BACOLOD City – The very well-known chicken inasal, or grilled chicken, of the City of Smiles was ranked No. 1 by TasteAtlas on the Top 100 Filipino dishes.
Based on October 16 publication by TasteAtlas, a global encyclopedia of traditional dishes and authentic restaurants, the Bacolod chicken inasal got an impressive 4.5-star rating, a recognition that jives with the ongoing MassKara Festival.
TasteAtlas described the chicken inasal, or inasal na manok, as a “unique Filipino grilled chicken dish which originated in Bacolod and became the signature dish of the entire Visayas region.” It is typically served with annatto-flavored garlic rice and spiced vinegar, making it a well-loved staple in Filipino cuisine.
It was also ranked number 40 globally with a 4.1-star rating, acknowledging its status as not just a local favorite, but one of the most well-loved dishes in the United States.
Another mainstay, the famous lechon, landed in second place with a 4.4-star rating, while the nostalgic, creamy dessert, the leche flan, took third, also with 4.4 stars.
Rounding the top 5 is the hearty bulalo of Calabarzon and lumpia Shanghai with 4.4 stars each.
Also included in the list are the sinigang na baboy (6th), tortang talong (7th), lechon kawali (8th), Bicol express (9th), and arroz caldo (10th).
In 2022, City Ordinance No. 1012, titled “an ordinance declaring chicken inasal as a cultural property of Bacolod,” was authored by Councilor Em Ang.
This ordinance officially recognized chicken inasal as an integral cultural asset of Bacolod, asserting its significance and ownership as part of the city’s heritage.
Likewise, there is an existing ordinance here declaring every fourth week of the month of May as Bacolod Chicken Inasal Festival, following an amendment of City Ordinance No. 482, series of 2009 known as Manokan Country Inasal Festival in the City of Bacolod.
Bacolod’s beloved chicken inasal is also highlighted in the Bacolod City Tourism Office’s new booklet, “Kaon Ta!”, which features a variety of local delicacies along with a restaurant guide map to help visitors explore Bacolod’s culinary scene./PN
