Ngohiong times

Awhile ago, right after I bought something at SM, on my way home via the ever reliable jeepney commute I passed by Manalili St. (if I'm not mistaken, my geography is whacked out) and the sudden aroma all too familiar with me during those tried and formative times at USC hits me. Ala hollywood flashback, memories of eating the humble Ngohiong came flooding. Me and my friends/collegemates would gobble them up during our lunch hours, snack time or so when the need arises. Day after school day, it was our saviour. I had a meager allowance then and I had some vices (cigarettes and the proverbial beer or two) that need tending which calls for a tight budgeting till the week ends. The ngohiong was cheap and delicious enough to hold on to our stomachs for the hours to pass. Anyways, I suddenly had the unstoppable urge to taste it again. The moment I came home I urged my girlfriend to have a dinner out and suggested (demanded) that we eat at the Chinese Ngohiong nearest us which coincidentally is the same branch (I think it’s the main branch) that we frequented, collegemates and I from way back, the one near USC campus. We then took off and hiked our way down to it. The place is quite expanded now to accommodate the loyal patrons and there’s still a lot of customers waiting in line to order and eat, the place is still packed and from the looks of things business is in full swing. As what I have observed of late, they have quite a couple of branches sprouting about town. Ngohiong is almost a Cebuano delicacy, one can even mistook it as a Cebuano dish although the origins of which are Chinese. It is an undying pop food in this side of the Philippines. I have lived in Cagayan de Oro and I witnessed a ngohiong eatery there closed up shop for only a couple of months operation, the Cagayanons didn’t like the taste of it I guess and somehow I felt that I was the only customer there. Here, one can always see eateries serving ngohiong next to the popular siomai or fried chicken, but the best ngohiongs produced, for me, is still the ones near USC and always will be. And in closing, I humbly invite you to indulge and grab a bite and taste one, it never ceases to satisfy me.