Archive for the ‘Bacolod City’ Category
Great Tex-Mex in Bacolod City
In just over eight years of living in Bacolod City, the search for Tex-Mex food has been a mixed bag.
There is a now-closed establishment at one of the local malls that had Tex-Mex items on the menu but, upon arriving to the table, everything lacked those recognizable flavors (perhaps it was Tex-Mex food adjusted for local taste). In addition, there was a Tex-Mex spot at another mall that has also closed but never even stepped inside due to their ridiculous prices.
A couple years ago, started visiting a restaurant that I had previously avoided as they promoted themselves as a “Mexican restaurant” yet all of the signage posted was in Portuguese, which made me question their authenticity. Finally gave it a try and it was good but found there was little variation in what I ordered.
After another browse through Facebook, found a restaurant to try and it was an excellent find. The menu at Spice Kitchen offers all of the expected fare: nachos, burritos, tacos, quesadillas, along with a variety of other dishes.
My most recent visit was the second time at this place. While I was there, tried to remember when that initial visit took place and knew it had to have been within the past year because masks were already required to enter. The place is well-ventilated and, even on a warm day, a nice breeze flows through the restaurant.
One of the menu items the server promoted was their fresh-squeezed juices. However, I opted for a mango shake.
The shake had a very strong mango flavor and was not overly sweet, which makes me think it was made with very few (if any) additives. I will definitely have to try out one of their juices on the next visit.
The nacho fries were delicious. The chips used are very light, which served well in carrying all the toppings. The ground beef and french fries scattered throughout the dish also provided great texture. The nachos lingered throughout lunch and managed to remain crunchy until the last bite.
My favorite item on the menu (enjoyed it on both visits) are the chili beef taquitos. Each order comes with five crunchy taquitos; mini crispy tacos filled with lettuce, beef, tomatoes, cheese, along with some cilantro sprinkled on top. I really enjoy the crispiness of the taco shell and lettuce combined with the soft ground beef.
It’s even better with the sauces provided!
On both occasions, I also ordered the chili beef burritos and between the first and second times, they got tastier! The rice is more flavorful and more beef was included, along with better distribution of filling within the burrito.
Along with Tex-Mex, they also have burgers, pizza, shawarma, and chicken wings.
While I am not the biggest Tex-Mex fan, it is one of those cuisines I really enjoy from time to time and am glad there is a good place in town to fulfill that craving.
A proper bakery
As a child on visits to the Philippines, my cousin had a bakery where we would visit the kitchen early in the morning and grab some bread, hot and fresh out of the oven. Those memories still stick with me to this day because there really is nothing like fresh baked goods. Moving here as an adult, things have changed, my cousin no longer has the bakery and it is difficult (if not impossible) to find a place that sells fresh quality bread in the morning.
There are corner bakeshops that are usually stocked with bread in the morning but there always seems to be something missing in terms of quality. Many times, once it begins to cool down, the bread becomes excessively crumbly—with every bite, a piece of bread that is supposed to be thick and doughy, is just spilling heaps of crumbs with very little left in the actual piece of bread. Not sure what causes it but would guess the shops are forgoing some ingredients.
On one occasion, had some delicious pan de siosa, a type of pull-apart bread, from a nearby market. When visiting the stand one morning, they informed me the bread they had available was from yesterday and a fresh batch would be ready by that afternoon, around 4:00 p.m. While the honesty is appreciated and, yes, bakeshops should be putting out fresh goods all day long, a fresh morning supply should be a priority.
Are most local bakery owners unwilling to wake up early for their customers? It would explain why so many places serve “all-day breakfast” but aren’t even open until after traditional breakfast time.
Browsing the internet for nearby places to eat, stumbled across the page for a place called Firehook Boulangerie et Patisserie, which is located within the Mountainview Subdivision. Now, upon reading the name, was skeptical since a lot of places give themselves such monikers but sell the same typical baked goods. However, decided to stop by one day and, upon entering, already knew it was different—in a good way.
It’s a small place. On one side, there’s an area where customers can place orders for various items. As for the ready-made stuff, there’s a display with the day’s goods.
Firehook opens in the morning and, despite popping in mid-afternoon, they still had a number of fresh goods available.
