Buglas Coffee Bar

YOU’VE seen those small town American diners where they serve inexpensive but yet delicious food? Well, we have one right in Bacolod. It’s hard to find but it’s a great place to eat if you’re on a budget.

The Buglas Coffee Bar is more of a mom n’ pop coffee shop than a restaurant. The owner says that the theme of the restaurant was supposed to be “cozy, modern and native” which is why the restaurant itself uses a lot of wood and other homey materials. The name of the shop comes from the old pre-Spanish name of Negros, which was “Buglas”, meaning “hilly”.

Upon entering the café, one will immediately notice that there aren’t many tables in the place at all. That’s because the rest of the restaurant is downstairs. What I love most about that particular area is that there are no chairs, and the diner has to sit on pillows around a really flat table.

The atmosphere isn’t really “Turkish sultan” as much as it is “Turkish tavern”. Or if you watched The Lord of the Rings, it would be like eating in a hobbit pub. When you sit down, prepare to get really close with the friends you invited over – the low ceiling makes you huddle with your dining-mates, but in such a way that you’re still comfortable.

It’s a unique way of dining – the cushions and low tables setup was actually used by people before the invention of the four-legged chairs and tables.

The café was founded after the owner was inspired by small, cozy coffee shops in Singapore, where she used to work. Her then-co worker (now her husband) decided that they’d partner up and run this small enterprise.

They purchased the lot from Saturn Marketing, and decided that the upper floor didn’t have enough space, so they converted the storage room below into a cozy little middle-eastern style tea house. It doesn’t have shrill Anatolian music playing in the background so that won’t be a problem.

One of the most attractive things about the café is their food. Their number one best seller is their hamburger. In fact, they have something called the El Grande Burger – a nine-inch monster with a one kilo patty. The rules state that if you finish this thing in fifteen minutes, you’ll get free coffee for an entire month and you’ll be called “sir” every time you enter the café (I made that part up; they actually call you sir all the time.).

Another thing Buglas takes pride in is its special rice coffee. This sweet, mild concoction has absolutely no coffee beans in it. It’s made from rice – and I was told it had a smooth, flowing taste, not the strong “slap-you-to-wake-you-up” taste that comes from an espresso, although they serve this along with other traditional coffees as well.

So – if you want to try someplace new this weekend, why not visit the Buglas Coffee Shop?