Pinoy comfort food at Goto Tendon, Tomas Morato

Would you believe that Tomas Morato’s newest gotohan and paresan came about partly out of boredom?

As the story goes, Jenny Penaloza was feeling bored having given up her career to become a full-time mom. Her husband John then suggested making a business out of her culinary specialty: the goto.

Goto is a type of gruel dish popular in the country made with glutinous rice and beef tripe, simmered in a ginger-based broth.

The recipe was taught to Jenny by John’s grandmother, Lola Nena Penaloza. Since then, she has been tweaking the recipe until she decided to launch the goto restaurant her husband suggested.

Having heard good things from my officemates about this gotohan nearby, I decided to join my friends at Goto Tendon for lunch.

Our meal consisted of:

Goto Tendon (Php158 for small | Php198 for large). Based on this dish, among the tweaks that Jenny applied to traditional goto recipe is the addition of imported US tendon and quail eggs, making the porridge even heartier.

Beef Tendon Pares (Php158) and Sizzling Beef Tendon Pares (Php178). The traditional pares (beef stew paired with soup and garlic rice) is further enhanced with imported US tendon. It can be served as is or on a sizzling plate.

Tokwa’t Baboy (Php118). Fried tofu with pork bits served in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, chopped onions and chili peppers. This went so well with the goto tendon.

Considering that this was my first taste of beef pares (I had taste of lamb pares later in the week at ALTA by Relik), I’d say the experience was not bad at all. I wouldn’t mind returning for another taste of beef pares, especially with those chewy and flavorful bits of tendon!

This Goto Tendon branch is located at 49 Scout Tobias Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open Sundays to Thursdays from 11am to 3am and Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 5am. For inquiries or reservations, call +63 2 518 5527.

Other branches are located at:

Maysilo Circle, Plainview, Mandaluyong City
Food Court, Ground Floor, Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center, Greenhills, San Juan City
Bayani Road corner T. Arguelles Street, Galas, Quezon City