Bacolod City, the fascinating city in the Philippines you've probably never heard about
a city of smiles and amazing food
Dear friend,
You’ve probably heard of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. About an hour away by plane is a sister city called Bacolod on the island of Negros, an incredible city that you've probably never heard about.
Bacolod City is known as the "City of Smiles," according to my Pinoy husband, Jake, who was born and raised here. My family and I spent a week in Jake’s childhood home, exploring his hometown—from the bustling marketplaces of Libertad, where we searched for fresh ube, to the cool mountain air of Campuestohan Highland Resort, where we encountered the biggest cock… statue in the world.
In fact, this colossal rooster, a fully-functioning hotel, recently earned a Guinness World Record in 2024 (for being the world’s largest chicken-shaped building), much to the pride and delight of its owner, Ricardo “Cano” Tan, a family friend.
Cano watched my husband grow up and is a mah jong buddy of my father-in-law. Jake was the one who went out to fetch snacks, like burgers, for his father, Cano, and their buddies. Upon learning that I’m a cookbook author, Cano generously offered me an all-expense paid month-long stay at his hotel the next time I visit Bacolod City—on one condition: I cook meals from my cookbooks for him in return.
That’s Filipino hospitality in a nutshell. Here in Bacolod City, you smile because people like to give and keep you full. Despite being on a calorie-deficit diet during this trip, I haven’t gone a single day without being lovingly (and relentlessly) fed, morning to night.
While I can’t argue that Bacolod City is the “City of Smiles,” you could say that it’s also the city of great food. From juicy chicken inasal (grilled chicken) to sizzling sisig, chewy and not-too-sweet puto bumbong, and rich, always-cravable bangus (milkfish), every meal is a celebration of bold flavors, local traditions, and a tita’s signature cooking style.
Back in the States, I usually practice intermittent fasting and skip breakfast every morning. But here, in Jake’s childhood home, as the morning sun peeks through the windows and the aroma of fried eggs, freshly-baked cassava cakes, and Filipino sausages drifts up to his childhood bedroom, any resistance is futile. I find myself heading downstairs, meek like a mouse, drawn by the scent of a warm meal, ready to start the day the Filipino way with my husband’s family.
Sitting down, I enjoy rice, mashing in a delicious melty egg yolk, using it like gravy. The eggs back in the U.S. just don’t taste like these, and cost ten times as much.
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And just as I thought I was done eating breakfast, the family maid comes into the dining room from the dirty kitchen with freshly-sliced mangos and chicoo fruit (sapodilla), which taste like honey cakes and dates. Both fruits are ambrosia to my tastebuds.
My tummy says no but my mouth waters at the sight of lady finger or señorita bananas, which taste a little like floral, sweet custardy cheese.
Dining is a non-stop affair when vacationing in Bacolod City—and food truly is the love language for many Asians worldwide. I haven’t yet heard my mother-in-law tell Jake “I love you” on this trip, but when he mentioned missing the flavors of banana-cue—crispy, sugar-coated bananas on a skewer—she promptly drove us to her favorite stand in Bacolod and bought half a dozen skewers.
As Jake bit into one, nostalgia filled his teary eyes, as if his inner child felt all of his mother’s love at that moment.
For me, it feels like I’ve stepped into an alternate reality. Here, the average monthly salary is only about $200 to $250 USD, meaning that for roughly $200 a month you could hire a live-in maid to cook, clean, and handle a host of chores throughout the day.
Even a one-hour massage costs about $10, and a huge bag of snacks such as piaya, mango tarts, and meringue cookies, which we plan to bring back to the States—comes in at less than $8.
Riding through the humid and hot city in an air-conditioned car, then walking through the marketplaces, I’ve witnessed a city with a split personality.
In Bacolod City, the business elite, sugar tycoons, and white-collared folks like doctors are VIPs. Everyone knows everyone, and if you’re from a “well-off” family, it’s likely that your friends, uncles or cousins owns a bar, like The Fourth, or a restaurant, like the amazing Luisa’s Chicken. Chances are, you also live in gated community or a house that could only be described as a mansion in the States, complete with koi ponds and the fanciest of pools. In fact, my in-laws live in a large, sprawling house complete with a fountain in the front yard. You could say it’s a mini-mansion.
But driving just a few kilometers away from a polished hotel, such as the newly-erected Citadines, you’ll find yourself amid shacks and the homes of squatters. Life simply unfolds in a gritty, unfiltered manner, where stray dogs with swollen tits roam freely along cracked sidewalks. Children, thin, dirty, and shoeless, will beg for a few pesos outside of a 7/11.
So, you see, Bacolod City is stark with juxtapositions. Amid the honking, organized chaos of relentless traffic where brightly painted jeepneys, bustling buses, nimble bikes, and buzzing motorcycles weave through crowded streets, every moment feels like a race against time, and the uneven scales of fortune are on full display. Those who can have it all in Bacolod City drive sleek cars or are chauffeured in pristine vehicles, while others will rely on public transit, battle through on worn-out motorcycles, or simply navigate the urban maze on foot.
For me, it was essential that my son see every facet of his homeland and not merely the curated vacation experience our family ties afforded in Bacolod. If you don’t have connections in Bacolod City, I will guarantee it that your experience will not be like mine. You also can’t call an Uber in this city and it’s a difficult city for visitors to drive in. If you do come explore, I recommend you hire a tour guide. (For my premium subscribers, I will leave you with a list of recommendations of places to hit in Bacolod City should you decide to visit.)
So now as we say goodbye to this vibrant city, we leave with more than just tantalizing flavors and vivid scenes. We carry a profound understanding that every smile in Bacolod stands as a quiet act of defiance against a backdrop of disparity. Until our paths cross again, I know I’ll be forever transformed by the bittersweet beauty of this remarkable place, the generosity of its people, and the enduring warmth of our family from across the globe.
xoxoxo,
Kat Lieu <3
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