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.