Valerio's Bakery (Mira Mesa)

Since 2005, mmm-yoso!!! has been a blog about food.  Today, Cathy is writing while Kirk and His Missus are gathering good memories together. 

Tucked in the corner anchored by Lucky Seafood (no, Lucky Pho has not reopened) and next to Tim Ky Noodle  is one of four locations of Valerios City Bakery (two in the LA area). The original location, "Home of the Finest Oriental Bread and Pastries", family owned and operated bakery opened in 1979 in National City.  
When you walk in, you'll be greeted by one of the nice ladies who works here.  You'll see a wall of some ready to grab pastries: some sweet, some savory.  To the left, there are steam trays with a menu just behind.  This is our excuse to stop here; for a meal. 
 Valerio's opens at 6 a.m.  There's breakfast, XXX si-log. Some sort of meat and eggs and garlic rice for $7.99 (meats to choose from  are Longanisa (a Filipino sausage), Spam, Tocino (thick cut bacon), Daing Na Bangus (fish) or Hot Dog) (for $8.95, you can get Tap si-log, beef jerky).  This is Long si-log, with a *great* garlic rice, perfect over easy eggs and a wonderful sweet longanisa (there are several varieties of longanisa, savory as well as sweet, depending on the region of the Philippines.).  Breakfast is served all day, or until ingredients run out.  A two item entree with rice is $9.99.  Chicken adobo was placed in the box with the (plain) rice and pork menudo was in its own container.  Each had excellent flavors.

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Filipino adobo is a cooking process. The meat (or vegetable) is browned in oil then simmered in a mix of five items:  vinegar, garlic, soy sauce (or fish sauce or salt), whole black pepper and bay leaves.  

Filipino menudo is a tomato based stew.  In this case, pork was marinated in lemon and soy then stewed in the tomato sauce with potato and carrots (tediously cut) and bell pepper.  

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Also available on the steam tables, depending on the time of day, are empanadas($1.99) (this is chicken) and Turon (85¢) (banana in a fried wrapper).  Always fresh.

On the other side of the cash register is a bakery display case.  The merengues (five for $2) are crisp, light and are vanilla flavored-delicious.  
 There are ube (purple yam) Bibingka ($3.99) sold here.  The dots of white are cream cheese.  The rice cake treat is made fresh daily and a great mid-afternoon snack.

One day, The Mister and I were having breakfast and in walked cc and Bert, (who are friends) and they ordered some treats and offered some bites.  This sweet, soft bun had ube jam filling. This sweet cheese roll is also soft and a great snack.   A great place to drop in for a meal and a snack. 

Valerio's City Bakery 9396 Mira Mesa Blvd San Diego 92126 (858)527-1834 Open daily 6 a.m.-5 p.m. Website 

 Filipino shops have an image of Santo Niño somewhere in their establishment.  

Comments

[kat]

savory & sweet, nice variety!

[Cathy]

Filipino food is great, Kat! There's pineapple in the breakfast sausage/longanisa, which compliments the garlic in the rice. The various pastries (soft rolls as well as baked crusts) filled with chicken or beef stew are great savory bites in addition to those with sweet fillings.

[Joy]

Sounds great I'll have to check out the location in National City one of these days.

[Cathy]

All bakeries are interesting, but some are more interesting than others, Joy. Valerio's is a great choice no matter what you are craving or curious about trying.

[Soo]

I like their pan de sal.

[Cathy]

I didn't even put up a photo of those, Soo! Depending on my mood, either pan de sal here or double loaves of French bread at Lucky Market are the usual purchase. Fresh bread is necessary.