Amalia's Bakeshop & Restaurant

Seems like there's a new Filipino spot opening up weekly in Cerritos/Artesia. Amalia's Bakeshop & Restaurant replaces Gourmet 99 Cents, whom replaced Eriel's Bakeshop. Looking for some breakfast to tide me over in the morning, I swung by to check out what Amalia's had to offer. A Filipino bakeshop would be remiss without the usual suspects, such as hopia & pan de sal. I decided on items more savory to enjoy. Stuffed pork pan de sal- An inner core of BBQ pork like you find in siopao (cha siu bao), engulfed by a pan de sal shell, these were good, albeit heavy on the bread & light on the pork. Chicken empanadas- The chicken empanadas were a bit oily & overdone. I like a flaky crust, but these were more on the burned end of the spectrum. The filling was okay, but I prefer Luisa & Sons. Arroz caldo- Rice porridge that's the Filipino version of the Chinese congee, the arroz caldo was a filling portion. Made with rice, sweet rice, ginger, green onions, garlic, thick pieces of shredded chicken, hardboiled egg and all the rest of the accoutrement, I highly enjoyed slurping down my rice porridge. Hot dishes, such as pancit, fried rice & BBQ items are available on the menu, but I was there early & they weren't ready for purchase. I've heard the hot foods aren't kept under heat lamps and/or buffet trays, so I would be cautious to be safe. Service was good. The guy working there was busy in the kitchen & I had to holler to let him know he had a customer. The arroz caldo took around 5 minutes. Minimal seating, with 2 tables & a TV. Packaged goods, like Skyflakes crackers & vinegar bottles, are displayed by the entrance. Parking is in a private lot at the NS Plaza. Amalia's is adjacent to Red Eye Fish, Kiko's & DJ Bibingkahan. There's a lot of competition out there for you, Amalia's. For me, you had some hits (arroz caldo), and some misses (chicken empanadas). Nothing stands out & compels me to frequent this place. Perhaps offering specials or what not will help Amalia's make a name for itself amongst the fierce competition against it.