Melly’s Bakery & Cafe

Melly’s was a tough place to review for me. Not very well versed at all in Filipino cuisine, I came here on a UYE organized by the new Brazilian Jujitsu sensation, the one they call the Angelo T.
First off, this place is tiny. Like four tables and small counter tiny. It is a bakery which does a little restaurant on the side. Gotta expand the revenue stream, so I totally get it.
Secondly, it’s popular. At least it was on Sunday afternoon. Everyone seems to come here and order something.
I had the Kare-​Kare stew, which was just excellent! Very smooth, silky and peanutty. Never tasted anything like it! I also had the Bibinka, which is a sweetbread that was also very tasty.
It’s very slow though so go here expecting to wait a long time while they try to keep up with demand. They need to find a way to speed up the service to capitalize on their authenticity. However, I guess it’s up to them to make that choice because this place could get a lot more attention if they organized that a little bit better. I’d give this place four stars if the speed was better. It’s a solid 3.5!
Excellent food!

Melly’s serves all day breakfast, and apparently the time to go is after the lunch rush crowd. We were there are 130, seemed to work well enough.
I have no idea what any of the food is, or what it’s supposed to taste like, but the Tocilog I ordered was pretty tasty. Shredded-​ish pork pieces that come out bright red. Is it the sauce? I’m gonna go with yes. Anyway, I’d hit that log again. Breakfast comes with a bowl of rice and two eggs.
The menu isn’t big, and the food took forever to come out, so make sure you have a ton of time. But from what I gathered asking questions of my friends who knew their way around Filipino food, apparently it takes awhile to cook anyway. Normal restaurant, I would’ve taken off a star for that. But since I haven’t nothing to compare it too, I will bite my tongue on this point.
We ended the meal with a Halo Halo. That’s right, all that log tappin’ makes me an angel… twice! Ha! Really, it’s this iced drink think. It looks all pretty in the glass when it comes out. I was trying to eat it like a sundae. Don’t. Instead, mash everything up altogether and it will taste much, much better.
April Underdog Challenge: ¹⁹⁄₃₀

I was recently at Melly’s and felt totally clueless because I know nothing about Filipino food. Being that this place is pretty authentic, it would be really helpful to go with someone like Angelo T., who knows what’s going on. I actually would have been here sooner, but I drive by earlier in the mornings and it doesn’t open until 11am. I find that a little odd for a bakery and café. I asked a lot of questions before ordering and the woman behind the counter was gracious enough to exercise patience with me.
I tried a Cheese Tart and Ube Ensaymada (sweet bread laced with purple yam). I liked the tart as it had a lot of cheese but I couldn’t taste the yam in the bread. However, the bread was good and the next time I stop in, I’ll purchase a larger ube loaf. The one I had was an individual size and the larger ones look packed with yam.
I have a Filipino client so I asked her about ube. She has a hard time believing that the bakery uses real ube and assumes it is «manufactured.» I’ll have to ask the next time I’m in.
Melly’s is worth the stop for the experience.
April Challenge: The Underdog ²⁴⁄₃₀

Underdog Challenge ²⁵⁄₃₀
I decided to hold a UYE brunch for Melly’s after months of raving about it to people who asked «where can I get some good Filipino food». On a hole-​in-​the-​wall level, this s the best place in the city. Of course this notion is constantly being challenged as new Filipino restaurants pop up in the city but the truth is, the best is made at home, so unless your significant other/​best friend/​work subordonate is Filipino. You are SOL
I always had their breakfast dishes and always order one of the handful of dishes they have like Kare-​Kare or Menudo. But Melly’s is a bakery after all and you can’t leave this place without having purchased their baked goods. Don’t feel bad dropping a $ 20 getting pastillas and yemas.
Ouuu if you’re dining here, I suggest you dive into a halo-​halo, especially on a hot summer day. What’s a halo-​halo? well let me break it down for you:
~*~The Halo-​Halo Food Pyramid~*~
*
/​\
/​\
/​\
/​FRUIT \
/​\
/​ICE | BEANS \
/​\
/​SIN | LOVE \
/​\
/​FAT | REGRET \
/​\
/​SUGAR | KARAOKE \
Yeah…for REAL

Dare I share one of my ulimate family secrets… ok ok ok… this filipino bakery is a must haunt.
Tucked at a kind of unglamorous mall in the northeastern recesses of the city, Melly’s bakery is worth the incredible affordable pricing and most of all the baked goods.
This must be my family’s 10 birthday order here, we are talking ube cake which first of all is the color purple layered with fresh coconut layers, all very light and incredibly yummy.
I just ordered a 45 dollar cake that fed around 80 people at my store anniversary.
It doesnt stop there, they have meringue, cookies, ube, mango, flan, and on and on and on. All this incredible goodness at low pricing points in a humble little bakeshop.
The owner or whomever served me was so gracious and kind… I tell you, you got to try it. Melly’s!

Melly’s Bakery & Café may seem simple upon first look, but once you have a look around, you will be convinced that there is more than meets the eye… much more.
Specializing in Filipino baked goods, wedding cakes & birthday cakes, Melly’s is where it’s at.
The store owners are ouber friendly and if you have any questions they are more than happy to oblige.
What I especially love about this place is that the majority of their cakes and baked goods are made using rice flour as the base as oppose to wheat flour. I have to avoid large quantities of gluten, so it’s nice for me to know that some of their goods are made exclusively from rice flour. Do be careful though: a lot of their stuff is made primarily with rice flour, but it still contains wheat as well — so makesure you ask!