One of the items that got me really excited were the cinnamon rolls. First off, they were huge. I can’t recall seeing fresh cinnamon rolls anywhere in the city (although there are certainly pre-packaged ones). The rolls were delicious, flaky, and sweet.
Above the main display, there was an elevated tray under a glass cloche with some yummy-looking brownies. Ordered two. These were chewy and dense with a strong chocolate flavor. The nuts added a much-needed crunch to the richness of the brownie.
The chocolate croissant is very dear to me. A chocolate croissant was enjoyed at least once on each of my several visit to Barcelona. There was a vendor in the city’s famous La Boqueria market that sold fresh chocolate croissants; so fresh that the chocolate was still soft inside, resulting in an amazingly delicious and gooey breakfast.
In addition, have tried a variety of chocolate croissants from an array of locations while working in New York City.
Despite the history with the chocolate croissant, Firehook’s offering was delicious. The croissant was well-made with a generous helping of chocolate throughout the interior (better than some of the ones I’ve had overseas).
Dropped by on another occasion, where I was able to partake in more brownies and another chocolate croissant. Luckily, they had some other treats available this time as well.
The most eye-catching item in the display case was the tray of croissants.
The classic croissant. I have to say, Firehook’s is one of the best. The pasty was perfectly flaky and very buttery. It tasted exactly how it should and, after buying two, had the other one a day after and it was still soft. A really well-made croissant.
On this trip, they also had fresh-baked bread on display.
Decided on a loaf of sourdough. Bringing it home, had to give it a try and that first slice was fantastic. For me, the sign of a really good piece of fresh bread is if it palatable plain, and this fit the bill. The next day, cut a few slices and toasted it with butter, the crust was crispy and the interior had that signature tangy sourdough flavor.
Finished off the loaf by making a breakfast toastie. The toast provided enough support for the sandwich along with providing a welcome crunch.
I am immensely happy to finally find a shop in Bacolod City that provides quality baked goods beyond the standard fare, products with some depth of flavor, and a place that isn’t just following current trends but serving the classics.
The prime spot for good Japanese food
Before the ongoing Korean food craze, Japanese food was a really popular food trend in Bacolod City. To this day, there are spots across the city offering a variety of dishes; although, many times, these places leave a lot to be desired. Takoyaki vendors often pierce the iconic octopus balls when preparing them, making for a less than appetizing product; sashimi is rarely served fresh (they’re usually defrosted) nor are they sliced cleanly.
In the past, I have visited a couple places that offered all-you-can-eat sushi. One place was really sloppy with their sushi, pieces were often uneven and shredded along the edges; the other spot was alright but the way customers would bum-rush the buffet table—even before the chef was ready to serve—was off-putting.
At other restaurants, the food is just bland. Dishes were given Japanese names and looked like Japanese food but there was no flavor—poor imitations.
I love Japanese food. One of my favorite traditions when going back to New York City is enjoying sushi with friends. The pinnacle was my first visit to Japan in 2018—sushi was a daily affair. Unfortunately, due to the scant selection of quality Japanese food locally and an unwillingness to settle for sub-par offerings just to “satisfy a craving,” eventually turned away from it and chose to only eat it when abroad.
Then, one day, was tipped off about a place just off Lacson Street, Nezu, that was said to be good. Obviously, I was skeptical since a lot of places described as “good” turn out otherwise. I just happened to be in the vicinity of the place and decided to give them a chance. A good decision.
The first dish I tried was the tonkatsu since, in the end, a fried pork cutlet is always tasty; it comes down to the overall quality. This turned out to be a pleasant surprise as Nezu’s tonkatsu was neither bland nor greasy.
The pork was crispy and the accompanying sauce was delicious; made for a great re-introduction to the local Japanese food scene. Upon leaving, was already sure this was not going to be the only visit.
Next, I tried their teriyaki chasu don.
The slow-cooked pork was incredibly tender and the teriyaki sauce was flavorful. Unlike other places that serve teriyaki dishes, it wasn’t overly salty.
My favorite of their rice dishes is the karaage, Japanese style fried chicken.
The chicken is fried perfectly, crispy on the outside and flavorful on the inside. The chicken is served with sticky soy sauce, which has a light saltiness and works well with the rice. It’s also the only item my Dad has ordered on multiple occasions.
Nezu also serves great sushi.
