El Cajon Market/International Mediterranean foods and Deli and Bakery in El Cajon

This Market has closed.  There are several more markets on the same block, across the street and further East on East Main Street.

mmm-yoso!!! is what you are reading-the blog.  About food.  Blogging is done mostly by Kirk, ed (from Yuma) and Cathy, along with a few others.  Today, Cathy is back.  Talking about yet another meal and where she acquired it.

Hello again, I am blogging about a meal The Mister and I got in the bakery and deli section of a small Market which has been in El Cajon for a number of years.  Nondescript storefront, good prices on Mediterranean staples inside.  A limited, but fresh, produce and fruit section with great prices (On June 8, Romaine was 3 heads for $1, Persian cucumbers were 2 pounds for 99¢, Roma tomatoes 69¢ a pound, parsley bunches were 3 for $1).

I was unable to take a photo of the store front when nobody was standing around (look at my posts; I try not to have any people in the photographs).  The Market is on the North side of Main Street, just East of the Avocado/Ballantyne intersection, walking distance from the courthouse and City Hall, if you ever have Jury Duty (or happen to be let out of the Jail, or are visiting someone in the Jail) and the wording you see on the front is "International Market" but the store receipt is "El Cajon Market"…

Inside there are a great many Mediterranean staples in the three main aisles and along the back of the store, there is a small deli selling fresh Feta, olives, hummus, baba ganoosh, meats and pickled goodies.  Along the side where the entrance and exit doorway is, there is a small deli and in back of that, a baking area.  We decided to pick up lunch here.  As I said, I don't take photographs of people and almost everyone else in the store was speaking a different language than English to each other.  But everyone behind the counters are very nice and helped us.  We have been here before.

For our lunch, we decided on the following items:

A piece of fresh made (still hot) leavened bread-you have to walk in and see the lady in the back making this…she takes a piece of the risen dough and flattens it, places it onto a curved cloth covered disc with handle on opposite side and slaps to dough into a deep circular oven, poking holes in it if it is bubbling and pulling it out as it is finished cooking- in about 30 seconds.  This piece of bread is easily 18 inches across and costs all of 99¢.  There is a stack of the breads on the counter right next to a stack of large paper bags.  You will see people walking up and placing three or four pieces in a paper bag.

The hummus is in the deli section in the back, prepackaged and …oh, yes…homemade.  Not quite smooth.  Chickpeas and tahini, garlic and -oh you can taste it- olive oil.  This was a prepacked one pound container for $3.99 and it is the best hummus I have ever tasted.  (I have tasted a lot of hummus in my time, by the way).

We decided on five kebabs ($5)(yes, $1 each) which are grilled fresh over low heat after you order.  The meat is ground beef and the spices have a slight kick of heat to the flavor.  Just enough to make it wonderful.  The kebabs are very juicy, not dry at all.  We had two leftover kebabs from this meal.

We also got a pound of lamb and beef Schawarma ($4.49).  Cut off the spit, the spices and freshness are something I crave.  They also have a spit of chicken Schawarma.   The amount of meat here is the same as in the five kebabs, as was the amount of leftovers for the two of us.  

We also got (left) 1/2 pound of chicken Biryani (Basmati rice, chicken, sliced almonds, raisins with  curry) ($2.49) and 1/2 pound of bulgur made with Ghee (clarified butter) ($1.99). Again, extreme fresh good flavor and, I must say, I could eat the Biryani as a meal any day.

There are a lot of prepackaged, Baklava in the store, with labels from where they are made (Southern California).  But on the back refrigerator counter, there is a tray of these filo covered 4 inch long honey covered goodies.  Obviously made here.

But, they aren't nut filled.  It has a creamy, non-tangy, not sweet cheese, kind of chunky, like a milky ricotta.  I am not certain.  It's only $1 and I am happy with the flakiness of the filo and sweet of honey and anyhow, it is pleasant and I don't buy (and consume) a lot of the bakalava by getting this.

Yes, all of this food cost $21.10 with tax and is easily two meals for the two of us.   Stop in if you are in the neighborhood.  There are many products I have not discussed.

El Cajon Market 502 East Main Street El Cajon 92021  Market:(619)444-5800 Restaurant phone: (619) 328-1901