Carnival Supermarket-Lunch in the Store

Well.  You've found yourself at the mmm-yoso!!! food blog again. Kirk is vacationing in a colorful part of the world, ed (from Yuma) is having fun in Yuma, a colorful part of the United States and Cathy has ventured to a colorful part of San Diego.

Hello again. If you've ever been on Convoy street at Mesa College Drive, in the parking lot where K Sandwiches and Anh Hong are, or maybe parked in that parking lot and walked over to Mien Trung or Sushi Diner and then left the parking lot on the side street (onto Mesa College Drive), you have to turn right and at the signal light, which is Ashford Street,  make a U-Turn to get back to Convoy, (or you can turn right into that parking lot, where Homestyle Hawaiian is located).  

If you make a right on Ashford, about a half mile through that neighborhood of houses is a signal light (which is Beagle Street and Stalmer Street) and Carnival Market is about 100 feet further, on the West side of Ashford. 

Carnival is a local, neighborhood Supermarket.  It is small. When you walk in the main door, you are in the Produce Department. To your left are the check out counters.

To your right are the Ready to Eat counters.

Yes.  Lamb shanks- this is not just a Mexican Market; several Middle Eastern items are made and sold here, but not flatbreads. The Chicharron in Salsa Verde is a specialty that not many markets or restaurants sell; it is really good.  

Whole roasted chickens, various pork preparations...

We'll be back to this counter  for lunch after a short tour.

There is a bakery section, which makes all sorts of desserts.

Five floor-to-taller-than-me doors of small baked goods. (Made without preservatives or lard).

The small (10 for $1.10) and large (4 for $1) bolillos are made fresh several times a day.

As are the tortillas, which I always purchase.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The seafood counter is small, but has good choices.

 

 

As does the meat counter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and the cheese counter.  

Just enough selection and variety  and good prices to get me to visit here regularly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then there is the Eat In Area. A visit here isn't complete without a ready to eat item or three...

The tables are next to the Taqueria and there is a salsa bar available. 

There are several house made salsas (which you can purchase in the cases) and other condiments available. You get your hot foods and pay at the front cash registers then walk back here to the tables to eat. 

The Guisado of the day was $5.99 a pound.  This much was $5.27.  It was Beef Birria -essentially pot roast- definitely made with garlic, cumin, cloves, cinnamon and I am sure many other spices as well as several types of chilies.  The meat was very tender, the sauce very rich and deep flavored. 

This is about 1/2 pound of shrimp and octopus cocktail ($4.27). Fresh, fresh made.   Fresh, plump, large shrimp. The sauce is very mild and salsa and hot sauce were added while I was eating.

I'm sure you noticed above that the fried tilapia, whole or fillets, was $2.99.  Add rice, beans and four hot, fresh tortillas and this plate was...$3.99.  You know I had to.  The lady behind the counter was surprised I wanted the whole fish and went to some trouble to select one of the larger, meatier ones for me. 

Once again, I finished it all.

Carnival Market isn't large, but it has everything you might want or need. And then some. 

Carnival Supermarket 3560 Ashford Street San Diego 92111 (858) 277-1505 Open 7 am-10 pm, seven days

Comments

[Janfrederick]

Wow, that certainly beats $10.05 pricewise. How about value-wise? The former certainly had a much nicer presentation.

[Cathy]

Well, the fish was smaller (four slashes across the body versus five) and not fried to order (they're under the heat lamp, in the 6th photo), JF. The flavor is really good as is the texture as are the rice, beans and tortillas. I've purchased it here before and will again-no complaints. Styrofoam instead of a plate doesn't bother me.

[caninecologne]

ooh, a new place to visit! i like that their fried fish is only $2.99 (better price than jnc pinoy foodmart!) i am excited that they have birria too! must. have. now.

[ed (from Yuma)]

As always, interesting.

One thing I've never figured out is the difference (if any) between birria de res and barbacoa. To me, they both taste like pot roast cooked in a chile broth. Sometimes, the birria seems darker in color - as in your picture - but no one has ever explained the differences to me.

[Cathy]

You'll like it, CC. It is a small, neighborhood Supermarket that has fascinating, quality items.
Thank you, ed. I always thought of birria as the meat cooked in the broth, like a stew and barbacoa as the meat dry-cooked/separately cooked then topped with the sauce...and the sauces are made with different chilies. Since I am unsure, I will do more research.

[Carol]

The lamb shanks are only $7.99/lb!

[cathy]

Always good prices here, Carol. I haven't tried the lamb shanks because the one thing not made here is Mediterranean flatbread, like the other Med-Mex store where I shop(Kaelin's in El Cajon). The bread would go with all the sauce...

[Paul Walls]

The best store! The bakery secction always nice to people :)

[Cathy]

It is a great store, Paul. Did you see the new brick oven making fresh flatbreads (for only 89¢ each) by the bakery, between the glass cake display and doors that sell the Mexican pastries? Welcome to our blog!