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SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga -- At the Bendix Best Western Hotel in San Fernando, Pampanga is a very different Pampangueño culinary destination. Instead of sisig and other homey Filipino favorites, Ruben chose a different path, serving international cuisine instead.

Johanna Patawaran, co-founder and manager of Ruben’s, recalled that the space used to be occupied by one of the trendy coffee shops in Manila. When the lease was up, Johanna and her siblings had a very short time to find a new tenant.

This was pretty daunting as their family did not want to have anything to do with F&B, opting to lease out the space instead. The family matriarch pressured Johanna to get a restaurant operational as the prime spot on the busy crossroads of MacArthur Highway and Jose Abad Santos Avenue couldn’t be left empty.

In its first incarnation, Ruben was a Spanish restaurant. It was met with lukewarm reception from the locals as they found it too foreign.

“Our meatballs were called albondigas. Some of our guests couldn’t understand this and found the menu intimidating. We were also in a hotel so people thought our food was expensive,” Johanna recounted.

She then decided to rebrand Ruben from Spanish gourmet to world traveler.

In reality, Ruben is named after Ruben Patawaran, the family patriarch who passed away in 2012 and remembered for his travels, his favorite food, and good company. Ruben travelled in search of furniture, finishing materials, and tiles to import for the family business. The menu became a tribute to Ruben reflecting his favorite food from the countries he visited.

Johanna went through rebranding the entire restaurant. Everything from the elegant badge to the cool Cuban inspired interiors, the furniture, down to the plates and cutlery, are her choosing.

The restaurant has three identities: third wave coffee shop by day, continental restaurant for supper, and a happening club late at night.

“We wanted to offer something new to Pampanga, something that wasn’t only about Filipino cuisine. We wanted people to experience the Manila vibe without leaving Pampanga,” Johanna said.

Here’s a quick look at Ruben:

During the day, Ruben is a high-end third wave coffee shop with prices that are surprisingly affordable. Coffee is served in a double wall Bodum tumblers shielding your hands from the heat of the coffee. Jeeves de Veyra

The task of finding the right coffee supplier was given to Johanna’s brother Rion. They ended up with specialty coffee supplier Henry & Sons, who created a special Ruben Blend for the cafe. Have your coffee straight, as a latte, mocha, iced or as a lado (iced blended). Ruben’s trained baristas can prepare your brew the way you like it. Jeeves de Veyra

At night, Ruben’s brings the Makati Poblacion vibe at San Fernando prices. The elegant cocktails of the Curator’s and Oto’s David Ong are priced at a pocket friendly P195 to P199 each! This is the Dixie Dust made with rum, lime, pineapple syrup, and pandan. Jeeves de Veyra

All the Patawaran siblings have their own signature drink. Joanna’s is the Joanna Oh Na Na, Rion’s is the Rion King, and the Ode To Ruben after their late father. Besides these, Ruben’s bartenders have classic versions of the Old Fashioned and the Negroni. Jeeves de Veyra

Start with a generous portion of salad. This is the Doña Dita Salad with prosciutto, grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, and seasonal greens. Jeeves de Veyra

Not four, not five, but SIX! Ruben’s six-cheese pasta can be overwhelming with its toppings of mozzarella, cheddar, gouda, edam, parmesan, and feta. Jeeves de Veyra

What’s a Spanish restaurant without paella? Ruben’s tomato-based version is fully packed with a shrimp, squid rings, and mussels. Jeeves de Veyra

Sizzling Sinigang Corned Beef is Ruben’s take on the Manila favorite. There’s a little saltiness from the corned beef that adds to the sourness of the sinigang gravy. Jeeves de Veyra

Ruben’s spin on lechon is an indulgent one. Crispy pork belly is one thing, but adding truffle lechon sauce makes it worthy of being a signature dish. Jeeves de Veyra

Ruben’s 6-Hour Caldereta is a must-order. This dish’s beef is really tender soaking up all the flavors of the sauce. The Pampanga caldereta is a little mellower than other versions. It’s still very good with a lot of rice. Jeeves de Veyra

A Cubano wouldn’t be out of place with the Cuban-inspired interiors. Ruben’s Cubano comes with tostones, fried plantains similar to maruya, and chips. Jeeves de Veyra