Bites of memory

A mother-daughter food journey through Bacolod reveals how beloved family haunts, new dining gems, and sweet traditions continue to define the City of Smiles

- By TREENA TECSON

There is something incredibly comforting about coming home. On a recent trip to Bacolod, I had the joy of revisiting my hometown with my daughter Hailey, who, by the time this is published, will be starting a new chapter as a freshman in college. Being a fellow foodie, she was excited to eat her way through the City of Smiles. Together, we rediscovered old favorites, explored new ones, and made memories one bite at a time.

We landed in Silay City and made a quick stop at The Ruins to take photos before heading to Bob's for lunch. Celebrating its 60th anniversary, Bob's is more than a restaurant, it is a place that is part of everyone's family history. My parents had regular dates here before they were married. I remember being greeted by Ben, our favorite waiter, who always knew our order. Hailey had the Eat-All-You-Can Mongolian Bowl with the special peanut satay sauce that makes all the difference. I ordered my usual Chicken Saté with a side of Saté Babe. I can never decide which one I want more, so I end up ordering the Chicken Saté and a stick of pork barbecue on the side. Hailey told me that she knows why this is one of the places I keep coming back to—for the memories and the mouthwatering food.

Next stop was Kuppa, previously Celyn's Ice Cream Shop, a popular hangout when I was in high school. I introduced Hailey to my go-to Wimpy's Burger, an open-faced burger with gravy on the meat side and creamy cheddar cheese sauce on the bread side. It was just as delicious as I remembered, paired with a perfectly pulled cortado and a side of chewy oatmeal cookies.

We had a nostalgic dinner at Inaka, which is Bacolod's first Japanese restaurant (established in 1975). We ordered the bestselling Beef Misono, Shrimp Tempura, Scallops, Gindara, and Misono rice, which brought back memories of family celebrations and special occasions here. All the dishes were just as good as I remember.