Ideal Hopia
M: Pure ube filling; soft crust; not much coloring.
P: Gusto ko masarap, manamis-namis at mapulbos na bread coat na may pagka-brown; hindi durog-durog (parang croissant hopia!); kung makapal dapat dahil sa palaman! Dapat milky and thick pero di nakaka-uhaw! Dapat mapunta ako sa heaven ta’s may Meister Kirisaki akong hahalikan! Da’t ganun kasarap. Dapat habang nginunguya ko, gugustohin kong durugin THROUGH MY TEETH!!!
D: I like the ube inside. I like it soft. And the crust, I want something very crispy (like crispies!) or simply thin layer bread.
S: Crust is golden brown, a little chewy and melts in the mouth. Filling is soft, almost creamy and tastes like haleya ube. Not too sweet, but bearable until about four pieces.
Physical (1=excellent—5=poor) Winner: Ho-Land
Eng Bee Tin
M – 3. Too much coloring of ube. Uneven shape, inconsistent.
P – 3. May lagpas-lagpas, ta’s pinili ko pa yung pinakamaganda. Dapat walang pagpipilian kasi dapat lahat maganda.
D – 2. It looks yummy. It’s round, cylindrical and big enough?
S – 2. Looks appealing enough. Solid crust, filling a bit on the light side of purple. Size is just right for snacks.
Baker’s Fair
M – 1. Clean presentation, no crumbs. Consistent shape. Filling is not fine.
P – 3. Cute, small and pretty sa first impression, kaso ‘pag binuksan nakaka-TO [turn off] kasi mas makapal tinapay. I LOVE TINAPAY.
D – 2. Cute. Mukhang pantay-pantay yung size and color niya. Round cylindrical. Mapapansin agad na makapal ang crust.
S – 2. Very cute! Hopia is smaller than others. The shape is almost perfectly round and crust is evenly golden. Color of filling looks natural.
Ho-Land
M – 1. Not perfectly round, but crust doesn’t break or crumble easily.
P – 2. Not perfect circle/square/whatever. Manipis filling, nagpupulbos tinapay sa loob.
D – 3. Madungis. Irregular yung size. Durog-durog.
S – 1. Size is just right, crust is golden brown and shape is good. It has wax paper so that shows some consideration for sanitation. Color of ube is natural-looking
Salazar
M – 4. Ugly coloring of the crust (parang tattoo). No effort in the presentation.
P – 3. What’s the red thing (siopao?), arte? Gusto ko yung kulay at distortion niya (parang croissant).
D – 2. Mukhang piaya na mataba. Irregular ang pagkabilog niya.
S – 3. Crust is golden brown, but it doesn’t look neat, what with the crumbs starting to fall off. It’s the only one with a stamp, but it’s barely visible. Color of ube filling a little darker than others.
Eng Ho
M – 3. Para kasi siyang plastik na hopia, pangdisplay.
P – 4. The filling’s bursting from the thin, marbly coat. Di pantay yung tinapay and the filling that’s out looks like its from monggo bread.
D – 4. Odd shape. Parang rock. Bilod pero flat ilalim. Iba yung pagka-purple/violet ng ube!
S – 4. Not neatly done. Filling already showing. Thickness is not even. Ube looks artificially colored, a little on the dark side. Filling is not creamy, but a little more solid than usual, almost like bread crumbs
Polland
M – 2. Crust doesn’t easily crumble.
P – 3. Mukhang crab. O kaya pinritong dry skin
D – 4. It doesn’t look delicious. It’s not interesting. Very ordinary. Di nakakahikayat kainin.
S – 4. Crust is golden brown, but filling already showing in some parts. Shape and thickness is a little uneven. Ube filling is a dark purple.
Texture Winner: Eng Bee Tin
Eng Bee Tin
M – 3. Not so fine (filling)
P – 3. Ok lang.
D – 3. Makunat yung labas pero malambot loob.
S – 1. Firm, but soft. Not too sticky in the mouth. A little chewy.
Baker’s Fair
M – 2. Texture of crust is overwhelming that you can hardly appreciate the filling.
P – 3. Yung kapal niya kapag kinakagat, parang gusto ko lang paglaruan. Tuyo’t matigas yung filling. Parang gusto kong ngatngatin paligid. Yun lang.
D – 3. Smooth. Mukhang makapal na malambot pero makunat.
S – 4. Dough is too thick and hard, like bread. It’s also a little on the sticky side, bordering on unpleasant. I could hardly feel the ube filling
Ho-Land
M – Filling=1. Soft. Crust=3. One side is a bit matigas. Average=2.
