Bacolod Food Trip: Getting a Sugar High with Bacoleño Desserts and Sweets
Napoleones at Roli’s
In my Bacolod food trip, I crawled my way to find the best Chicken Inasal (read about it here) and also tried amazing soup dishes (and read about it here). But I skipped the Pala-Palas (seafood restaurants that are comparable to Manila’s dampa) because my tummy’s full and my wallet’s bleeding. I also skipped the higher-end restaurants such as Bob’s and Mushu. This gives me another reason to revisit Bacolod.
So what else did I eat? Since I’m in the capital of Negros Occidental, the Sugar Bowl of the Philippines, I made sure to try the desserts and sweets that Bacolod boasts of. Man, the City of Smiles won’t run short of amazing treats to satisfy your sweet tooth and...make you smile. Here are some that I tried and highly recommend:
Cakes at Ann Co Cakes
Ann Co Cakes serves a variety of desserts and baked goods. I think they specialize on frozen cakes.
At Ann Co Cakes Paseo Center
Since I’m into unique cheesecakes (and cheesecakes in general), I got the Avocado Cheesecake. The avocado flavor is nice and the cheesecake is smooth. There are nuts in it as well.
Banoffee Pie (front) and Avocado Cheesecake (back)
I also got the Banoffee Pie. The bananas and the cream are amazing! Plus, it’s not too sweet!
Ann Co Cakes has several branches. Check out their Facebook Page.
AND MORE CAKES at Calea
If you are a cake lover, then Calea is the place for you. It’s also located along Lacson Street, inside a complex that’s across C’s, a cafe by the famous L’Fisher Hotel. (C’s is another spot to satisfy your sweet cravings. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to visit it.)
The cozy interiors and cakes at Calea
Calea’s cake selection can be overwhelming. So I just went for their bestsellers White Chocolate Cheesecake and Mud Pie. The cheesecake was served with raspberry syrup (yum!). But I find it sweet and that’s understandable because of the white chocolate. A cup of coffee would perfectly strike a balance.
White Chocolate Cheesecake and Mud Pie (Plus Espresso)
While I’m underwhelmed with the cheesecake, I was compensated with the Mud Pie. It’s has chocolate topping, chocolate powder, and chocolate crust. Here’s how it tastes: Imagine eating a rocky road ice cream (minus the marshmallows) in cake form. Now that’s chocolate madness and nothing short of amazing!
Ensaimada at Felicia’s Pastry Shop
Felicia’s also serve a variety of cakes and desserts, including their bestselling Felicia’s Chocolate Cake. They have several branches across Bacolod. But the one I went to is in Lacson Street, a few steps away from C’s and Calea. (So if you want to get a sugar overdose, this is the area to be!)
Felicia's Lacson Street
But I went there to try their famous Ensaimada and paired it with tsokolate batirol (hot chocolate drink). While the ensaimada is good, it’s really the hot choco brought the house down!
Ensaimada and Tsokolate Batirol
So what do you do when you have an ensaimada and hot choco? You dunk the bread into the drink! Man, it’s the perfect afternoon snack!
Felicia’s has several branches. Check out their Facebook Page.
Half Moon and Puto Manapla at Pendy’s
Pendy’s is a restaurant and pasalubong (souvenir) store combined. It’s also located along Lacson Street so it’s a convenient stopover for your last minute pasalubong shopping before heading to the airport.
At Pendy's
But I went there mainly for their Half Moons. It’s a chiffon cake shaped like a half moon and topped with custard similar to the ones in brazo de mercedes. It’s one of my favorite desserts in Bacolod. If you’re a brazo lover, I’m sure you will like the Half Moon at Pendy’s.
Puto Manapla and Half Moon
I also learned the Pendy’s serves the famous Capulso’s Puto Manapla (A puto is a white rice cake and has many variants across the country. Manapla is a municipality in northern Negros Occidental.). In my research, I found that Capulso makes the best Manapla puto. It’s bouncy, chewy, and not too sweet, which is addicting. I gotta stay away from these babies!
Address: Rolling Hills Compound, Lacson St., Bacolod City | Operating Hours: Daily, 7:30AM-10:30PM | Facebook
Napoleones at Roli’s Cafe
A Napoleones is a multi-layered puff pastry with a custard filling and topped with sugar coating. It’s also a famous pasalubong item. One of the best makers of this pastry is Roli’s (they have kiosks in the malls of Manila). They have a cafe in Roli’s Arcade at La Salle Avenue.
Roli's regular and chocolate Napoleones
In one of my breakfasts, I had Roli’s Napoleones (that’s all I ate!). Man, it was good! The pastry is flaky and the custard is creamy. I paired the Napoleones with espresso and it perfectly balanced the sweetness coming from the sugar topping. Napoleones for breakfast may not be common (is it?) but I encourage you to try new things and experience this for yourself!
Address: Roli’s Arcade, La Salle Ave., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental | Operating Hours: Monday-Friday, 7AM-9PM; Saturday & Sunday, 7AM-8PM | Facebook
What have you tried or would like to try in the items above? What other desserts or sweets should I next try in Bacolod? Comment them below.
Other entries in the Bacolod (Food) Trip series: My First Solo Adventure Outside Luzon | The Search for the Best Chicken Inasal | Trying Cansi and Other Soup Dishes