Yummy Gensan: Pandesal at Gaisano

Are you a General? Not that some rank in the military. Nope! I mean, are you a citizen of General Santos City? There goes the nod now :) Are you a true blooded General? Oopss. Why do I see a raise of an eyebrow and a scream on your mind, "Well but of course!" Really? Here's a test. Have you tasted Gaisano's pandesal? There goes the big nod! Hey! Congratulations! You passed the test! You truly are a true blooded General! :) Who does not have tasted that hot yummy pandesal, right? Even people all the way from Sarangani maybe and other parts of South Cotabato have tasted it.

This afternoon, about 3 o'clock, I had to do some errands and the nearest mall from where I was, was Gaisano. So I headed there at once. Then I happened to pass by its bakery and thought of buying pandesal. I love bringing home pandesal but I didn't get to buy from Gaisano often due to geographical reasons. It's just so far away from home! Like 30 mins... sometimes, at peak hours, even 40 . So I had to grab the chance to get my beloved pandesal!

When I reached the bakery, people were as if in chaos. Everyone had a basket on one hand and a tong on the other. Feet on their mark and faces like predators were ready to attack. The view of the prey got clearer to me as I also came nearer the bakery. The prey? The hot aromatic freshly baked PANDESAL!

People on all walks of life were fighting their way into the layered trays almost reaching the ceiling! They all looked so cute! Hihi. I was smiling the whole time. After making my way through the crowd, I finally got my own pandesal. Good that there were still few left for me.

Next? I had to get to the line for the payment counter. I was surprised! I've never seen such a line so long on counters! "Am I in NBI getting a clearance? Am I in NSO getting my birth certificate?" But people didn't mind waiting! All for the love of pandesal!

Other bigger malls and bakeries have pandesal, too. But why are Generals coming back for Gaisano's pandesal? Hmmmm... Well maybe because the bakery is open for the people to choose their own bread unlike others which have the glass windows and you only get to pinpoint what you like. (With not so customer-friendly salesladies sometimes). In Gaisano, you can take your time. You can get ensaymada and meatbread. Then you can change your mind. You now want to have pan de mongo and pan de coco (Do they have these? Hehe). Then you change your mind again and finally settle to just having the tinapay na bato. :) Feels so at home because you can take your time without discussing and dealing with anyone or anything but your own love for breads! Maybe that! What about you? What do you think?

This is my first post for the series Yummy Gensan which will feature the familiar and the new delicious flavors of General Santos City! Yey! I'm excited! :)


Can you share your own favorites with me?