Back to Bacolod! Manokan Country and Calea - proletarian dinner, premium desserts.

Bacolod .... I'm back!!! This was my 3rd visit in 6 months.

Why do I love Bacolod so much?

Maybe because Bacolod has terrific cuisine, inspiring heritage and cultural sights and a relaxed and happy vibe.

But since this was my third time around, I had to do something different and eat somewhere I missed the last time I was here.

Manokan Country is a must go to in Bacolod. I had not been to this new site near the reclamation area so it was definitely worth a stop. It looks much fancier now than the old Manokan area many years ago. This "strip mall" structure is home to more than a dozen restaurants -- all serving chicken inasal.

Bambi, my good friend and Bacolod's best tour guide, said that Aida's was the place for the best chicken inasal. We got there just as dusk was settling -- the deluge of dinnertime patrons had not yet arrived.

The waiter looked quite offended when I asked if they had anything other than chicken.

Silly me, it's called Manokan Country after all.

But -- each and every restaurant had an oyster vendor sitting outside, with huge baskets of fresh oysters. Perhaps oysters and chicken are a perfect match?

I ordered a plate -- along with rice, this would be my dinner.

Everyone else ordered their favorite inasal piece -- pecho for the white meat fans, paa for those who prefer dark meat and pecho-pak or pecho with pakpak for those who like a bit of both.

We also ordered isol or chicken ass which came in such huge meaty chunks, plus the ever popular chicken baticolon or gizzard and chicken atay.

Such an unpretentious, simple yet delicious dinner.

And so affordable!

Chicken for 8 people plus those chicken parts ala carte, plus my 2 plates (yes, I had 2) of fresh oysters, two liters of Coke and 9 plates of rice -- the whole meal came to just P740!

The best meals are certainly not the most expensive -- foodie finds are where the locals really eat!

After that very proletarian meal, we needed dessert!

Time to head to Calea, Bacolod's premier cake shop -- located just across the L Fisher Hotel. We had coffee with Calea's famous chocolate cake -- so rich and sinful plus a slice of Cathedral cake, creamy with mosaic pieces of multi colored gelatin jewels on top of a graham cracker crust.

I love profiteroles and cannot resist them! Calea's profiteroles capped off a night of food and fun with family and friends.

And this is why I love Bacolod! I'll be back!