Of course, no excursion to Bacolod is complete without a meal at Manokan Country—the lively district where inasal houses line the street from end to end. The most popular of these bustling eateries was Aida’s Chicken, a favourite among the frequent Bacolod travellers I had bugged for recommendations prior to my trip. Each table at the humble restaurant had a basket of the essentials: pinakurat, soy sauce and chicken oil. The floors were comically slippery, a result of all the oil residue from the kitchen. As piles of skewered inasal made its way to the table (paa and pecho, of course) complete with garlic rice, fresh calamansi, and chopped chilli, so too did a box of plastic gloves—an invitation to enjoy the meal kamayan-style. I, for one, forwent the gloves, tearing apart chicken meat, dipping it into my sawasawan, and scooping up rice bare-handed.

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While I flew to Bacolod with the intention of exploring the local cuisine, my caffeine addiction demanded equal attention. Thankfully, a friend had recommended Also Coffee, a youthful, quaint café along La Salle Avenue. The signage, a plain white A4 paper with the word “also” spelt out in lowercase, aptly captures the brand’s minimalism. Once operating out of a home garage, the shop now has its own signature roasts in partnership with a roaster in La Carlota City, artisanal blends best appreciated in a pour-over.

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Now adequately buzzed and raring to go, we drove down to 18th St Palapala, one of the many dampa restaurants in the area. Although we were happy to feast on whatever catches they had to offer that day, diwal was my one non-negotiable item, swayed by the compelling plea of journalist and fellow foodie Pepper Teehankee. Known as angel wing clam in English, diwal is an elongated shellfish endemic to the area, once endangered due to excessive harvesting. Thankfully, locals managed to quell their lust for the soft, sweet clam, and I gawked in awe at the trays of live diwal spitting out water at the palapala. In this “have it your way” restaurant, the diwal truly shone prepared with a simple butter-garlic sauce: luscious and succulent, with just a hint of pungency and nuttiness—namit gid (utterly delicious)!

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On our last evening, we chased a different kind of buzz. Azucarera was commonly touted as a great choice for a boozy graze, and knowing that it was owned by the same group behind Boracay’s popular Spanish restaurant Dos Mestizos made it all the more compelling. The loaded paella de mariscos and classic paella negra were no-brainers that stole the show, allowing us to make the most of the beautiful seafood in the area—though that said, the Angus ribeye hardly disappointed either. The funky outpost lived up to its reputation as a watering hole too, as I was delighted to discover a range of delectable wines (the Cerro Añon Rioja Gran Reserva 2011 left us stunned), beers on tap, and an extensive cocktails list to boot.

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In desperate need of a healing, hearty meal the following morning, we found ourselves at 21 Restaurant—an institution well-loved for their batchoy. Though the noodle soup delicacy is famously traced back to La Paz in Iloilo City, it has also become a cult favourite in Bacolod, where batchoy haunts are neighbouring businesses to the many cansi and KBL houses. Served in a shockingly large ceramic bowl, 21 restaurant’s signature batchoy boasts a deep and complex umami broth with a touch of sweetness, al dente egg noodles, a raw egg, crispy chicharron, and various meats. 

Sadly, my stay in Bacolod proved far too short—I boarded my flight back to Manila without having tasted cansi and KBL, two all-important dishes on my bucket list. Perhaps it was this guilt or my hoarding tendencies, but I certainly made up for it with all the pasalubong I took home with me: piaya in a colourful spread of flavours, fresh napoleones from an artisanal home brand Leones Napoleones, bottled batitis (baby oysters in brine, often marinated in vinegar or calamansi and eaten as a side dish with fish and rice), jars of gourmet chorizo pudpud and crabmeat with talangka, and a copious loot from Virgie’s including pastillas de mangga, galletas, and yema. Needless to say, we had to buy another suitcase, which I will likely take with me on my next trip down.

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