Botella Bacolod: Where Good Food and Happy Drinks Mix

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Botella at The Marketplace Bacolod—
Wonderful place to chill and hang out and
surprisingly, even to have dinner.

top bar in Bacolod — Mojito made especially for us by The Drinking Coach Manuel Barandiaran at Botella

Botella literally means “bottle” in Spanish. And indeed, this open air bar at The Marketplace (beside the NGC), Bacolod City is all that. Owned by a very witty and creative party genius who has baptized himself as the “Drinking Coach”, Manuel Barandiaran has successfully incorporated bottles into every and cranny of his place without being too obtrusive. He has bottles as wall decors, as counter lighting design, as lamps, as a mural, and would you believe, a chandelier?

Bacolod bar — The bar at Botella, located at The Marketplace, beside the NGC.

bar interior — The counter tops make use of beer bottle caps from around the world.

Botella bar — These different colored bottles curve around the counter and they are back-lighted to achieve this effect.

And one thing that Manuel has that is unique among other bars is FLAIR. Yep, he is not contented with just serving drinks, he is passionate about giving his clientele a good time and an experience worth remembering. At his places of business, like the Garahe Bar and Fast Food, he offers the 16-bottle challenge, the 1 liter in a minute challenge, the flambe drinks, and many more. But at Botella, he upped the stakes at 17 bottles.

While he is called the Drinking Coach, Manuel isn’t much of a drink but rather is just excited at the prospect of entertaining people with good drinks. He makes his own mixes with different alcohol bases and carefully names them, like one would name his children. He has drinks like Linteani (Linti-a local cuss word- ni nga Iced Tea), Tikaltini (Tikalon nga Lychee Martini), and Blue Baliskad (coco-pineapple cocktail that’s colored blue). As I am writing this, I have had a couple of shots of Blue Baliskad so pardon the typos. :p These mixed drinks are served in tall bottles and can be shared at P180 each. You can also take this out if you want to. You may also order these cocktails to go.

Bacolod bar cocktails — From left: Linteani Apple and Blue Baliskad lighted by an iPhone, both designed by the Drinking Coach. Each bottle costs P180. You may take out these drinks if you want.

Botella Bacolod bar — These chandeliers hanging from the ceiling of Botella are made of–you guessed it–bottles! Designed by Manuel himself.

Botella bar Bacolod — The Drinking Coach in action as he prepares a mojito for us.

The Food at Botella

Manuel tells us that he’s really not a foodie and he just has food at Botella to complement the menu. He has all these ideas for the dishes to serve and he has been collaborating with a local chef in order to translate his ideas on the plate. But for hubby and I, that’s the understatement of the year! He let us sample several things on his menu and we were totally blown! Most of the dishes served to us were cooked twice–such as fried and then cooked some more in special sauces. We were so impressed with his food offerings as well as how he named them. Check out what we tried.

pork sisig — Itsura Mo! Pork Sisig. P110. It’s mildly spicy but not smothered in seasoning that you can really appreciate the pork taste. And check out that quirky carved calamansi in the shape of Mickey Mouse ‘s head.

squid dish — Crazy Squid – Hoy! P120. It’s something like fried but tender squid and then cooked in their special red sauce. Mildly spicy and sooo good!

Botella
The Marketplace
beside NGC
Bacolod City
Open daily from 5:30pm to 2:am

bar appetizers — APPETIZERS. Chicharing Chicharon Bulaklak (P90) and Chicken Skin by Belo (P80) with a couple of small glasses of Linteani apple.

Bacolod Botella bar — esTAPAdora Tapa (P100). Pork tapa serve in this cute sizzling plate. Mildly spicy, so flavorful, and so tender, too.

Botella is a good place to have dinner–great food at affordable prices. You will have fun discussing what to order with the quirky menu. If you are not up to mingling with the drinking crowd for the bar that it is, come have dinner early. They are open from 5:30pm to 2am daily. We thoroughly enjoyed our little tour at Botella, the good food, the happy drinks, and of course the company of our gracious host. Thank you the Drinking Coach!