P – 3. It’s funny, kinda smooth and fibery. Smells good—di napipipi, medyo powdery. Slight lang.
D – 4. Malutong yung crisp pero makunat? Basta yun! Magaspang.
S – 2. Crust is a little powdery and brittle like croissant. Ube is creamy, but also feels like natural. A little messy.
Salazar
M – 4. So dry.
P – 2. Just like friggin’ croissant!
D – 3. Magaspang. Tuyo yung ube.
S – 3. Crust is on the thin side, I was surprised by the suddenness of the filling’s appearance. Crust also like croissant, a little chewy and then filling is creamy. A little disconcerting at first, but pleasant.
Eng Ho
M – 5. Kailangang gumamit pa ng knife para marating ang filling, sobrang kapal at tigas ng crust.
P – 4. I try to find good parts.
D – 3. Smooth crust. But the ube is dry and very artificial.
S – 4. Crust is uneven; way too thin in some places and a little hard on others. Filling is too thick. Texture is unpleasantly powdery and bread-like.
Polland
M – 3. Not as soft as my ideal.
P – 3. It’s smooth and bulky. Quite inviting but not like Salazar.
D – 4. TUYO!!!
S – 2. Chewy. Filling is creamy, but sticky as well. Crust is soft and a little uneven: thin at the top and bottom, thick at the sides.
Taste Winners: Eng Bee Tin and Ho-Land
Eng Bee Tin
M – 3. Something in the taste, hinting hindi siya purong ube. May halong camote?
P – 3. Ok lang rin, walang abnormal. Malambot, matamis.
D – 2. Masarap kasi eh! Matamis-tamis pero lasang tinapay yung crust.
S – 2. Sweetness is not overpowering, leaves an aftertaste of ube and milk. Crust and filling blend well in the mouth.
Baker’s Fair
M – 3. Salty taste of the crust is disorienting.
P – 3. Basta tuyo. Yung tinapay makapal, may alat at tamis na matino naman ang pagkakahalo.
D – 3. Masarap-sarap. Nangingibabaw ang lasa ng bread kaysa ube. Pero yung ube lasang ube pa din.
S – 3. Thick crust overpowers the taste of the ube filling. A little salty. And it tastes a little like burnt ube or fake ube.
Ho-Land
M – Filling=1. Tastes like home-made halaya! Crust=3. Does not meet the quality of the filling. Average=2.
P – 3. Tama lang tamis, di nakaka-umay, medyo napahina din ng makapal na na lasa nung tinapay –kung kinain ko ‘to nang mainit, siguro tuyo na lalamunan ko (hanggang bukas)
D – 3. Matamis masyado. Hindi tamis ng UBE, tamis ng sugar. Di enjoyable. Too sweet for ube hopia.
S – 2. Ube tastes like natural ube, creamy and a little on the sweet side. Crust tastes a little like butter. But they do not blend, you can taste them separately.
Salazar
M – 4. Everything fails except something in the crust, parang croissant.
P – 2. ANG CHARAP ! Ubeng-ube loob. Second bite’s too sweet though.
D – 4. Masarap naman ito eh. Lasang hopia. It doesn’t taste like ube, but quite near I guess.
S – 2. Ube is too sweet. I could barely taste the crust.
Eng Ho
M – 5. This is hopiang munggo incognito!
P – 5. Horrid, dammit. Is that human food?! It’s dry like sand, friggit. MAY BUHOK PAAAAAAA!!
D – 4. Very weird. Doesn’t taste like ube. Tastes like bread. Very artificial.
S – 5. Does not taste like ube at all. More like purple mongo. Not nice.
Polland
M – 3. Not the good quality ube, cheap!
P – 3. May lasang papel sa balat. Di bagay na flavor sa hopia. Di pino yung laman.
D – 4. LASANG SUNOG! HINDI LASANG UBE!!! TUYO!! TAE... (sana Eng Bee Tin na lang lagi, walang kapantay sa mga hopia N)
S – 3. Tastes a little burnt. There is very little ube in the taste even though the filling is thick.
Overall Winner: Ho-Land
Eng Bee Tin
M – 3. Size is so bitin. Unpleasant look of the crust.
P – 3. Nothing extraordinary.
D – 2. Di naman perfect. Lasang ube hopia. Di lasang artificial.
S – 1. Taste and texture made a pleasant impact. I did not have a hard time eating it.
Baker’s Fair
M – 3. Filling is forgettable. Very high in presentation, so expectation is quite high in the beginning. It has its own character, not the traditional hopia.
