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I tried this place out during lunch but wasn't completely impressed. The food was OK and the place was pretty nice. Kinda in a random spot away from the main street. I had chicken adobo with rice and menudo. The adobo pieces are huge and the menudo is just like at home.
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Thanks Lyn! I love this place. 25 lumpias for $7.50. Combo plates for $4.99. HOLLA HOLLA! Lots of food and for a cheap price.
Yum Yum caldereta and menudo!
They are fast with those lumpias....nice!
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This is why Yelp works!
Because Lyn got ROTD for a review of this restaurant, I go there for lumpia a week later. Awesome way to spread the word.
I love this place because I can get Filipino food, which I would normally have to travel up to 10 miles for, within 5 minutes from my house. What courage Fred and Cel have to open an new ethnic restaurant in an area that is not known historically patronized by that ethnicity.
I was invited to a birthday party and thought it would be proper to bring an appetizer. I bought 50 lumpia for 15 bones. Seeing all of the people happy at the party when I unwrapped it was worth it!
The 50 lumpia were perfectly cooked and bigger than most places. They transported well (City Heights to 4S Ranch). It came with a sweet and sour sauce. Having some hot pepper sauce would have perfect. You can buy this sauce in their small "sari-sari" store inside the restaurant.
I haven't eaten anything else here but the lumpia, but they had tocino, menudo and chicken adobo when I was there. All looked yummy! I bet the bbq chicken sticks are delicious, too. Apparently a two-item combo with steamed rice is only $5. What a deal...bet it can feed a few people.
I am so glad to have found this place. Thanks Lyn and thanks Yelp!
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I gave this two stars not for the lumpia or the prices- those were fine- lumpias were ok, probably would have been better but I think they were sitting out for a while. Prices are awesome- 100 catered lumpias for $30. We are actually doing this for our daughters birthday party this weekend- I'm just hoping they will be fresher.
The 2 stars is for the gelatin globs of orange that were in my pork side that I ordered. Seriously, I was absolutely disgusting. I almost threw up. I wouldn't even feed it to my dog. I don't know what the name of the dish was, I don't know Fillipino food, so maybe it's supposed to be like that. I just thought it looked good.
Beware of the pork and stick to the lumpia, rice, and pancit.
Looks are decieving, my friends.
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3.5, but I'm rounding up with the hopes that my next trip will easily land that extra half star.
A hot topic amongst the ubiquitous Filipino chatter on the threads lately has been Fredcel Lumpia and Catering. So much so that I told myself I had to check it out to see what the fuss was about. On that scorcher of a Saturday we endured last week, I made myself leave the comforts of my 70 degree living room (thank you, A/C), hopped into the sauna of my 100+ degree car and made the fairly short drive to the only known Filipino joint in the uptown area.
One thing fueled my trip, and it was my sudden craving for sisig. So when I walked through the doors of this quaint shop, passed the tables of filipino postal workers lunching during their breaks, I was disappointed that there was no sisig in sight. I asked the kind gal working behind the counter anyway, "Do you have sisig today?" "No, not today," she replied. Damn.
I ended up with steamed rice, lechon kawali, tocino and a few pieces of the famous lumpia to go. All that for $6 and some change - not bad at all! The pork skin of the lechon kawali was crunchy and the meat was well seasoned and moist, also not greasy like most other hole in the wall filipino eateries would have it. The tocino was pretty tasty, but not the best I've had.
However, to be quite honest, the Holy Lumpia people have been ranting and raving about failed to bowl me over. I thought it was decent, but did not have that crunch I like in lumpia. Maybe it had sat out for a while? And I didn't even bother with the lumpia sauce they sent me home with (which became gelatinous by the time I got home). I used my own sweet chili sauce instead.
So what's the final verdict? I love that a filipino place is so close to home. I love what they offered and that the food is less greasy than your typical Filipino point-point joint. Was it the perfect representation of Filipino cuisine? 'Fraid not. I haven't found that gem yet, but in the meantime, Fredcel's will certainly do.
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Excellent prices with friendly owners and staff. I ordered 50 lumpias for $16 or so (delicious) turned me into the favorite person at the party to bring a dish : ) Looking forward to trying the rest of their menu. They did advise me they need a day's notice if you need a 100 lumpia order, FYI.
