MANILA, Philippines ? Marina, a balikbayan from California, has asked for dining destinations in Bacolod.

Let my good friend and consummate foodie, movie director Peque Gallaga, take her around the town?s key food addresses.

You come to Bacolod to meet really interesting people and stuff yourself into a stupor. There?s good eating anywhere you go in Bacolod, from a nipa hut turo-turo affair out in the Reclamation Area to any of the theme restaurants that cover Italian to Korean, Japanese and Indian, not to mention Chinese.

Bacolod restaurants don?t fool around. They understand what fusion and nouvelle cuisine are all about, but they don?t waste their time with too much of it. They know that diners pop in for stick-to-the-ribs flavor and taste, and unbelievably generous helpings at incredibly affordable prices. What else can you ask for?

Here?s a sampler of places you can?t go wrong with?it would be impossible to list them all?but any of these establishments will give you a good reason to come back to our island.

Aboy?s (Liroville Subdivision, Goldenfields, 034-4350760)

Started out as an early breakfast joint for truckers, until all of Bacolod heard of it and it grew to the ultimate turo-turo emporium that specializes in freshly caught seafood, such as blue marlin steaks with sealed-in juices cooked at high temperatures on one side and then gently finished on the other.
It also boasts of its Diwal (angel wing shells), lampirong (scallops cooked in the same oil they fry their homemade garlic peanuts with) and a sinful adobo of squid fat that regularly runs out early in the evening.

Aida?s (Manokan Country, Reclamation Area)

Out in Manokan Country, at the Reclamation Area beside the Bacolod Plaza, is a huge row of restaurants that has made Bacolod justifiably renowned for its chicken inasal. And that?s what you get here?all things chicken, with oysters on the side. Check out especially Aida?s, which is right in the middle of this world of grilling and barbecuing.

Bob?s (North Drive right in front of Riverside Hospital, 034-4342409)

Bob?s is the epitome of down-home Bacolod home-style cooking, whether it?s their soups like Batchoy and Pancit Molo, their gigantic cheeseburgers with melted cheese, or their Baby Back Ribs and Sate Babe. In between there are little surprises, such as their siopao stuffed with ubod and their huge Mongolian Barbecue or Halo-Halo tables. Desserts, pastries and breads from their pastry shop complete the experience. Bob?s has been feeding Bacolod natives since 1965 and, no wonder every time you get up from a Bob?s dinner table, you have the distinct sensation that you?ve been loved.

Café Umá (CSI Building, corner of 15th Street and Lacson, 034-7099966)

What started out as a little merienda place by the Bacolod Showroom has mushroomed into a serious eating destination with an honest to goodness trattoria beside it (Trattoria Umá). Don?t miss out on their Panini sandwiches (malasugi and ham and cheese are crowd favorites) that come in huge bowls piled with homegrown lettuce salad. Definite crowd favorites are their Asian Sirloin, Mediterranean Chicken Salad and onion soup transported all the way from Paris. The trattoria serves great pizzas, lasagna and a ravioli in basil cream, walnuts and truffle oil.

Calea (Lourdes Center, 14th Street, 034-4333134)

The big problem when you get to Calea is what to order when you get there. You have an idea of what you want, but once you are there and faced with the amazing choices stacked on mile-long display shelves, you?re back to square one. Not a good place for Librans. But start with their Lemon Meringue Pie (my personal favorite) and move on to their Mud Pie, their Imported Chocolate Cake, their Triple Mousse and on to lighter fare like their Fruity Cheesecakes. And then you can just improvise from there. Calea is the empress of cakes, pies and sweets, and no matter what you order, you know you?re in extremely magical baking hands.

Chicken House (Main Branch: 25th Street cor. Lacson, Mandalagan, 034-4349405)

I?m not going to waste adjectives on this one. Without ignoring their baby back ribs which are to die for, this is where you find the best chicken inasal. In the world. Ever. No contest. End of discussion.

City Lunch (Narra Avenue, Shopping Center, 034-4340917)

No-nonsense lunches (why else is it called City Lunch?) that are worth your every peso. But be prepared to be surprised by their bachang, their super special siopao and their fresh lumpia. A lot of take-home orders testify to a high approval of its comfort food goodness.

Felicia?s (Doll Building, 6th Street 034-4336586)

One of Bacolod?s latest watering holes, serving up fabulous pastries, scrumptious meriendas and light lunches. The offerings range from perky puttanesca to savory baby back ribs. But the place comes to its own with its chocolate cakes (Felicia?s Chocolate Cake or Sinful Chocolate Rum Cake?hard to settle for one or the other), Blueberry Cheesecake and chewy macaroons.

Pendy?s (25th Street corner Lacson, 034-4340269)

Pendy?s serves up an international menu with its distinctive Omon Maravilla touch. People fly in from Manila on the early flight just to catch a Pendy?s breakfast, and will swear by the spareribs in sauce with a Negros sweet fillip or the Korean Beef Stew with its earthy flavors. I always line up for the Pad Thai, which is light, flavorful and generous beyond belief. And for merienda (or a full meal in itself) there?s the Pendy?s Hamburger complete with fried egg when and if you want it.

Super Batchoy House (Locsin Street, formerly Smith, beside Central Market, 034-4350074)

This is the supremo of all batchoys for more than 30 years. It has every right to call itself Super. The place gets so packed, Bacolodnons actually share tables with strangers?not something that?s done every day. Owner Ben Uy Enriquez boasts of the special bread they bake (unsweetened, unlike traditional batchoy buns) that goes well with the marrow-enriched broth, so rich, it hits liqueur status.

Sweet Greens (9th Street corner Lacson, 034-7090958)

This is where Millie Kilayco?s group really play with traditional home-cooked recipes and fusion, and the results are mind-blowing. It serves traditional pancit molo, dinuguan and other Ilonggo delicacies. It also serves pitao adobo that, aside from eating in, customers order by the jar to bring to friends and family in Manila and other destinations. And then there?s a pritchon variation called the Inasal Wrap, which is chicken inasal wrapped in a moist lumpia wrapper brought to perfection with a trace of plum sauce. Unique and delicious. You bring the whole experience to a close with a serving of tiny little piayas (piayitos) topped with healthy dollops of good old KatKat dulce gatas. And that, my friends, is Bacolod eating.