On every visit, I always put in orders for the crunchy prawn uramaki and the aburi spicy crab nigiri. While neither are traditional sushi, the dishes are full of flavor and offer contrasting textures.
The crunchy prawn uramaki is the best things on the menu. The roll is basically fried shrimp rolled in rice with a tasty ponzu mayo drizzled on top and covered in crunchy goodness. Each piece is thick and filled with shrimp and, at the end, all the leftover crunchies are a nice finishing touch.
The aburi spicy crab nigiri is topped with a tangy sauce, which pairs well with the smoky flavor from the crab being lightly torched.
In addition, like most Japanese restaurants in Bacolod City, Nezu has a variety of ramen dishes.
When first browsing the ramen selection, the tantanmen immediately stood out. Comprised of minced pork and a spicy broth, it was a very satisfying meal.
Aside from the standard menu, Nezu also has occasional specials and customers should definitely take advantage of it when those promotions come around. For me, whenever an extra menu arrives at the table, I’m definitely ordering off it.
The first opportunity came when they had a curry special and I tried the karaage curry plate. That same crispy karaage came with a generous serving of rice and slathered in a delicious curry sauce. How I wish this was on their regular menu—one of the best curry dishes.
The next came after encountering something called the “macho-men.”
Billed as this enormous bowl of spicy ramen (supposedly good for a party of three), it was indeed massive with heaps of noodles and big slaps of braised pork belly. While I did finish it all on my own, perhaps it would be possible to share with one other person.
Another special that day was the volcano roll.
In a way, it was a combination of the two regular rolls (which were also ordered that day). It was a fried shrimp roll but instead of the tasty crunchies, it was covered in a sauce very similar to the aburi spicy crab nigiri. Another item that should be added to the regular menu.
I always knew it was possible for there to be at least one place in Bacolod City to find really good Japanese food.
Quality pizza in Bacolod City?
After going to school in New Jersey and working in New York City, I have enjoyed my fair share of pizza; from incredible pies with generous toppings and a perfectly crisp crust to the simple dollar slice. It was too easy to find delicious pizza and I took it for granted because, since moving to Bacolod City, I had yet to find a place that sold a decent pizza.
One of the primary issues is stinginess with toppings. Observing pizza from any local spot, it would seem the person that prepared it intentionally placed one of each topping on each slice or the toppings are sliced into tiny slivers and spread out sparingly. It’s always funny (and sad) watching television shows featuring pizza places outside the country and seeing them just pile on the toppings.
On other occasions, the pizza comes out thick and bread-y with bland toppings and, most times, they don’t even have a crust. In addition, would think back to store-bought frozen pizzas and how they were often tastier than the “fresh” pies being sold in stores here.
The big pizza chains are even more disappointing. Despite making a fortune with franchises across the country (and internationally), their pizzas often come out tasteless—bread with some stuff on top.
As with most local places that sell western food, it’s primarily for show with very little emphasis on taste.
Although, thanks to a Facebook suggestion, I learned about a place near my home called Cafe Saira, which promoted their “wood fire pizza.” On a rainy day with nothing for lunch, ventured over to Eroreco and gave them a try.
The brick oven greets customers at the entrance, warm to the touch, it immediately offered some optimism that good pizza could be on the way. They are also equipped with a handy notepad menu to make ordering really efficient. On that day, I decided to start by trying out the meat lovers’ pizza.
Even while waiting, the smell was incredible—something the other pizza places lack. With the place situated in a residential area, the neighbors must be getting that lovely aroma regularly.
Upon arriving home, just opening that box, it was clear this restaurant set itself apart from the rest. The smell was even more fragrant, toppings were very prevalent across the entire pie, and the crust was nicely singed in areas. Even after bringing it home, setting the table, and settling down for lunch, that first piece still maintained a satisfying cheese pull.
Easily, the best pizza in Bacolod City.
Recently went back to give their other pies a try—it was another rainy day. The earthquake pizza, described as “pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and all ingredients,” came highly recommended; paired that with a classic pepperoni pizza.
At first glance, the earthquake pizza appears pale, a contrast to the meat lovers’ but, with mozzarella cheese among the highlighted ingredients, there was a lot of it and that’s what gave the pizza its white color. Taking that first bite, the pizza was LOADED with toppings. Very satisfying.