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I came here on Saturday, 6/21, around noon. I tried coming the night before, but they were closed by 8:45pm :(
I wanted lumpias because everyone spoke so highly of them, so I ordered that with my tocino/pancit combo, and proceeded to eat it in the car. I wish I could've seen some lechon or whatever, but they only had like three options to choose from!!!!
Anyways, the lumpias tasted like they've been out for a while, like two or three hours. The wrap tasted a bit stale, and the meat was very mushy. I think I ordered the last 6 because they didn't have any more available for another order of 25 (thankfully upon looking back).
However, the tocino is awesome, and the pancit was delicious too. But the lumpias just plain sucked. The gf, even noticed that they weren't up to par when compared to other spots around San Diego, and was not a fan.
The prices are unbeatable though. $10 for a filling meal for the two of us. Maybe I should come back another day when they don't have a thousand lumpias to cater ..
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Okay seriously, this place has the best prices ever. My friend and I came here to eat for lunch and we both got combo #2. Each of us got the pancit and rice and then we each got a meat entree. The server also gave us 12 lumpia (I guess 6 counted as an entree). Then, to top it off, he gave us flan for dessert (i don't even think it comes with the combo, he just gave it to us for free!). ALL this food was only 10.75!! AMAZING!! If only they had one of these places in la jolla...sigh. I love their lumpia!!
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Well, I finally made it into Fredcel after about a month of saying that I wanted to check it out and going to taco shops (or Tita's) instead. I am actually pretty happy that I did too. It was initially kinda tough to locate as it is actually off of university further than I expected. But when I saw it I felt stupid and relieved (that I would still get filipino food). The place was almost empty and looked pretty slow. There were the steam tables and the "groceries" and two guys sitting around behind the counter. After deliberating, I decided to get two items with pancit instead of rice and a medium side order as well. After factoring in my soda and my bottle of Sriracha (which was the same price as the grocery store, if not better), my total was only $12. Of course they do charge a dollar for using cards (e.g., per transaction) so bring cash.
As for the food (which only accounted for about $8 of those dollars and was more than enough for two meals), I ordered the chicken adobo as I love the version at Tita's so much and hoped this would be the same. They use larger pieces of chicken with bigger bones, so it was pretty difficult for them to fit more than two medium pieces in the container. it was alright though because it was not that impressive. It lacked a lot of th vinegary flavor that I am used to and flavor in general for that matter. Also, because they used whole piece of chicken (e.g., drumsticks) the flavor remained more surfacy.
I also ordered the menudo, which was more satisfying and actually very tastey. It was a bit more mild than I've had at Tita's, but was done very nicely. There were very small pieces of potatoe and carrot cut up in there and the pork was tender, flavorful and the sauce was very delicious. the pancit was not as good as Tita's, but was still pretty decent with the requisite cabbage, onions, and chunks of chicken thrown in the mix. finally, my side item, which could not be avoided was the sisig. This was some damn good sisig from my unprofessional point of view. Now again, while I am far from an expert on filipino food, I am puerto rican, so I know some good lechon when I see it, even if it is a different kind of lechon. For example, the best roast pig I ever tasted was in Cambodia because it was crispy skinned, tender, moist meated, and very fatty and delicious. This sisig was similar and had a ton of that sour flavor and onions. It was so much better than the version that I had at Tita's (which was also good). I really enjoyed the full flavor of the pig, crispiness of the skin and the moist, fattiness of the pieces. It was so delicious that it could have brought me back by itself.
While there, my wife sampled something red that resembled char siu chicken, which she liked, but I didn't care for. She also tried something like a beef adobo, which she loved and would have preferred to the chicken. The prices were better, but the portions were smaller than Tita's. The quality was good, but honestly, if I had to choose (all things including distance being equal) I would have to go with Tita's, even if it cost a little more because the overall quality has just been the bomb! That being said, I will no doubt be back to fredcel in the not so distant future to sample some more offerings. Maybe I'll go back on a weekend to see if there are some special entrees (as there tend to be at Tita's).
