kurobuta Pork, and it had just arrived at the Lemuria Fine Dining kitchen.

When the chef touched it, you could see why it mattered. The way the knife slid through. The way the fat softened at the edges. Later, when it was cooked, the flavor was gentle but sure of itself, the kind that doesn’t need to shout to be heard.

“It’s the Rolls-Royce of pork,” our chef told me. “The marbling gives it a juicy and buttery texture“

He wasn’t exaggerating.

Where It Begins

The story of this pork doesn’t begin in the kitchen. It begins in Lipa, Batangas, where Esguerra Farms sits under the shadow of Mount Malarayat. The farm didn’t start as what it is today. In 2000, it was a family rest house, a place for horses, a quiet patch of land. Slowly, it became something more—home to the Philippines’ first herd of purebred Berkshire pigs, known the world over as Kurobuta.

Not all black pigs are Berkshire, but the true ones carry their history like a mark: six small white points at their nose, tail, and legs. You can see them at Esguerra Farms, grazing in the open air. You can taste them, too, when the meat reaches the plate.

“Nestled in Lipa, Batangas, Esguerra Farms is home to purebred Berkshire pigs.”

The Esguerra Way

Esguerra Farms raises its pigs differently. They are given space to move, a plant-based diet, and clean, stress-free surroundings—sometimes even with music playing softly in the background. No hormones. No antibiotics. Just careful attention from in-house veterinarians and animal scientists who watch over them daily.

The result? Meat that holds its color, its tenderness, its flavor. Chefs prize it, not just here but in prestigious kitchens and hotels across the country, because once you’ve tasted it, you understand. This isn’t just pork. This is something closer to craft.

“Humane and sustainable care: the Esguerra way.”

At Lemuria

In the quiet corners of our restaurant, with its ivy-covered walls and rustic charm, Kurobuta Pork takes on new life. Our chefs don’t dress it up too much; they let it speak. Sometimes it’s paired with something sweet—an apple, a pear—sometimes with something salty, like prosciutto. Always, it tastes like itself first.

To us, that’s the point. To remind you that food can be both indulgent and honest. That the best ingredients don’t just fill you—they tell you a story.

“An intimate setting at Lemuria Fine Dining in Quezon City.”

Experience Kurobuta Pork at Lemuria

Some stories are best told at the table. At Lemuria Fine Dining in Quezon City, Metro Manila, you can taste the artistry of Esguerra’s Kurobuta Pork in an unforgettable setting.

Eating Kurobuta Pork at Lemuria isn’t just a meal. It’s a memory in the making. The kind you tuck away quietly, to call up later, when you want to remember what it feels like to be surprised by food again.

“Experience the Pork Tenderloin at Lemuria Fine Dining in Quezon City.”

We invite you to join us, to linger, to savor, and to discover why this ingredient is more than just food—it’s an experience.

Reserve your table today and taste the Rolls-Royce of pork, only at Lemuria Fine Dining.

Learn More About Esguerra Farms

The story of Kurobuta Pork begins long before it reaches our kitchen. To discover more about the pure Berkshire pigs of Esguerra Farms, their sustainable farming practices, and their passion for quality, visit Esguerra Kurobuta by Esguerra Farms.

“Esguerra Farms: the exclusive producer of purebred Berkshire pigs in the Philippines.”