Bacolod is one of the known cities in the country for its delicious food! Several delicacies of the city have been enjoyed across the country, or even the world for quite some time now. From hearty main course meals to sweet and delicious desserts, you can never go wrong with these classic Bacolod delicacies!
But before we talk about their cuisine, let us talk a little about their geography and agriculture. As it widely affects the products and delicacies that they serve.
Quick Facts:
Bacolod is located in the Western Visayas Region of the Philippines. The city and the province of Negros is widely known for producing sugarcane. For centuries, the fertile lands of the province produce sugar and it is their primary product. For that reason, Bacolod is known to produce delicious sweet delicacies. When one visits the city, it is almost impossible for them not to take home these sweet treats!
Okay, let us now discuss these 6 Must-try Bacolod delicacies!
Chicken Inasal
If there’s one dish that the Bacolod people contributed to Philippine Cuisine, Chicken Inasal is probably it! It is the most popular dish that everyone in the Philippines probably heard of and tried. Due to its popularity, several restaurants ventured out from Bacolod to Metro Manila, making this delicious grilled chicken easily accessible to almost every Filipino.
As a matter of fact, several restaurant chains like Mang Inasal, Bacolod Chicken Inasal and many others carry this delicious comfort food! It is best enjoyed with some chicken oil sprinkled all over rice, sawsawan or dipping sauce made out of soy sauce, Calamansi, and some chilis to spice things up. Due to the richness of its flavors, Filipinos tend to consume more rice than usual when eating this meal.
But it is still best for tourists like you to enjoy it where it originally began. Several restaurants serve Chicken Inasal, but if you want to experience other grilled delights, you must visit Manokan Country. It is easy to locate as it is located across SM City Bacolod.
Kansi
Now, let us feature another popular dish in Bacolod that you must try! It is called Kansi. Kansi is a beef bone soup that is similar to the Tagalog version called Bulalo/ Nilagang Baka. If you are familiar with the Sinigang then you would think that Kansi is the fusion of both dishes. But the beef shank soup of Kansi is another interpretation of the Negrenses. What makes it different is the added Kamias (something to make it sour), jackfruit, and anatto seeds (for reddish coloring)
Kansi is well-loved comfort food by the Bacolodnons and is best enjoyed during the rainy season. But of course, you can enjoy it all year long.
Several restaurants in the city are serving Kansi, but based on our online research, Sharyn’s Kansi carries the best Kansi in the city! We are sure that your tastebuds will love this soup too!
K.B.L.
Kadios (Pigeon Peas) Baboy (Pork Meat) and Langka (Jackfruit) K.B.L. in short is another Bacolod classic that you should try! It is another Bacolodnon comfort food that the locals adored for quite some time now. Just like the other soups mentioned above, K.B.L. is a dish best enjoyed when the rain is pouring outside.
Several locals say that this dish reminds them of home as several families across the province are familiar with how to make this. The dish tastes a little bit sour thanks to the acidity of a local ingredient called batwan. It is similar to Kamias or Tamarind, but they say that batwan just hits different.
Interested in trying KBL? Then visit a restaurant called Sandok Comfort Food in Bacolod. They also serve several other Bacolod delicacies that you will enjoy.
We’ve featured such delicious and savory dishes, let us all now proceed to desserts!
Napoleones
We were quite surprised to see that a French delicacy made its way to the Filipino tastebuds! Napoleones or Mille-feuille as we refer to it, is a custard-filled layer of dough that is formed to look like a cake! Each layer of pastry is spread with deliciously sweet custard that just satisfies your sweet cravings. There’s even another version made with chocolates for chocolate-lover travelers.
If you want to try the best Napoleones in town, you should drop by this cafe called Roli’s Cafe and order this delicious dessert. While you’re there, feel free to explore several other tasty and delicious sweet treats available.
Guapple Pie
As the name suggests, this sweet pie is made out of two contrasting fruits! A local guava which tastes slightly sour and sweet, and an apple which is just sweet. Guapple Pie is one of the most popular and unique desserts available in Bacolod!
It is a bit uncommon to see these two fruits in a single pie. That’s why it plays with our curiosity on how it would taste. And it was surprisingly great! The guava serves just a hint of tanginess that cuts out the sweetness of the rest of the filling.
Want to taste this sweet treat that gives the right amount of everything? Order this today in El Ideal Bakery. You won’t miss it as you will pass by this bakery once you’re on your way to the airport.
Piaya
Of course, Piaya would make it to our list! It wouldn’t really be a trip to Bacolod without eating piaya! It is made out of two pieces of flatbread with muscovado sugar filling. Originally, Piaya only used to have a single flavor. But today, another flavor captures the Filipino tastebuds. The original Piaya now comes in Ube flavor! Instead of just simple muscovado sugar filling, this pastry is now enhanced with new and exciting flavor!
You can buy Piaya in almost any pasalubong center in Bacolod, but if you want the best one then you should buy Bong Bong’s Piaya. A trusted brand of authentic Bacolod pastries. You will absolutely enjoy this delicacy for breakfast alongside your coffee. It doesn’t really matter on which time of the day you consume it actually.
These Bacolod delicacies are not just simple food items that are made for tourists. But these are staples in Negrense Cuisine that reflect hundreds of years worth of tradition, culture, and heritage of the people of Bacolod that they share with the rest of the Philippines.
Excited to try these delicious food items? Check out our quick guide of the Top 6 tourist destinations in Bacolod.
