You have navigated your way to mmm-yoso!!!, the blog about food. Today, Kirk as well as ed(from Yuma) are each doing something that requires focus. Cathy is multitasking, so here's a blog post.
I think we all know that the San Diego location of H Mart opened on November 17 -less than two weeks ago. In case anyone didn't know, I will do just about anything to avoid crowds. Therefore The Mister and I decided to wait until things slowed down to shop and check out offerings. The day after Thanksgiving was that perfect day.
Yes, there were empty parking spots at 10 a.m..
H Mart, a Korean Market, has great deals on fruits, vegetables, panchan, kim chee, meats and fish. Everything is fresh and clean. We were very happy walking around while being able to push our shopping cart and not having to navigate around and between shoppers and their carts. When we got to the far end of the store, next to the exit door, we saw the signage-
Similar to other H Marts and Korean Markets in general, you can observe the workers behind glass.
In typical Korean bakery fashion, grab a tray, top it with a paper liner, grab tongs and select your choices from behind and on top of glassed doored cases, stand in line, order beverages and pay.
On this visit, we picked out a good snack of sweets selection.
The round 'donut' ($1) was a very large rice ball/mochi, filled with smooth pumpkin and deep fried. It collapsed when we cut it, but biting into it can give you a cross section view. It was really good and quite large. The almond pastry - basically a croissant ($1.90)- was so light and flaky with crispy almond slices and had a good amount of almond paste filling. The other pastry (listed as a 'one bite' on the receipt, for $1, but on the display had $1.25 as the price) was essentially a puff pastry cup filled with delicious custard and topped with an apricot half. So good-each flavor distinguishable and the various textures made this a perfect snack item.
So, after we got home, there were daily discussions of which items at Paris Baguette we wanted to try and when we we went at around 2 p.m. on a weekday, there was zero parking in the lot in front of H Mart and only a few spaces in the back parking lot. However, hunger and curiosity won out and there were new sales inside the store and a few cart navigation incidents, but once I got to the far side of the store, Paris Baguette wasn't overly busy and I chose a good variety of items for a late lunch. The 4 box of baby chox ($2) was a perfect, soft version of choux pastry filled with real whipped cream which managed to make its way home.
The ham and cheese croissant ($2.25) was a perfect light and flaky pastry filled with just enough ham and cheese to make this sandwich an easy choice in the future. The other item in the above photo is a canele ($1.80) which I haven't seen around here. There was a nice story board on the counter telling that canele was first made in Bordeaux, where the wines are clarified with egg white, leaving yolks behind...
which are used to make the custard filling of this small, dense, caramelized cake. It is unique and wonderful.
The "Crunch Sandwich" ($5.95) which we found in the refrigerator section was very interesting. The package was heavy and ingredients listed are chicken salad, green leaf lettuce, honey mustard and pan croissant. The chicken salad was very nice, made with onion, walnuts and dried cranberries and wrapped in the 'pan croissant' which was a surprisingly nice, dense and chewy flat bread/flat croissant.
We've liked the food and service here and my only criticism is that the line where you wait to pay is along the the coffee, condiment/supplies and trash bins, which makes it awkward to get to the half and half/napkins/forks and knives or to clean your table when you leave.
Paris Baguette is a franchise and another location will be opening inside the new location of Zion Market on Clairmont Mesa and Convoy, when Zion opens (probably in January).
Paris Baguette (Inside H Mart) 9440 Mira Mesa Boulevard San Diego 92126 website
The hot beverage cups are cardboard covered in foam and don't need a cardboard 'sleeve'. I've brought both home and am going to use them for something...just pretty...
Oh how funny, I posted on the bakery today too. Though you tried way more stuff than me. I must go back and try more.
Posted by: kirbie | Wednesday, 28 November 2012 at 09:33 AM
The bakery looks really good! Is it better than that bakery at Zions? I haven't been to Hmart yet b/c I'm too scared of the parking situation!
Posted by: Faye | Wednesday, 28 November 2012 at 09:59 AM
cool post! i saw kirbie's too! i'm going to have to wait til i'm on break to go because with work, i definitely don't want to go out at night (i'm such a homebody, haha) on weekdays and weekends are out of the question.
everything you got looks good, especially the canele and the crunch sandwich.
Posted by: caninecologne | Wednesday, 28 November 2012 at 09:19 PM
We have been two times already, Kirbie. Always something new it seems...or maybe something ignored after filling the tray. In any case, I know PB will be at H Mart and inside the new Zion.
You are smart to stay away, Faye; our second visit was on a Tuesday at 2 p.m. and still zero parking available. There is plenty of parking at Zion and there is one bakery item at Zion I like that can't be found elsewhere- multi layered cake with a cream layer and separated by puff pastry layers.
Thanks, cc. We wanted to try something savory as well as the canele. Wait for crowds to slow down- or do what we did and drive to Diamond Bar. Even on a Saturday, it wasn't crazy crowded.
Posted by: Cathy | Thursday, 29 November 2012 at 07:22 AM
Yum! Everything looks delicious, we'll have to check it out soon, I have never visited a Korean bakery before.
Posted by: Lori | Thursday, 29 November 2012 at 03:17 PM
hi cathy - i know what pastry item you're talking about (that layered cake/puff pastry one). love that! but I also like the hot dog thing/bread form zion.
Posted by: caninecologne | Thursday, 29 November 2012 at 03:42 PM
There are a couple of Asian Bakeries in San Diego, Lori. Pangea (http://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/2012/10/pangea-bakery-cafe.html) is owned and run by a nice Korean lady, and there is the one inside Zion Market (which I hope will move to the new location; there can be more than one bakery in a Food Court). A lot of what is sold at the bakery inside the 99 Ranch store is also very similar.
It must be the multiple textures, cc. I haven't tried the Zion hot dog roll, but will soon (there is so much available parking, even at 10 a.m.; we went because I felt "H Mart guilt" and Zion was so nice...)
Posted by: Cathy | Friday, 30 November 2012 at 02:36 PM
I thought Pangea was a Taiwanese bakery? I'm looking foward to trying Paris Baguette although I've avoided H Mart so far for fear of crowds. But speaking of the new Zion, there's a sign for a Korean BBQ; it looks to be on the side of the store facing Convoy Street.
Posted by: Sandy | Friday, 30 November 2012 at 03:42 PM
You're right, Sandy-everyone says it is Taiwanese, but the ladies who work there are Korean and especially lately, the sweets available are more and more similar to the ones at Zion, Tous les Jours and Deli Manjoo. You are smart to avoid H Mart, unless you are there right when it opens; if you can't find a parking spot, leave. I am thinking that old K-Mart/Sears space is so large, that the 'Food Court" for the new Zion will be huge...can't wait.
Posted by: Cathy | Friday, 30 November 2012 at 05:13 PM
Nice! When I went, it wasn't open yet so this is a nice peek as to what they offer. Thanks Cathy!
Posted by: Carol | Wednesday, 05 December 2012 at 08:55 AM
We went there about 9 a.m. on Tuesday and they actually had baguettes for sale, Carol! The girl at the counter said they get the flour from France. All I know is that it was such a perfect loaf of bread. (I also grabbed a couple of other things..because)
Posted by: Cathy | Wednesday, 05 December 2012 at 11:24 AM
hi cathy - the owner of pangea is Taiwanese actually. maybe many of the workers are korean?
Posted by: caninecologne | Saturday, 29 December 2012 at 12:16 AM
Maybe that's it, cc. In any case, the baked goods at both Pangea and Paris are good, with a lot of overlap in style and type of pastry and fillings.
Posted by: Cathy | Saturday, 29 December 2012 at 02:53 AM