Moving on to the pepperoni, after opening the box, was (again) pleasantly surprised by the look of the pizza. Obviously, it wasn’t the typical one-topping-per-slice arrangement and was assured every bite would include pepperoni. They definitely delivered on a classic.
In addition to the quality of their pizza, the complimentary hot sauce they provide is also different from other pizza joints—it’s actually spicy!
Whenever a hankering for pizza comes around, Cafe Saira is the only place in town to satisfy that craving.
DaeBak reopens
Throughout the holiday break, my favorite Korean restaurant in Bacolod City, DaeBak Korean Restaurant, was shut down. Luckily, it wasn’t a Covid-19-related closing but rather a renovation. According to their social media account, the restaurant would be transforming from the now-all-too-common unlimited samgyeopsal (pork belly) place to a completely all-you-can-eat spot with a variety of dishes to choose from on top of the already-popular grilled pork belly.
After a couple delays, opening day finally arrived.
The space was completely redone. The cashier is now positioned right at the entrance and, with the walls of the “party room” taken down, it revealed an open floor with ample space for plenty of tables.
The biggest eye-catcher is the buffet table with a refrigerated section for the pork belly and banchan—kimchi, pickled onions, bean sprouts, picked radish, among others; a variety of prepared dishes; and rice.
After being seated and served the standard pork belly and banchan, servers provided a list of dishes one could enjoy endlessly during their meal, which is limited to two hours (plenty of time to partake in everything). Given it was just at opening, not everything was immediately available but eventually got a chance to taste it all.
In light of the ongoing Covid-19 situation, customers are not permitted to visit the buffet table and grab what they wish however servers are on hand to provide various dishes—served tapas style—along with refills.
Prior to the renovation, kimbap was a regular order with the unlimited samgyeopsal. A personal favorite, it is hard to come by good kimbap in this town. A lot of the time, they seem really small, and not small like mayak kimbap, the choice of fillings and the mere size leave a lot to be desired. However, the kimbap at DaeBak is really good and, now, it is one of the unlimited dishes available. Immediately put in orders for kimbap and tteokbokki to get acquianted with the new system.
The tteokbokki had a rich, sweet flavor that was followed by a spicy kick. Meanwhile, with kimbap being served at two pieces per plate, by the end, probably enjoyed an entire roll along with some extra pieces.
Other dishes also included bulgogi, which was served with a delicious broth; kimchi fried rice; and japchae.
Aside from kimbap, my favorite of the unlimited dishes was the yangnyeom chicken. The sauce the chicken is served in is sweet and tasty, and the chicken was perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
I closed lunch with one last order of chicken.
Towards the end, samples of another dish, tonkatsu, were passed around—another delicious selection. The coating was crispy and the meat was juicy and flavorful.
The new DaeBak is a welcome change, particularly with so many unlimited samgyeopsal restaurants popping up across Bacolod City. Despite the restaurant already being one of very few places that serves actual cuts of pork belly—as opposed paper-thin bacon slivers—the new unlimited concept makes the place stand out even more among ever-growing competition.
All-you-can-eat but no buffet
Amid the ongoing pandemic, at this point, nearly all local businesses have reopened. Customers have started returning to shops and restaurants with owners limiting capacity, checking temperatures, providing sanitizer, and taking down information in the event contract tracing is necessary.
One of the main staples in the city has recently been all-you-can-eat places. There are spots that serve unlimited seafood; Korean food, primarily samgyeopsal (pork belly); and chicken wings.
Once restaurants were ready to reopen, the first place I visited was my favorite unlimited samgyeopsal place. Hand santizer was readily available and all the service staff were equipped with face masks and face shields. The food was delicious as usual with a few missing elements due to continuing issues with the shipping of goods around the country.
Luckily, I also got there as the city dropped their liquor ban prohibiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages at restaurants. Two bottles of soju helped polish off the first meal back after the place shut down back in March.
I have also stopped by a couple unlimited chicken wing places.
One place has a wide array of flavors, along with bottomless rice and drinks (iced tea or lemonade).
Another place has a similar offering, except they also had fried pork chops as part of their promotion. This place also served MASSIVE chicken wings—they were huge. Definitely impacted how many refills were possible in one sitting.