P – 4. Disappointing. Gayunpaman, nakabawi rin lasa.
D – 3. Sakto lang, lasang hopia pa din. Masarap kahit di enjoyable. Parang bread na pinahidan ng ube sa loob.
S – 3. Bearable and tastes alright, but dough is really distracting!
Ho-Land
M – 2. Crust needs improvement; size is a bit small.
P – 3. Bumabawi lang ibang factor para sa mga failed shits.
D – 3. Masyado matamis kaya di ko na-enjoy. Tapos madumi kainin. Nahuhulog yung crumbs.
S – 2. When I ate it, it reminds me of hopia baboy for some reason. But it tastes good. Crust is a little overpowering, but the ube makes a vivid appearance as well.
Salazar
M – 4. You won’t even finish one. Dreadful look and no drama in the filling—mukhang pangit, pag tinikman mo talagang pangit.
P – 2. ~I can smell the filling from the outside.~
D – 3. Ordinary hopia. Nothing you would remember.
S – 3. Average impact. Taste of ube filling is too strong, it overpowers the crust. The texture is a little strange to me.
Eng Ho
M – 5. Even to your kaaway do mo ise-serve. Ikaw ang mapahiya unless you want to murder them by smashing it on their face. Basag talaga mukha.
P – 5.
D – 3. I’m just being considerate. It doesn’t taste good.
S – 4. Feels weird and confusing. Is it ube or mongo? Also, flavour is again too strong.
Polland
M – 3. Barely tolerable, doesn’t taste pure ube and taste of crust is neglected.
P – 4. Ayaw matanggal nung lasa ng cabinet.
D – 4!!! May consideration na yan. Kumbaga pag nakapila ang mga hopia, kahit 10 pcs for 2 pesos pa yan di ko bibilhin!! AMPANGET ng lasa talaga. Mapakla pa.
S – 3. A little disappointing. It smelled nice when I took it out of packaging, but the taste did not live up to it.
Do you like it?
Eng Bee Tin
M – Somewhat, because taste is close to ube and texture is tolerable.
P – It’s Ok, quite boring, but a good hopia nevertheless.
D – Yes. Because it’s hopia. UBE hopia! Like real UBE.
S – Yes. It had a well-balanced flavour, not too strong, not too mild. Hindi madaling pagsawaan.
Baker’s Fair
M – No, because I want more ube.
P – I hate it now.
D – Medyo. Di nga kasi ito enjoyable, pero masarap. Gets?
S - A little. I got used to it after a while, but it left me a little disoriented.
Ho-Land
M – Yes, but not captivating.
P – Not so good, not so bad.
D – No. It’s very, very far from my ideal HOPIA! 500 miles x2 x2 x2!!
S – Yes, but I think I can only finish one or two. It is a little strong for me
Salazar
M – Definitely no—as stated above (Overall)
P – YES. I lurv it. It’s like croissant.
D – Yes. It’s good, not too sweet.
S – A little. It tastes like haleya ube, but a small bite of this hopia feel like two spoonfuls of haleya ube. I could only finish one.
Eng Ho
M – Never. I like hopia, kahit medyo hopia, wag lang hindi hopia.
P – No, I hate it.
D – No! Very artificial!
S – No. it doesn’t taste like ube at all. If my parents told me this was the real ube, I would not believe them. It is too heavy, I could barely finish one.
Polland
M – No repeat, but not so horrible.
P – Ok lang. Matino lasa ng laman. Siguro maling kopya lang nabili ni ate kaya pangit. I see potential here, hmm...
D – No!!!!! Hindi enjoyable !! Maaalala ko to! Ito pa lang ang hopia na natikman ko na hindi sunog pero lasang sunog!!
S - A little above average. The flavour is not too evident, I still had to feel around to find the ube-ness. It needs a lot of effort to be eaten.
Strong and Weak Points
Eng Bee Tin
M – Presentation is the weakness; Strength – consistency of filling
P – Medyo tuyo, pero halos kasing sarap nung pasalubong sa’min.
D – Strong – UBE; Weakness – crust
S – Strong – well-balanced flavour; Weak – the ube taste appears a little late
Baker’s Fair
M – Strong presentation; Weakness – taste
P – Strength – appearance (first). Cute; Weakness – biglang makapal tinapay. Gusto ko parang croissant.
D – Strong? Wala ata eh; Weak – yung crust makapal.
S - Strong – very cute. Bread lovers might prefer this; Weak – crust is too thick
Ho-Land
M – Strong – halaya filling is perfect; Weak – size and crust
P – Weak – thickness; this is not the strength, pero nasuportahan nman nung tinapay ang filling- though they’re both not that good.