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i should've wrote a review on this place when it first opened. or even before it even opened. I was buying lumpia from fred back in 2002 from his house yo. knocking on his garage door at 3am, scratching the side of my neck like tyrone biggums! "Am i too late for the 5:00 crack giveaway?" shazaam!
the prices haven't changed either. great showmanship fred!. back then, like now, i'm still able to buy 100 pieces of lumpia for 30 bucks and surprise my co-workers. all of whom have never had lumpia before, and are now hooked on it like crack! swear to god, btw, 100 lumpias for a group of 8 will not last more than 2 hours. =) those crunchy, flakey, golden little eggrolls = food from the heavens or devils candy. you decide. i bet you can't eat just one. ....hundred! seriously, there should be a warning label on these bad boys.
well, thankfully, I still have his personal cel phone number from back in the day and was able congratulate him personally on his store. Talk about, a come up. from making lumpia (and other stuff) out of your garage to opening up your own lumpia shop! Fred you make a brother proud! And also, i don't have to drive all the way down to national city anymore! your store is actually less of drive since i live in city heights. What a great addition to the area. thank you soo much for years of delicious lumpia. I definitley recommend this place to everyone. especially for catering - the prices are going to be hard to beat anywhere else. don't forget to try out his other items! and also the filipino candies and chips that have funny names. I bought a bag of mixed nuts called -------- what? that was censored? well, friends. i guess you gotta go seek em out for yourself now. booo on you yelp! anyways. if you're ever craving lumpia, this is the spot. don't waste your time anywhere else. (even your buddies moms house) you won't be dissappointed here.
stupid funny note: i used to have fred's number saved in my phone as , "fredthelumpia". because he sells lumpia. (duh) then i found out about the store. and he names it fredcel lumpia. hahaa! i almost pee'd my pants! i thought it was spelled 'fred sell lumpia' the way that it sounded. that cracked me up for weeks. hahaa. yea. im easily amused. yea. yea. yea. stick a lumpia in it. =)
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Oh heck yeah. I don't have to drive to the Filipino hood anymore when I want my fix of home cooking.
The first time I went I walked in and was in a tizzy just deciding what to order. So I figured I would order what I usually order at other Filipino places - the menudo and the Lechon Kawali (fried pork. ) I also ordered 6 lumpia and grabbed a coke and made it out of there for $8. Totally inexpensive.
As soon as I got in the car, I went for a lumpia. Oh yeah...that's what I am talking about. Almost as good as my mom's. It was hard not to enhale the rest of the lumpia on the drive back to work, but I saved the rest for my co-workers to try. Thumbs up all around.
As for my entrees? The pork was awesome - not too salty and the skin was the perfectly crispy. The menudo was good, too and wasn't greasy like I've seen at other places. Of course, it was way too much food and I have enough for dinner tonight.
I can't wait to take my parents to eat here. The dining area is clean and not sketchy like some other places I've been (Tita's and Maharlika I am talking to you!!) I could actually bring my non-pinoy friends here too without skeeving them out. Woo hoo.
updated 1/26: I've been back a few times and am still really digging it. I've tried the adobo and the tocino and they are spot on good. The pancit is okay, but unless you're really jonesing for some, stick with the rice.
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Because I haven't been logging into/using Yelp as much lately, I missed out on the Pinoy Pride thread. But randomly I was able to catch mention of Fredcel's. Hallelujah, because it's super-duper close to where I live. I live on the edge of North Park that turns into City Heights and I've been venturing into CH more often, and Fredcel's being so close makes me so happy that I don't have to drive down to Paradise Hills or National City whenever I want homestyle comfort food. After school today I decided to make my first trip to Fredcel's and I happened to walk in in my school/chef's uniform. The server/cashier, Elmer, took notice and started chatting me up about school, where my family is from in the Philippines, do I speak Tagalog, etc. For $4.99 I ordered rice with the sisig (one of my favorites) and ampalaya (bittermelon cooked with tomatoes and scrambled eggs) and was surprised they even had the ampalaya (I rarely see that at Filipino restaurants). I randomly asked if in the future they might consider an apprentice, because I want to learn to cook other Filipino dishes that I don't already know. When I told Elmer that I live in the 'hood and he'd definitely be seeing more of me, he was like, "Oh yeah, I'll totally teach you!" I was like, 'SCORE!" Positive chit-chat with friendly and inquisitive people, fruitful or not, is always nice. Now I need to try the pancit, lechon, lumpia and adobo. Pending those dishes is a possible additional star or two.
