Saturday, May 18, 2013

Manokan Country! Where Chicken is the only choice...the best choice

Manokan Country

The first thing that crosses my mind about Bacolod is "chicken inasal" or better known as "inato" in the local language. All the stuff I read, all the recommendations I collected pointed to one direction... Manokan Country.

The place is a strip of joints offering the same thing...Bacolod's famous chicken inasal.  Manokan Country is not a place for squeamish  people. Why? They don't offer utensils! But they have enough stations where you can wash your hands before and after dining! Yup! Kamayan style...the best way to enjoy grilled chicken.

chicken inasal

Chicken Inasal. Marinated chicken and cooked over charcoal grill.  What made Bacolod's grilled chicken different? You've got to taste it to know the difference. It's not an overstatement. Nothing beats the authentic inasal right off one of the grills in Manokan Country.

I've read a number of posts talking about which joint is the best. In the end, when I dropped by Manokan Country, I was starving so I went to the first one I came about, Aida's.

...and there was the traditional LOST IN TRANSLATION :)

I came in (wala pa kasing masyadong tao)...

Looked around...(walang pumapansin)...

I asked..."San umoorder?" (there was no counter nor stand where you can identify where to place your order)

Sabi ni ate: Ano yun?
I replied: San pwede umorder? (ate pointed me to middle-aged woman so I came and asked)

Ate offered me a seat and I waited...(It did not occur to me that she was waiting for me to state what I'd like to have). Wala palang Menu. hahaha

And since I am literally a foreigner in this side of the country...I asked "anong pwedeng kainin?" (now that was a stupid question).

Ate politely smiled with her one-time hirit "manok". (Then I realized how stupid my questions was).

What else could I possible eat in a joint in MANOKAN COUNTRY? Syempre MANOK! (I silently laughed out). Your only choices are the parts.

I got myself the usual...

Well what do you know! The meat is tender, soft and moist! pero luto down to the bones! The meat was tasty. It has that flavour in every bite. Samahan mo pa ng chicken oil over a hot steaming rice ball and the spicy toyomansi!

Now even before I came I knew that they're not serving utensils so before the chicken gets cooked I have washed my hands clean and ready.  I came out full and satisfied...


Where is Manokan Country?

You can easily spot it because it has a huge inflatable chicken on the roof. It's pink and facing SM City Bacolod. 








Saturday, May 11, 2013

Smiles from the City full of it!

Relatively fresh from Singapore, I packed my backpack again with the basics...Lightweight clothes and not to forget Nikkie. Where to? Where else but to the City of Smiles!...

After the very quick UAT (testing) in the office, I went home and packed my bags so I can catch my flight to Bacolod...As usual, I almost missed my flight again...

Photo from: http://welcometobacolodcity.blogspot.com/


Airphil Express (now PAL Express) arrived at Bacolod-Silay International Airport.  I did not expect to find a very modern airport at this side of the country.  It's quite similar to Iloilo International which seems to take its inspiration from the very modern NAIA T3. I knew that the airport is far from the city, but I never realized it was not even in Bacolod. The airport is sitting in the nearby city of Silay which I learned to be historical at the same time.

So there I was! Welcome to Bacolod! And guess what? I got a bit lost...as always...(It's a tradition)...:)

Credit to the photographer.  Photo taken from http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6814602657_69cb090aab_z.jpg
The airport van's final destination is at the transport terminal within the confines of SM City Bacolod. When I got off the van I started singing Evita..."Where do we (I) go from here..." I was starving. I have not eaten since I left Manila. I got my Sergio on my back, my tripod and Nikkie inside the mall hoping to find a place to eat...(so malling ang first activity of the day)...I realized, going around the mall with all my stuff isn't very ideal, but I've no choice...I don't even know where and how to start hunting Ong Bun Pension...(insert flashback of my epic search for Ong Bun Pension in Iloilo)...

As always, Mr. Google Maps showed me the way...It was easier than Iloilo. I found the streets of downtown Bacolod easy to navigate.