However, the government is not yet ready to reopen traditional buffets—the establishments where customers get up and pick up food from a counter—and for obvious reasons; there is way too much interaction between clientele and food, and it would be impossible to social distance.
Hopefully, proper protocols are implemented to allow those places to reopen soon. A news report out of South Korea showed their buffet establishments are providing gloves when handling tongs and requiring face masks when walking around the restaurant. In addition, the Wynn Las Vegas reopened their buffet and are doing it with servers. Customers have two hours to eat as much as they want off a huge menu and all dishes are serves tapas style—not a bad deal as long as the service is prompt.
My “first” haircut
If I recall correctly, my last haircut prior to the coronavirus pandemic may have been right before leaving for Taiwan—last November. Since then, with barber shops and salons shutting down around the world for a few months, along with the previous trauma of cutting my own hair and having the clippers break mid-haircut, was not expecting a haircut for a while.
In the meantime, with my hair extended down my neck, resorted to trimming the underside of my hair—a quasi-undercut—in order to keep the thickness under control. The look seemed doable for a while until encountering things such as hair getting in the way when looking down, unruly tangles when waking up, and lots of extra hair fall.
It went even further when the gym reopened.
Aside from extra sweat with the additional volume, had to deal with masks being required while exercising. However, after encountering difficulties with strenuous activity while wearing a mask, the owner said a bandana would suffice; and, at the time, as the first client in after disinfection, had nobody to social distance from and (unsuccessfully) tried pulling off a bandana the way BTS’ V does as a way of keeping the hair out of my eyes (eventually pulled it down as a face covering once somebody else entered the premises).
Not one to post selfies very often, took the opportunity to document the longer hair.
Coincidentally, the next day, the salon posted a notice on Facebook to announce they were reopening—made sure to make time to visit ASAP. Since I saw the notice at night, it was already too late to make an appointment and decided to get there right at opening; if they did require a reservation, I was hoping nobody else was gunning for a 10:00 a.m. appointment.
Arrived just after opening and it was empty. Even approaching the salon, the receptionist, who I suspect already knows my regular stylist, was about to walk out and quickly snuck back behind the counter. She let me know my stylist was available and I took a seat as they were still setting up for the day.
While waiting, the receptionist brought over a clipboard where I had to fill out my contact information in the event contact tracing was necessary. There was also a health information form that asked about travel history and any recent illness.
When my stylist was ready, I immediately asked if it was OK to remove my mask—wasn’t sure how it would work with cutting around my ears and all. She said it was fine and let her know I was going for a much shorter look. I usually show her a photo of Jackson Wang for inspiration but was ready to go shorter; having longer hair for a period of a few months was enough.
She had a face shield, which she bumped once with her arm, but, otherwise it was fairly routine. She pointed out how long my hair was and made several runs with the blow dryer as there was hair all over the immediate area.
It was then time for the shampoo. My stylist said, for a shampoo, a face shield would be required, which they conveniently had on sale for P60 (US$1.20). Proceeded to quickly decide if a shampoo was really necessary and went with it anyway—the extra P60 wasn’t too much to ask especially since they had been shuttered for the past how many months.
Got a shampoo, rinse, and style and was out of there.
Aside from forms to complete and extra precautions, things didn’t seem all that different. Just have to remember to bring my newly-purchased face shield for the next haircut.
Scrounging around the kitchen
The work schedule typically leaves little time to mess around in the kitchen to put together a dinner. Often times, dinner is comprised of leftovers from lunch; often reimagined to add some variety to the day. Other days, there is nothing and it comes to down digging around the kitchen to see what is available.
An important priority is to always having noodles on hand.
There are both flat varieties and the typical long and thin style that one can just throw in a pot of boiling water. Once cooked, it’s just mixing it in a bowl with whatever ingredients. Usually go for some kind of mix of soy sauce, oyster sauce, chili oil, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, green onions, chili flakes – unfortunately, have never actually written down the specific combinations and am unsure which mix makes for the tastiest noodles (but, really, any combination is tasty).
Living in a city that rarely has fresh vegetables on hand – the supermarket is usually stocked with shrink-wrapped produce that look like they’ve had the rotten parts sliced off – always have canned vegetables available. Throwing in some corn, asparagus, or mushrooms can make for a good meal.
Have also used them to put together side dishes, such as sautéing in a variety of sauces or folding them into an egg.