D – Strong – may malutong na part sa bread; Weak – sa ube...masyado talagang matamis.
S - Strong- tastes like ube; Weak – lack of balance, the taste of crust and filling do not blend well.
Salazar
M – Strong – pretending to be hopia; Weak – no quality assurance
P – Strength - Ilikethecroissantappearanceandthesmellfrom inside; Weakness – Wala masyadong lasa yung tinapay.
D – Strong is crust; Weak – ube too dry? Ewan.
S – Strong – tastes like haleya ube, feels like haleya ube; Weak – too strong
Eng Ho
M – Strong – appearance, kasi mukha siyang PLASTIC hopia; Weakness – unang-una, dapat UBE, wag munggo, pati kulay plastik.
P – It’s the representative of all the weakness of hopia. Yung balat parang balat ng mani.
D – Strong – none; Weak – it...as a whole.
S – Strong – interesting crust and filling; Weak – disconcerting taste
Polland
M – Strength – looks good; Weakness – overpowering food coloring!
P – Strength – the appearance, a bit; Weakness – quality of ingredients.
D – Weak – all; Strong – malambot yung ube.
S – Strong – soft and chewy texture; Weak – almost undetectable taste
Closeness to Ideal Hopia
Eng Bee Tin
M – It is very close to my ideal in terms of texture of filling.
P – Hopia Achievement: About 15%
D – Quite close. The ube is soft.
S - Very near. Very very near, because of the taste and the texture.
Baker’s Fair
M – It is never my ideal hopia, salty crust disorienting, it doesn’t present enough ube.
P – 12%
D – Malayo! 500 miles! Lord I’m 1! Lord I’m 2!...Lord I’m 500 miles away from UBE HOPIA!
S – A little off from midway. It tastes good, but not like my ideal.
Ho-Land
M – Close, almost deceiving.
P – It’s quite far from my ideal hopia; even so, it’s not so bad.
D – It’s not in the range of my ideal hopia.
S – Quite near. It is a little too overpowering and a little nakakasawa.
Salazar
M – Far from my ideal, too embarrassing to be served to friends and dear relatives. Pang-giveaway lang sa kaaway mo.
P – It’s there, that’s it.
D – Far.
S – Slightly above average. The crust and the filling lack harmony
Eng Ho
M – IT’S NOT HOPIA!! NEVER COMPARE (LITERAL)!
P – 6 feet underground.
D – Very far.
S – Very, very far. It does not taste or feel like ube at all. I didn’t like the inconsistency in texture and the crumbliness of the filling. It just reinforces its fake-ness.
Polland
M – Far, doesn’t have the halaya taste.
P – 10%
D – VERY FAR.
S – Average. Almost tastes artificial.
Improvements Needed
Eng Bee Tin
M – Less coloring and no fillers other than true ube; presentation should be better.
P – Gayahin niyo ideal hopia ko. Siguro add milk to the filling at durugin pa mabuti.
D – Hmmm...bigger size!!! Bitin e.
S - The crust could be a little more even.
Baker’s Fair
M – Back to formula
P – Filling: same thing.
D – Nipisan yung crust nga. Duh...lambutan din. Napaka-stiff ng bread! Parang crinkles yung feeling!!! Eew.
S - Better dough.
Ho-Land
M – Crust’s taste should complement the filling. Color of filling doesn’t look fresh.
P – Huwag nila masyadong tuyuin yung laman, kundi kakain na lang ako ng polvoron.
D- Tinatanong pa ba yun? E di bawasan yung tamis...sana mas maayos ang pagkakaluto kasi hiwa-hiwalay yung bread e.
S - Firmer crust, for cleaner eating.
Salazar
M – Back to formula and skip the tattoo.
P – Maybe...butter on the crust?
D – Kailangan hindi na watak-watak yung crust. Parang ‘kurowasan’ eh.
S – Milder taste of ube, firmer crust
Eng Ho
M - Gumamit ng tamang dictionary, baka naman kasi sculptor ang chef nila!
P – Gayahin niya Salazar. I tried to be nice, until I took a bite.
D – Don’t sell it!! Joke. I dunno...improve the ube. Don’t use the instant chuchu mix. Ewan.
S – New recipe.
Polland
M – Be generous in the filling, review recipe of crust.
P – Alisin niyo yung lasang papel/wood.
D – I think it needs improvement on the taste.
S – Better flavor.
View the In Search of the Best Hopiang Ube article at the City and Senses blogs
