Chinatown cont:

Peking duck on the middle row, 3rd from the left: "Oh please pick me! Pick me!!"

Fruits were in abundance - got me a Pomelo (for $4.00). I would have bought more if it wasn't so heavy and its size were'nt as big as my head. The pomegranates were also huge. Mental Note: Gotta get a recipe that calls for sprinkled pomegranate seeds. 'Settled for a pound of deep red, juicy Bing Cherries instead.

At last, seafood! Rummaged through my bag: Now where's my crumpled list??

• Cod filets - check.
• Chilean sea bass - check.
• Red snapper - check.
• Shrimps - check.
• Squid - check.
• Flounder filets - nope, too small and skinny.

As per request, the guy dropped a few freebie scoops of ice in my plastic bag to keep my fish fresh longer and I was soon off my way.

Next stop was my fave 1-stop shopping store: Asia Market Corp. They sell veggies outside and assorted Filipino products (from Datu Puti soy sauce, to Jasmin rice, to fermented anchovies, to Nabisco choco crunchies, etc.) inside the store.

Quick look at the checklist again:

• Green papaya - check
• jicama (singkamas) - check
• stringbeans - check
• scallions - check
• green mangoes - check
• bok choy - check
• limes - none, only lemons
• cilantro - none, only parsley
  

All this food shopping made my stomach grumble - reminding me that I only had a cup of java and a banana (healthy, right) for breakfast. So I stopped by HopKee Restaurant, located at the corner of Mosco St. and Mott St. for lunch. People initially get disheartened when they see the shuttered Dimsum place under the restaurant's sign, thinking the place had boarded-up and closed. Relax folks, that is NOT Hopkee. Just take the flight of stairs leading down to the basement, where the restaurant is located. The place is nothing fancy. In fact, it is downright plain. But the food is consistently great. This restaurant is so popular among Filipinos that you are guaranteed to see at least one kababayan any given time/day you eat there.

Today, I had the Sauteed Stringbeans which was both tender and crunchy. Link for Hopkee: http://gonyc.about.com/od/atozindex/gr/hopkee.htm