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this is a true account of how yelp can make lives better. i would never have known about this place if not for the never-ending talk thread about 'the best filipino restaurant in san diego.' someone happened to mention that there was one on 38th and university, and i was like "what?" i almost wanted to chime in but i dont think ive built enough yelp courage to join in on a thread. maybe tomorrow..
so i drag my roommate with me, and sure enough it was there! fredcel!! the little yellow-painted stucco building was such a pretty sight! this whole time i lived just minutes away. although the selection was slim, the food was really good and the guy working there looked kinda like my uncle! i felt at home. he was so nice, i almost wanted to call him uncle!
so yes thanks to yelp, my life is somewhat better. long gone are the days of fighting snow and sleat and traffic on the 15 just to get some comfort food.
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Fredcel Lumpias & Catering is a family-owned and family-run Filipino restaurant right in the heart of San Diego. If you look south on 38th and University, it'd be hard to miss its bright yellow exterior.
The name "Fredcel" comes from the owners' names: Alfredo and Cecilia Rodriguez. I saw their picture on the restaurant's ad in the Asian Journal and thought, Oh! What a cute couple. I'd love to check out their restaurant.
After twenty years in the catering business, Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez decided to take the plunge and open up a restaurant. Instead of setting up shop near their home in National City, they went a bit farther and landed in San Diego.
So on a rainy Saturday afternoon, I made the trek to Fredcel and found a couple of Caucasians and a few Hispanics picking up some food to go. At one table, a Filipino family just finished lunch and were ordering up some more food to take home with them. They said they've been customers for 17 years now.
Fredcel is a small restaurant - with a capacity of twenty-five people, more or less. But you walk in there and you instantly feel like family. It's almost like visiting my parent's house for lunch.
I chose to try their sisig, menudo and their famous lumpia (Filipino egg roll). The sisig (I'd love to tell you what it's made of but I'd rather not) was so delicious! I'm missing it now. Their lumpia, which is made with ground beef, was really good, too. It's their bestseller - I noticed a lot of people coming by to pick up tray upon tray of lumpia orders.
They kept giving me samples to try! They gave me a sample of their leche flan (custard). Usually it's insanely sweet because of the caramel, but theirs is just right. And it's a hit with the Mexicans in the neighborhood. Then they handed me some barbecue (a sweet marinated pork kebab) and it was delicious, too. They even gave me a piece of cake from when their cook had his birthday! It was almost hilarious, but they're such sweet people.
Cecilia told me how happy she was that I came by. It makes her happy to meet Filipinos, since the restaurant is located in a not-so-Filipino area (unlike National City!). I told her they made a good choice, so non-Filipinos could get a taste of our food, too. And that's one of the advantages of them choosing 38th Street.
After enjoying a good chat with Cecilia, I also got some frozen lumpia to take home with me. The label even has a picture of their baby grandson with a lumpia in his mouth! How cute is that?
So whenever you're in the area, or if you just want to drive down to 38th Street, try to make it to Fredcel Lumpias & Catering and have some good Filipino food. And meet some very good people.
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I came here because Lyn loved it, so I called ahead for some Lumpia. I figured it'd be the best tester. The price was awesome - 50 for 16.16?!? Hello! And they were super yummy. All of my friends loved them and I don't think any were left. I'm ready to go back to try the other food out. Go, Go, Go!
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I was really excited to try this place because I live in Mission Valley. To get filipino food I'd have to drive to Mira Mesa or National City and the fact that this was a lot closer than either areas really got me rearing to go and try this place out.
Maybe my expectations were too high or I went at the wrong time but I was honestly not impressed. Maybe the lack of entrees to choose from was the problem. Here were the choices: Pancit, tocino, menudo, and pork adobo, lumpia.
That was it. I wanted to try the sisig and see what else they had. The lumpia was too crispy as well. I'm going to give it another shot but as of now I'm rating Fredcel's as a 3-star place.
Oh my gosh, the lumpias are to die for. 50 cooked lumpias for $16.16...are you kidding me?! That was the best deal. I was so excited because I was supposed to bring lumpia (damn. what a perk being the only Filipino at work) for an office party, and I was hoping my co-workers would like it. Let's just say the 50 ran out quick for an office of 7 people!
Also, they offered me extra sauce :). I like how the building is yellow which makes it easy to find!!! Man...they have the best lumpia. I can't wait to tell everyone about this place.
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