The signature dish of Bacolod City was recently crowned by TasteAtlas as the top Filipino dish, with an impressive 4.5-star rating, a recognition that jives with the ongoing MassKara Festival celebration, the Bacolod City Tourism Office (BCTO) said Oct. 21.
The iconic chicken inasal was rated first among the 100 Filipino dishes in an Oct. 16 publication by TasteAtlas, a global encyclopedia of traditional dishes and authentic restaurants.
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, the tourism office said in a post.
The dish 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 the third spot, also with 4.4 stars.
Rounding off the Top 5 are the hearty bulalo of Calabarzon and lumpia shanghai, with 4.4 stars each.
In sixth to 10th spots are sinigang na baboy, tortang talong, lechon kawali, Bicol express, and arroz caldo.
The BCTO said that, in 2022, the Sangguniang Panlungsod passed City Ordinance No. 1012, titled “An Ordinance Declaring Chicken Inasal as a Cultural Property of Bacolod”, 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, the BCTO said.
The dish is also highlighted in the BCTO’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, it added. ||
