Arely Again-A revisit to a really good French Bakery Cafe

mmm-yoso, the blog.  This is it.  Cathy blogging today; Kirk is resting; Ed is in Yuma.

Hi again.  I've been under the weather, because of the weather, and didn't feel much like eating out anywhere in the last week (let's politely say phlegm was involved and leave it at that). 

Looking at Kirk's post about his Bun Bo Hue dossier, I noticed he mentioned his "regular rotation" and started thinking about it.  The Mister and I eat at Arely a lot, not for the atmosphere (5 tables, plastic plates and cutlery) but because of the food.  It is very good and quite authentically French.  In fact, the last time we were here (a couple of Saturdays ago), three people in front of us all were speaking in French to each other, ordering in accented English and then while we were waiting for our food, another group of three people also speaking only in French were also getting food to eat there. Lots of people get food to go, many cakes are preordered and picked up.

Here is a link to my previous post on Arely.  I noticed I said I would talk about breakfast and so here is the follow up.    

Here is a copy of the glossy menu you can pick up inside.  (Click on any photo to enlarge).  It's the same menu as is on the wall that I had in the previous post.

Let's start out with something simple, basic.  An almond croissant.   Sure, I sort of cut it open to show you a cross section in this photo.  You can't feel the weight of it or the fact that it was still warm, with crispy layers-delicate layers of dough, the sweet layer of homemade marzipan-honey mixed with finely chopped almonds, or..oh, look...that filling...it is chopped almonds.

  Here, how is this photograph? Hand chopped, thin slivers of almonds, still crispy, sweet. Oh, did I say it was still a warm pastry at 10 a.m. on a Friday morning?...hmmm...what did I forget to tell you?  Oh, it costs all of $1.50, as do the muffins, apple turnovers, danishes, scones, and walnut raisin snails.  The 'fancy' Deserts (Napoleons, creme brule, tiramisu, eclairs (chocolate and vanilla) St. Michele, raspberry chocolate mousse, horseshoes, montmartre, opera cake and cheesecake and a chocolate mousse cake) are each the staggering price of $2.95. It is all made here. Fresh.

This loaf of multi grain bread is$2.60.  It is very good bread. Hearty, chewy.  Different from the baguettes, which have a nice crispy crust.  Fresh.

I know, it is not "extraordinary" as far as the location and ambiance goes.  You pay, dearly, for that privilege.  This place has excellent, fresh made food and pastries and breads.  I shant discuss other bakeries here.  I know what is good as well as what is excellent and what I will pay for good and excellent.   

Ah, breakfast- here are two omelettes

Each costs $5.95 and came with the 5 slices of baguette and side, as shown.

The one on the left is with the fresh fruit (melon, cantaloupe, strawberries, orange slices and apple slices).  Each fruit was extremely flavorful and at its peak.  The cantaloupe was the most flavorful one I have had this year.  The omelette on the right is shown with the side of home potatoes (sauteed with skins on with some onion and..hmmm... I think it was butter).

Ah, innards.  

This one is the ratatouille - eggplant, zucchini, tomato and Herbes de Provence .  Really good Herbes de Provence- as in you can taste the lavender herb quite clearly. Fresh herbs, fresh sauteed vegetables.

The omelettes are made with real eggs; I did bite on a piece of eggshell near the end of this meal.  It just was reassuring that my taste buds, realizing how fresh the egg tasted, were not playing a trick on me.

This is the 'why play games?' omelette-  spinach and blue cheese.  Oh yes.  You kind of need those pieces of baguette to fully appreciate the melted blue cheese.

Please look at the previous post to see the French Onion Soup as well as quiche and sandwich choices we had one day.  Then, just go.

Arely French Bakery Cafe 4961-A Clairemont Drive 92117 (next to Pick Up Sticks and Woodie's- you can see the Krispy Kreme and Outback just across the parking lot) (858)270-1910 Mon-Sat 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Comments

[Michael]

I had no idea this place existed. Will try it in the morning. Great post and thanks for the info.

[ed (from Yuma)]

Hi Cathy, those pastries and those omelettes look good. But actually, I'm not IN Yuma right now - I'm visiting my old stomping grounds in Monterey. So no Mexican food for a few days. Seafood and 65 degree days instead. Woo-hoo!

[Kirk]

Hey Cathy - The Missus has been fixated on that Almond Croissant...so guess where we'll be going soon!

[Cathy]

Hi again, Michael. I had not actually done any 'follow up' posts before (except for mentioning Mary's Donuts in Santee twice)and only started thinking about what our "regular rotation" was after seeing Kirk mention it. I am glad you may try it. The owner was saying the expected business to slow down for the summer, and I hope it doesn't.
Hey, Ed- After I saw your post on Los Manjare, I *had* to get a torta the other day. Hope you are enjoying your vacation. We will have a hot one out in Santee today, but it should cool down at night.
Hi, Kirk (and Missus)- get there early; they sell out fast (see Roland's comment on the previous post). Even if the almond croissants are sold out, there should be something to enjoy. :)

[PGS]

I finally made it to this place--which I have been meaning to check out since the last time you reviewed it.

We had a salad (Nicoise, what else?) and a panini. Both were quite nice--although I would have preferred kalamata olives, instead of the canned black ones. We bought a bunch of pastries and stuffed ourselves silly with them all day as we walked around Balboa park and ran errands. While some of them aren't 'authentic' French pastries (the Pain au Raisin had cinnamon and walnuts for example), they were very good and fresh--and surprisingly not sugary. Obviously the baker knows how to make great pastries and add something new to make it his own. Which means we will be going back, and gaining lots of weight as a result.

Great review.

[Cathy]

Hi,PGS-Glad you finally made it out here. I was frustrated by the olives also (oh, do I love olives), but it is a minor detail in the overall quality of the food here. Seeing so many Native French eating here (compared to how few I have seen at Wired) makes me think that there is something a bit more reminiscent of 'home' at Arely. My only complaint is they will make a Croque Monsieur but not a Croque Madame (and we know they have eggs back there).
As long as you go to Balboa Park and walk each time you get a pastry here, the weight thing shouldn't be a problem. This will be difficult in rainy season. :)
Thanks for the kind words about our little blog.

[Elly]

My favorites are the croissants and the apricot tarts. Admittedly, I haven't tried much else. The buttery, crisp pastry and mouth watering, succulent, flavorful fruit goodness distracts me from other treats. I guess I don't allow myself the indulgence often enough to branch out. Personally, I think they are the best in SD... especially for the price.

[Cathy]

Oh, I am so glad you like it here, too, Elly. It isn't an indulgence to branch out...it is following the reason you went there in the first place-the craving/wanting the almond or apricot taste...I find I go somewhere because I want the same thing I had before...because it was so good. Thanks for dropping by and commenting.