Cheap Eats 2019: Kuya Ja’s Lechon Belly

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This pork belly could be yours. Photograph courtesy of Kuya Ja's Lechon Belly.

About Kuya Ja’s Lechon Belly

Cost:

cuisines
Filipino
Location(s)
5268 Nicholson Ln
Kensington, MD 20895
Eat Great Cheap 2019

About Eat Great Cheap 2019

This article is a part of Washingtonian’s Eat Great Cheap feature, our annual list of where to eat (and not break the bank) right now. Our food editors put together the best new restaurants around DC where you can find Detroit-style pizza, Japanese egg-salad sandwiches, chicken-nugget-filled tacos, and more—for $25 or less per person.

As its name suggests, it’s all about the lechon belly at this fast-casual Filipino spot. Javier Fernandez rolls his lemongrass-scented boneless pork belly, then slow-roasts it until the skin crackles. Still, don’t overlook the sisig, a heap of sautéed pig ears and head cheese stoked with garlic and Thai chilies. Or the chicken adobo flavored with soy sauce and vinegar—on Thursdays there’s a deliciously crispy version tucked into a bao.


Ann Limpert
Executive Food Editor/Critic

Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.

Food Editor

Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.

Jessica Sidman
Food Editor

Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.