Kidapawan City says goodbye to 2 iconic food establishments

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Two longtime landmark food joints in Kidapawan City shut down on Monday, leaving patrons, including employees from various provincial offices in Cotabato, disheartened.

Kidapawan City is the seat of Cotabato province in Region 12 that covers 17 towns in three congressional districts.   

Employees of the Penong’s Restaurant here told reporters the establishment has had low earnings in the past two years after many restaurants and coffee shops sprouted around Kidapawan City.

Netizens who had patronized Penong’s Restaurant for a long time had expressed sadness over its closure on Facebook.

Residents of Kidapawan City and nearby towns also felt sad with the shutdown, also for good, of the Mandarin Tea Garden Kidapawan for the same reason, according to radio reports in central Mindanao on Monday.

The two food outlets are known stopover dining locations for residents of this city travelling to Davao City and back using private vehicles.