About Us

Who we are & Our History

If Goto Tendon restaurant were a dish, its main ingredients would be a dash of family heritage, a dollop of business sense, and a pinch of boredom. Yes, boredom. The metro’s newest gotohan and paresan is the brainchild of a bored Jenny Peñaloza and her husband-enabler, John Peñaloza.

After choosing family life over career, full-time mom Jenny woke up one day wanting to do something that involves making people, including herself, feel more alive. That’s when John stepped in and proposed, “Why don’t we start selling your famous goto?”

Jenny’s goto has become a party staple in get-togethers with the Peñalozas’ family and friends ever since they started having people over. When it’s there, it quickly disappears. And when it’s not, people ask why.

What makes this goto special is heritage. Nena Peñaloza, John’s grandmother, passed the recipe onto Jenny in 2002. Amah, she’s called, recalls feeding young John this goto to make his knees stronger. And ever since Jenny got a hold of this recipe, she spent her time further enhancing the flavor of the goto to what it is today.

Now, Goto Tendon serves not just goto but also a bunch of other Pinoy favorites like pares and silog, all cooked with only the best ingredients and lots of love.

Jenny Peñaloza and John Peñaloza

Fast Facts

What sets Goto Tendon's GOTO apart from the others?

Goto Tendon uses imported beef and US tendon, and the best local ingredients, which all marry together into a bowl of steaming yumminess. This house specialty comes from the heirloom recipe of Nena Peñaloza, a Xiamen native and the grandmother of Goto Tendon owner John Peñaloza. She passed the recipe onto Jenny, John’s wife, who has further enhanced the flavor of the goto to what it is today from 2002.

What is TENDON?

Tendon, or litid in Filipino, is a fibrous connective tissue that usually connects a muscle to a bone. It is popularly used as a natural thickening agent in soup dishes like nilaga and bulalo. Contrary to what some people think, tendon is rich in collagen and not fat.

What is PARES?

The term pares commonly refers to Beef Pares, a braised beef meal paired (thus the word pares) with rice and a bowl of soup. It is particularly associated with small neighborhood restaurants, called karinderya, which specialize in economical meals for locals.

What is LASILOG?

Lasilog is lamayong danggit served with garlic rice and egg. Lamayo is famous in Palawan and is what Palaweños call danggit that is freshly marinated in vinegar, pepper, and garlic. Goto Tendon’s lamayo is shipped all the way from Coron, Palawan. Compared to Cebu’s danggit, Palawan’s lamayo is meatier and often much larger.

What is NIYEBE in the Con Niyebe Desserts?

Niyebe is the Filipino word for snow. Goto Tendon’s ice is so powdery fine that niyebe seemed perfect to name our desserts. In addition to this, the Spanish word for ice is nieve.