I eat hopia.  Once in a while I would buy this inexpensive Chinese-originated treat in a store and take a bite just to fill my empty tummy.

Along with Chef Onille last october 29, 2007 on our way back to the office after an arduous week of training in TESDA in Sta. Cruz, I discovered the best hopia that can topple the most popular and tastiest hopia in the country.

Chef Onille Caballero (an Executive Sous Chef) led me to a very clammy store in Quiapo that only sell hopia of various flavors.  The store’s name was Master Hopia.  I was not excited upon entering the store.  I just followed behind Chef Onille in looking among all the hopia in front of us without looking forward to anything.  I did not expect anything at all since I haven’t seen a Master Hopia deli or branch in any of the leading malls or supermarkets in the metro.

I chose to buy the “hopiang monggo” (a flaky Chinese puff pastry filled with mung bean paste) that cost five pesos each.  The store attendant expressed that it was the freshest among all flavors for it was just pulled out of their oven.  True to its word, the hopia handed to me was still warm.

The hopia’s look seems ordinary, boring and not mouth-watering.  It was wrapped in a mundane wax paper then placed inside a small plastic bag that does not even have a print or label of Master Hopia.  I even thought that the owner needs to improve on its merchandising and packaging (walang ka sosyal-sosyal!).  The hopia’s circumference was a bit smaller and the thinkness was thinner compared to the very popular and milky-tasting Eng Bee Tin variety.

But when I had my first bite, I had an out-of-body experience!  It’s like I was gone to Heaven then back to Earth when I swallowed it.  I swear, I never thought that a hopia could be that delicious.

Ano ba English ng hopia?

I never claimed to be the final arbiter of cakes and pastries.  No one is.  But the tastiest cake I have ever tried in my more than 30 years of milk-toothed existence is the Chocolate Decadence Cake at Café Adriatico Malate…  Thanks to Ms. Merle Dela Peña for such a blissful creation…

It’s simply hypnotic.  Grabe and sarap!

For the past month, every time I would go out for a dinner with friends I suddenly find myslef ordering for a Tortang Talong (translation: Eggplant Omelet for the regular folks, Eggplant Frittata for the affluent mortals).  These dining experiences from various restaurants in the metro enabled me to compare the tortang talongs I have binged.  At the end of each scrutiny I rated each omelet, five spoons being the highest.

Gilligan’s Island (location: Nakpil corner Orosa, Malate) – it is nothing but eggplant and egg.  It is the cheapest among the bunch.  Tomato catsup is needed to appreciate it.  Its small portion is good enough for the peso that you will pay for.  A typical cafeteria-like dish… Rating: 2 spoons

Bistro Remedios (location: M. Adriatico corner Remedios, Malate) – the biggest tortang talong!  It is made of 2 eggplants cooked into one big serving with ground pork filling and finely chopped tomatoes.  Too bad, it looks like the eggplant was not grilled when getting rid of the skin.  This is obvious because the eggplant does not have any burnt or charred portion and the smoky flavor is barely present.  It was so spotless you would think that the eggplant was boiled to peel off the skin.  Due to this, Bistro Remedios’ tortang talong is best dipped in toyo (soy sauce) with calamansi instead of the usual catsup.  Rating: 4 spoons

Mario’s Kitchen (location: SM Mall of Asia and Robinson’s Ermita branches) – the tastiest among all the other tortang talongs!  It is so scrumptious you need not add catsup.  The dish was perfectly cooked.  Also stuffed with ground pork, you would feel that the eggplant was actually grilled from direct fire or charcoal to get rid of the skin.  This charbroiling technique enabled the eggplant to gush out its natural oil which added more to the tasty flavor.  Grilling also added the smoky taste.  I didn’t notice the portioning if it is small or just enough since after finishing I was still craving for more.  Rating: 5 spoons

La Mesa (location: SM Mall of Asia) – the gaffe among the identified tortang talongs in this writing.  Aside from the snail-like speed in serving the food items in La Mesa, the limp goopy eggplant was disintegrating from its egg covering layer.  The chef obviously did not bothered to dunk the skinned eggplant into the beaten egg prior to frying.  There’s nothing amazing in this stuff.  It’s like prepared and cooked by a person who was just starting to learn.  You need a lot of catsup mixed with Knorr seasoing (MSG sauce) to appreciate it.  Rating: I’d rather have another dish! No spoons! Grrrr!

Though I rarely drink it, Coke is considered to be the staple drink around the world.  Though being the most popular, Coca-Cola has been criticized for its possible negative effects on health.  It has even spawned a lot of urban myhts like, coke can dissolve a tooth overnight or coke can kill sperms and women who would not want to get pregnant can wash their private part with coke before or after sex.

What is so amazing about this drink now is that in the middle of this year in USA there has been a new food item that has been introduced called "Fried Coke" others call it "Deep Fried Coca-Cola".

Ingredients? A batter (flour milk and egg) mixed with a lot of Coca-Cola syrup, a drizzle of strawberry syrup and a portion of fresh strawberries.  The batter mix will be formed into ping-pong sized balls and are then deep-fried, ending up with munchkin-like donut which are then served in a cup, topped with Coca-Cola syrup and a choice of either a whipped cream with cherry on top or cinnamon sugar.

I wonder what food chain or restaurant in the Philippines would be the first to serve this notoriously sweet stuff…?  The race is on!

Eating at Tandoor King in SM Mall of Asia and Bollywood Bistro Bar at Greenbelt 3 is a big treat.  These restaurants serve one of my favorite breads!

Its mere appearance is not appetizing.  It’s nothing but white.  It looks like a disfigured puffy thick pizza without the toppings.  Its bottom side is slightly brown in color that adds the smoky flavor.  But when stuffed with melted cheese, you will forget your identity when you taste it.

An uncomplicated flat leavened bread from India, naan is made of white flour baked in tandoor oven.  Prior to cooking, the dough needs a lot of spanking by bare hands and will be slapped on the walls of the oven.  It should be eaten hot and fresh.  May it be served in basket or on plate, I freakin’ adore it!  It’s like Pinoy’s pandesal, it’s no good when cold or stale.  If Pinoys plunge the pandesal in coffee, Europeans dip their biscuits in their tea and Americans dunk their cookies in their milk, Indians scoop their stews using naan.

I’m lovin’ it!  Naan, a straightforward chow with superb surprise to the senses.