Manokan Country: Bacolod’s Dining Treat

If you are wondering where to eat in Bacolod City, then visit Manokan Country. Bacolod City, dubbed as the “City of Smile” is not just famous for its Masskara Festival but for its chicken inasal. Believe me, it’s simply the best and no other fancy chicken houses can beat their unique taste brought by their secret marinade ingredients.

I have featured Bacolod’s chicken inasal a year ago ( click here for the article) but it was not based on Manokan Country but from one of the chicken houses of Bacolod. I first visited Bacolod’s Manokan Country last February as I was working on an article for a freezine. And as a passionate freelance writer, I have to visit the city’s hub for the tastiest chicken inasal.

Manokan Country is easy to located as it is known all-over the city and just a few meters away from their port. For easy reference, it is just beside SM Bacolod, so if you can’t decide  on which different restaurants in Bacolod found inside the mall, then you can surely walk to this place. For a start, Manokan Country is not a restaurant but a place where small eateries serving chicken inasal can be found. It is easy to locate for their is one big chicken figure on top of this place in case you feel like you are getting lost.

My husband has visited this place when he used to be assigned in Bacolod and he said, the current place is cleaner, safer and more organized. No wonder, he didn’t bring me to Manokan Country prior to my writing assignment.But of course, the chicken stations are simple and very attractive to those who want to taste the best chicken in town for a low price.

We chose to eat in Aida’s, they are located in the middle part of the whole lane and it was the place that my college classmate who is now teaching in St. La Salle recommended. We feasted on chicken liver ( my favorite), chicken breast and garlic rice. They also served complimentary arroz caldo and I noticed it included instant noodles. No wonder, my helper added instant noodles in her arroz caldo ( she’s from Negros); it’s their unique style of cooking the famous comfort food.

Aside from being tasty, the food was really cheap. Chicken inasal parts cost from 50 pesos to less than 100 . And mind you, don’t ask for liempo or other dishes..haha! Aside from chicken inasal, they have talaba ( oyster) and grilled boneless bangus( which my son’s nanny ate since she is allergic to chicken). I don’t have to describe how Bacolod’s chicken inasal tastes like for the mere thought of it leaves me salivating right now. 😉

Anyway, all is said and I tell you, don’t leave Bacolod unless you have eaten their famous chicken inasal. Dining in Bacolod City means visiting their chicken houses and feast one of the city’s gastronomic pride.