CARLOS RECOMMENDS!
HOPIA LIKE IT...
I was just lamenting a few posts ago that the Escolta was in dire need of commercial activity in order for it to survive. No sooner had I said that when the first signs of Escolta's imminent gentrification popped up a block away from Plaza Moraga. But now, this former commercial playground for Manila's Hispanic elite has taken an oriental turn, much more in sync with it's context in the Chinatown district. Welcome to the Polland Hopia Cafe. Yes, you read right. One of the Philippines' largest makers makers of that unassuming bean paste pastry has decided to open up shop over at the Escolta and with an upmarket twist at that. Not only is the place decorated with antique Orientalia and dark wood, but their selections of gourmet hopias (langka, durian, and black mongo) and espresso definitely give the entire area a little class. I love the place so much, it is now the starting point for my NORTH BANK tour of the Escolta and Quiapo.
POLLAND HOPIA
The Escolta corner Nueva St. (Now Yuchengco Street but nobody really uses that name)
Santa Cruz, Manila
Tel. 7319810
NORTH BANK TOURS!
March 25 - Saturday - 3:00pm
April 29 - Saturday - 3:00pm
May 20 - Saturday - 3:00pm
POLLAND HOPIA
The Escolta corner Nueva St. (Now Yuchengco Street but nobody really uses that name)
Santa Cruz, Manila
Tel. 7319810
NORTH BANK TOURS!March 25 - Saturday - 3:00pm
April 29 - Saturday - 3:00pm
May 20 - Saturday - 3:00pm
posted by carlosceldran @ 7:41 AM
16 Comments:
Yes, I had wondered why your latest ad for the Escolta tours no longer indicates Wah Yuen as the starting point. By the way, what's going to happen to the hulk of the old Ideal Cinema? Another sayang landmark.
Hey great tip, Carlos. Cool interiors! will check it out. i love when people think out of the box and come up with new concepts.
A hopia cafe! This is ingenious! I think Polland's Mongo Special is top-notch. Not so sure about the hopia and espresso combo, though. Call me a fuddy-duddy, but nothing beats hopia and tea. :-)
Great find.
Oooo, it's a cafe! Good idea, though I prefer Holland myself. Anyway, speaking of the Austero letter, here's his blog, the drama continues on over there
http://bongaustero.blogspot.com/
hi carlos!
i wonder what happened to my favorite resto "Ma Kong" in chinatown? haven't been there for the longest time.
BC
Hi henry. Ideal theatre? Wheres that again? On quezon boulevard or rizal ave?
And For BC, wheres ma kong?
Ooops for my ignorance. Its shameful I dont know this.
Shameful is right, you've never been to Ma Kong??
Speaking of ma kong, ok it's not in manila really but there is another great mami siopao place on Ortigas ave cor madison st, greenhills called MASUKI mami house. There you can get the siopao and mami of your childhood. None of the sickeningly sweet reddish goopy filling that is standard in asado siopaos these days. masuki's siopaos are packed with proper meat, and are savoury, not sweetish, more like the ma mon luk siopaos of yore.
Thats because Ma Suki is Ma Mon Luk with a different name. I heard they revamped it kinda.
yes i heard that, wasn't sure if it was true though. whatever it is, those big ol' siopaos certainly taste like ma mon luk!
geez this is so great. i love polland hopia, good thing they have a branch at landmark. Have u guys noticed the absence of sesame seeds in their hopia lately. Its just sad.
it's my dream come true :-)
rainbows ! N@
carlos,
ma kong is, or was(?), also one of the iterations of the ma mon luk name. i really am not sure why the name changes, heard lots of stories though. as a 3rd generation g.i. i find the food there, even in masuki quite uhm, disgusting. not really the kind of mami or siopao we had when were kids. i'd rather eat at the original ling nam in t. alonzo street or get a nice slab of asado at cosmos or ulam at shin ton yon with a bag of pork floss (ma-hu) . (ma kong is in benavidez, i think)
back to topic- kudos to polland for their continuing development of the hopia trade! them, and ho-land too!
mabuhay ang ube-fire trucks!!!
i was lucky enough to get a tour of the place before it opened!
this might be an interesting tidbit for you, but polland hopia's interior wasn't even professionally done, but decorated according to the taste of its owners.
the wooden door handle on the front was hand-cured and sculpted by one of the owners himself!
really lovely place! they will be coming out with filipino-style mochi snacks really soon, too, i heard.
Fabulous. Escolta needs more places like these. Its a really original draw to the neighborhood.
The Masuki/Ma Kong noodle houses in Benavidez St. and Ortigas Ave. are one and the same, although the Greenhills location is more upscale in appearance.
I used to go to both places quite often but nowadays I prefer the noodles at Ling Nam at Alonzo St.
We can not really compare Masuki to Ling Nam. For Masuki, we go there for the sweet sauce. While in Ling Nam, we go for the hot sauce. These are really food of the memories coz both their siomai's yukky but we need to order anyways. hahaha. We have to support these restaurants for our memory's sake. I missed Ramon Lee Panciteria fried chicken so much.
Post a Comment
<< Home