Pinoy bread shop opens in The Hague

MANILA, Philippines — The first Filipino bread and pastry shop in The Hague opened recently, offering Philippine specialties such as pan de sal, ensaymada, puto, kutsinta and kapeng barako to Dutch citizens and resident expatriates.

Café Nordrick is owned and operated by Filipino restaurateurs Danton Lacorum and his wife Norma, who have been residents of The Hague for quite some time.

Philippine Ambassador Jaime Victor Ledda attended the café’s blessing and opening.

Norma said she is hoping to introduce on the menu other popular Filipino delicacies when the shop expands in the coming week to attract the interest of Filipinos and Dutch, including expatriates who love Filipino food.

The Hague, or Den Haag in Dutch, is where the seat of government of the Netherlands is located as well as the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which ruled in favor of the Philippines in a territorial dispute against China in 2016.

The Huffington Post described The Hague as the international city of peace and justice. Since the late 19th century, The Hague has played an integral role in diplomacy and international affairs.

The city hosts international courts that hear cases of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. 

Since the 1920s, international courts have proliferated in The Hague.

The oldest among these is the World Court, officially named the International Court of Justice, which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.

Aside from the courts, The Hague is also home to many other international organizations and regarded as one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the Netherlands.