Steffi Eats Around Masskara (2019 Edition): Chicken House x Calea x Terasse
My first visit to Bacolod can be traced back to the year 2012, during my college senior year. As my friends and I timed our visit during the Masskara festival, my barely-two-days trip solely consisted of chowing down on Chicken Inasal, partying, rinse, repeat. Somehow, we were magically able to insert a side trip to the Mambukal falls.
Since I didn't really get to explore Bacolod, I wanted a proper reintroduction so I scheduled a longer trip back last October, with the sole agenda of eating my way through the city. As fate would have it, my lovely host for this trip was someone who I informally met during one of those Masskara parties many years ago, and ended up reconnecting with during my stint in BPI.
Photo Credit: Dani Dingcong
She also happens to be the super talented (and my personal favorite) event host and TV personality, Dani Dingcong, who selflessly took the time to take care of me (and my appetite) throughout the trip.
CHICKEN HOUSE
After a much-needed power nap (I had a 6am flight), my stomach was growling for some much needed food. First stop: Chicken House. My stomach literally gurgled with joy.
PECHO (Php 88) and GARLIC RICE (Php 25)
You see, Chicken House blew my mind back in 2012. After that, Chicken Inasal was never the same again. All the inasal's that I ate here in Manila paled in comparison to Chicken House's. Yes, even Jay-J's. Apart from the wallet-friendly prices, the simplicity of Chicken House's Chicken Inasal reveals its mastery of the dish. Naturally, I helped myself to a classic Pecho and Garlic Rice. However, Dani wanted to spice it up my making me try Baticulon (gizzard) (Php28) and its Spareribs. I’m not really big on eating inners, but out of courtesy, I took a small nibble of it. I liked that it didn’t have any funky aftertaste; but I wasn’t too big on its texture. It wasn’t too hard to swallow though after dousing it with some toyomansi and masking it in a big spoonful of garlic rice! I won't mind eating it if I'd have to, but I don't think I'd ever miss it.
SPARERIBS (Php 150)
On the other hand, I had to stop myself from chowing down their tremendously tender Spareribs. It was a glistening fatty piece; with its fats lightly charred. Chicken Inasal will always be a must-have dish in Chicken House, but I think every visit also needs to be completed with a plate of Chicken House's Spareribs. It’s simply a fuss-free perfectly grilled slice of spareribs. It deserves to share a bit of the inasal's spotlight.
Chicken House
Lacson St and 24th St., Bacolod, Negros Occidental
Date of Visit: October 24, 2019 with Dani Dingcong
CALEA
No Bacolod visit seems complete without a slice of cake from Calea. I’ve always been vocal about not having a sweet tooth; but I definitely couldn’t resist getting a slice of their Blueberry Cheesecake which I fell in love with during my first trip to Bacolod.
Its array of cake selections is pretty extensive; and the fact that none of them had labels on them made decision-making boggling so I just opted for the classic Blueberry Cheesecake and paired it with a cup of Americano. Everything about it was faultless save for its walnut-filled crust; which seemed to be a tad bit too old and dry evident in how it lost its crunch.
Nonetheless, its cozy charm continues to draw hordes of diners; evident in how the entire cafe was packed despite its relatively fast table turnover.
TERASSE BISTRO
Terasse Bistro may be situated in an endless row of restaurants, but it didn’t need to exert any effort to stand out. Although still classified as casual dining, Terasse Bistro is strikingly classier than its neighbors. It amazingly manages to keep its prices affordable as well.
SQUID CARBONARA (P240)
Easily one of the most unique dishes I have ever tried in my life would be Terasse Bistro's Squid Carbonara. This carb-free dish swaps the traditional pasta noodles for perfectly tender squid strips. Cooked in tasty rich cream sauce, and topped with bacon and egg, the Squid Carbonara stays true to your classic carbonara but manages to mind-blowingly elevate this comfort dish to new heights. This is definitely a game-changer!
PAN-SEARED MAHI-MAHI (P300)
For our mains, Dani recommended that we get her personal go-to dish, the Pan-Seared Mahi-Mahi. The mahi-mahi fillet was extremely juicy and was paired with an insanely delicious ratatouille-like sauce called Caponata. It boasted of a harmonious medley of roasted tomatoes, roasted bell peppers and caramelized onions; that I couldn't stop eating. My mouth is watering right now just reminiscing about it.
STEAK FRITES (P380)
Another astounding dish was the Steak Frites, which features a juicy hefty piece of Beef Paleron in a delectable cream sauce, laced with cognac and ascertains value-for-your-money.
I definitely enjoyed my visit in Terasse; and I won't mind coming back to check out its other menu offerings!
Terasse Bistro
F114, The District, Ayala North Point, Bacolod City
Date of Visit: October 24, 2019 with Dani Dingcong
