The City of Smiles… and Good Food!

I think I would never tire of going back to Bacolod City in Negros Occidental. The people are very kind and helpful, the environment quiet and peaceful, and the food superb and cheap! It’s also easy to go around the city with the help of multicabs and taxis. Most of the tourists flock during the Masskara Festival held every third week of October where you can revel at their street dance competitions, parades and be awed by their colorful masks and costumes.

If you’re visiting for the first time, here’s a suggested tour guide around the city. Upon your arrival at the Silay-Bacolod International Airport, you can opt to reach Bacolod City via taxi or vans for hire that can cost you about php300-400. But don’t fret as there are always cheaper ways to get to the city. One option is the Nyala Tours multicabs parked at the leftmost part of the parking area across the airport building. Fare is only php35.00 and it takes you all the way to the public transport terminal in Bata. From there, you’ll only need a multicab ride (php 8.00) to get to Lacson St., the prime location in the city where most of the hotels and restaurants are found. The other alternative is to take a tricycle (found outside the parking area and costs php10.00 each) that will drop you off at Silay City. However, the tricycles will wait for 6 people before taking off (this will cost you php60.00 if you do not want to wait for other passengers). In Silay city, you can visit Balay Negrense (closed on Mondays) and other old heritage houses, the San Diego Cathedral, old art deco buildings and the El Ideal Bakery (famous for their guapple pie which costs php35.00 per serving). Afterwards, you can ride a multicab or bus going towards Bacolod city, about 30-40 minutes away. 

El Ideal Bakery

sweet eggpie and guapple pie

San Diego Cathedral

Balay Negrense museum

Hotels and inns in Bacolod are very affordable and comfortable. Most of them are found on Lacson St. but there are also those near the city hall and tucked away in little streets. L’Fisher hotel is quite famous because of its great location and facilities but I highly recommend Circle Inn Hotel located at Malaspina St. because of its affordable rates (php850-1300 for double occupancy), quiet environment, nice décor and very comfy beds plus a swimming pool! =) The only downside is it’s a bit far from Lacson St., you’ll have to ride a multicab or a taxi to go to the market, the capitol or the mall.

the big and comfy bed

In the city, you can go around the capitol and visit the public library and the animal sanctuary or sit and relax on one of the benches on the capitol grounds and marvel at the two golden statues built on opposite sides of the lagoon. 

You can also visit the cathedral and park located near the market and SM Bacolod. But, one destination not to be missed is the Ruins, a mansion owned by a famed sugar baron in the old days. A fire had destroyed the house and all but the concrete foundations had burned to the ground. The place is awesome during late afternoons because of the way the sunlight hits the structure and the surrounding garden. You can easily reach the Ruins via taxi or take a multicab ride from Lacson St. (about php11.00) then hire a tricycle to take you there and wait for you (php50.00 each). Entrance fee is php50.00 each and there is a small café inside.

If you get hungry, Bacolod city will not disappoint with their very famous chicken inasal. The grilled chicken is very tasty and tender and is quite different from the ones found in Manila. It is customary to eat with your hands and pour oil (which comes from the chicken while they grill them) on your rice for a more gustatory experience. Chicken House and Chicken Deli are highly recommended and both are found on Lacson St. while a row of chicken inasal houses can be found in Manokan Country right across SM Bacolod. 

Chicken House chicken inasal

Chicken Deli chicken inasal

Manokan Country

One golden find is the Old Pala-pala found a block away from the capitol. They have a small market where you can buy fresh seafood like lobsters, shrimps, scallops, squid, blue marlin and tuna at really affordable prices and bring them to the nearby “tulahan” or eateries where you can have them cooked anyway you want for a certain fee(much like the Dampa at the Farmers’ Market in Cubao). I had dinner there with 3 other people and our bill didn’t even reach php1000. We had ½ kilo giant shrimps, ½ kilo fresh scallops, 2 slices of tanigue, tanigue head and tail for our sinigang, 7 cups of rice and a liter of soda.

Old Pala-pala seafood market

seafood heaven

Usual cooking charge is php60.00 per dish (only php20.00 for the grilled fish), rice is at php12.00 per cup and a liter of soda for php50.00. There are other restaurants along Lacson St. like Bascon, 21 and Pendy’s but I didn’t eat at these places because the price ranges are quite expensive for my budget.

The other thing that the city is famous for is the yummy desserts. Ask anyone and they will all certainly point you to Calea, home of heavenly cakes at affordable prices. They have several kinds of pies, cheesecakes and chocolate cakes plus ice cream cakes, parfaits, brownies, muffins, cookies and even biscotti. The price ranges from php75-95 a slice including the pies ala mode and the ice cream cakes. They also serve hot and cold beverages such as coffee and fruit shakes. I highly recommend the pecan pie ala mode, the white chocolate cheesecake with raspberry sauce, the berries cheesecake and the mudpie ice cream cake that they serve with crushed chocolate cookies and slivers of almonds. The store is open until 10pm but extends to 11pm every Friday and Saturday and is located at 14^th Lacson St.

 

I also fell in love with the delicious and giant-sized French macarons created by Felicia’s café and restaurant (located at the Doll bldg, 6^th Lacson St.). They come in different flavors like blueberry, strawberry, lemon, chocolate mint and mocha and are sold at php40 a piece. The macaron shells are soft, chewy and have that distinct almond flavor while the filling is really good and creamy. They also sell a variety of cakes and other desserts but I only come here for the macarons, =)

yummy French Macarons

blueberry and lemon

Buying pasalubong is also easy as you can shop for piaya, tarts, bischoco, napoleones as well as masks, keychains, capiz home décor and shirts at the Negros products showroom along Lacson St. (near the capitol) or at the numerous pasalubong stores all over the city and in the market.