PENDY'S, BACOLOD CITY

Everything here is proudly Philippine.

I read about Pendy's in discussion threads on the net. It is housed in an unassuming white box of a building whose main entrance is found after going around half of the whole thing. Upon entrance, wowowee! It's like a blast from the old world: cakes and pastries line their shelves (prune cakes, everything you've read in European novels - they have it here). I bought napoleones and that's it. As we were in a rush to get to the wharf, I only had time to peruse the goodies and take photos. The staff were very friendly and are obviously bursting with pride at working for such a distinguished restaurant that already is part and parcel of Bacolod's history. The place is along Lacson Avenue. You might miss it if you're not looking hard enough.

The main dining area. Notice the clean lines. The vertical blocks add height to the tables, and yellow goes very well with white walls and wooden elements like the chairs and door frames.

Bags and bags of merengue. Another childhood favorite.

The other dining area. Exposed trusses are painted white and add to the charm. It's a mixture of old and new. The chairs are of heavy metal. The lamps add to the overall appeal.

The filigree-like woodwork is something we usually see hanging downwards from posts in old houses. Here at Pendy's, they find new lives as dividers.