I used to visit Bacolod often. It's one of my favorite places to visit in the Philippines because there's so much to do. It was my first time to go for a vacation and just spent two days in Bacolod. We spent our limited time there eating, haha. We were glad though to discover new places to visit again. This is my updated list of places I'll visit again when I get to visit Bacolod again -
1. Calea because cake is life. It's been years since I last visited Bacolod, but my friend Anne always brought back chocolate cake for me even when I was in Singapore! Got to try out other flavors when we were there, but I made sure to eat my favorite chocolate cake for our last visit.
2. Chicken inasal is something you should eat when in Bacolod. Nena's Rose has branch just a kembot away from Calea. We got our inasal fix on our last night, but next time I want to go to their main branch.
3. Lanai by Freshstart Organic is a new restaurant. Our friends brought us there and I super loved the food. I tried the guava grilled pork belly. It took me awhile to realize that the guava they used is the guava jam I love spreading on crackers. Sweetie had blue marlin and it looked really tasty too. I want to go back to try their other dishes.
4. We were told about the new ensaymada place near L'Fisher. Promptly forgot the name, but we saw Chef JP's vlog by chance where he featured V&W (Victoria & William). It was a few minutes walk to V&W from L'Fisher, just go to the street where Bongbong's is located. We got ensaymada and cheese roll and brought it to Manami. Of course, I forgot to take photos of the ensaymada and cheese roll. It means I have to go visit again because I also want to try their polvoron.
5. First place we visited when we arrived was the new Cafe Bob's. It's I guess the fancier version of Bob's Restaurant. We headed straight there from the airport to have lunch with a friend. I'm not really sure how different the menu is from the original place, but I was nonetheless mesmerized by the variety in their menu. Next time I want to visit again the original Bob's restaurant and have dessert at Cafe Bob's.
6. Buy pasalubong at Bongbong's or Merzci. They are both just a stone's throw away from L'Fisher and Avenue Suites on Lacson Street.
7. We also found a hidden gem on Lacson, a toy shop named Patrick & Patrice. We visited it twice (before and after Manami). They have a wide array of toys, both new and old. I managed to buy 2 Yoda figures and a Wonder Woman figure for a friend.
The list above is from our recent visit. Would like to add the following from previous visits:
8. A visit to Bacolod can only be complete if you visit The Ruins. It is the remains of the ancestral home of Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson and Maria Braga Lacson. It is a beautiful site to visit. I've been there a couple of times and one thing new visitors must do is find the hidden lake.
9. One favorite place to visit when in Bacolod is El Ideal Bakery. It's in Silay City and what I like about it is the rows upon rows of baked goodies you can bring back as pasalubong. It's on the opposite side though where we went, so this is one place I'd like to visit again. If you want to take a break, you can also go to Cafe 1925.
10. Carbin Reef is truly unforgettable for me. It's located in Sagay and you can just do a day trip. Make sure to bring your own food since it's just a reef (not sure if there's any improvements since my last visit). I love going there because you can just simply enjoy the sea.
Oh wow, I intended to limit this list to 5! It grew though because there's so much to do in Bacolod! I know my list is mostly about food, but that's what I've always enjoyed experiencing in Bacolod. Maybe next time we can explore other places :)
#BeKind #StaySafe