Playing around with sweet, spicy, and sour has sometimes resulted in a regrettable dish that must be consumed (can’t let anything go to waste); however, most of the time, even if it comes out bland, it’s still enjoyable.
Many times, it is a big surprise to find out what can come from scrounging around the kitchen. What would typically begin as a tired evening out of the newsroom and a listless hunt for dinner becomes a creative evening of experimenting with flavors and cooking purely through taste and smell – how some cooks believe it should be done. Have never been the best at following recipes, but can definitely put together something flavorful and filling on the fly.
The undeniable draw of egg tarts
With one of the local malls always seeming to have some kind of “food festival” at any given time, the selections offered have become somewhat commonplace. While still delicious, with the same vendors participating, there isn’t much variety. However, during one of the recent events, came to an abrupt stop when noticing egg tarts on display.
On previous occasions, I have had the opportunity to enjoy egg tarts in Hong Kong, Macau, and New York City’s Chinatown.
An export from Portugal to their former colony of Macau, the egg tart has since been adapted by China and proliferated throughout their culinary culture.
On visits to Hong Kong, there always appear to be egg tarts on display at any given bakery. With the small pastries usually sold at a really low cost, it’s hard not to pick one up to enjoy later on. In Macau, a shop at the foot of the Ruínas de São Paulo sold fresh egg tarts, nice and warm with a beautiful view of Macanese history.
When it comes to choosing between Hong Kong and Macau style, it goes to Macau.
While in New York City, also happened across a restaurant in Chinatown that offered egg tarts and picked up a couple. From there, proceeded to Columbus Park and took a seat on a bench while indulging in the sweets.
On the most recent encounter, found out they sold “Macau” and “Portuguese” style egg tarts; got three of each. To be honest, I couldn’t really discern one from the other, but they were delicious nonetheless.
Finding authentic coffee in a place where instant is king
Even before moving to the Philippines, I remembered always having to send ground coffee, along with a myriad of other items, when packing those ever-present balikbayan boxes for family members back in the “motherland.” Now, after living in Bacolod City for over five years, it has become very apparent why coffee was in such demand – it’s really hard to find genuine coffee here.
Most, if not all media, is obsessed with instant coffee. In the Philippines, there also tends to be an affinity for “white coffee,” a drink that lacks the look or genuine flavor of coffee; it tastes good, but it’s more like a sweet coffee-flavored beverage than coffee. There’s nothing wrong with instant coffee, it’s good when in a pinch, have also used it when the power was out and had no coffee maker available, but it is not a substitute for brewed coffee.
However, they want consumers to believe it is, with ads constantly showing celebrities with the choice of brewed or instant and picking the latter, then sitting back in a comfortable chair and claiming it’s the same (if not better) than freshly-brewed coffee – that’s just false advertising!
For a while, went with the so-called “native coffee.”
Was told of the days when native coffee stands were all over the place, serving up strong local coffee, brewed fresh in the morning. After stopping at a couple of the still-lingering shops, can only conclude the quality has dropped or they have all started cutting corners. It was hot water with a hint of coffee. One spot, however, at the Victorias City market, a few miles from Bacolod City, serves up really good native coffee for P11 (or around 20¢) for a cup of black, add extra for milk.
Began buying native coffee at the market a while back, but even that too started to wane as of late, the taste was more bitter than usual and wasn’t as tasty.
For the longest time, walked past a coffee stand in the mall called Little Farmers Coffee but never stopped to peruse the selection. One day, decided to inquire and saw, not only do they offer local beans but customers can get up close and give them a whiff. They sell coffee by the kilogram and by the cup, P55 a cup (or just over $1).
Their selection is local and comes from across the northern part of Luzon.
After picking up a half-kilogram of ground hazelnut coffee a while back, a good medium brew for the entire household and guests, have since tried different varieties on every visit. With a preference for a stronger brew, have tasted the Benguet Barako, Sagada Dark Roast, and, on the most recent visit, the Kalinga Dark – none have disappointed.
Only regret not stopping by sooner. At least I know there’s a place to fulfill that yearning for a rich cup of coffee and not having to settle for watered-down and sugary instant or questionably-blended ground coffee from the local market.
A cup of the Kalinga Dark from Little Farmers Coffee.
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