This store sells "Korean pastries"!
There are also some Chinese pastries and other items, but Korean pastries are the main focus.
⚠️ Reasons for the rating:
I do not recommend visiting the store! If you want to eat, just order online!
2 stars ⭐️ are given for the experience and feelings of visiting the store,
and 0.5 stars ⭐️ for the uniqueness of the food, since it’s still a bit rare to find a place that specializes in Korean pastries.
As for the food, it depends on personal taste.
I personally feel that it's acceptable to eat, but not something you need to buy on-site.
Here's the story: Recently, there was a sudden wave of interest in Korean pastries.
Since I happened to have some free time that day, I decided to check it out and learned a few things from my experience:
1️⃣ It seems this shop has a fixed customer base (bistros/hotels), so it operates more like a factory. They do sell in-store, but it’s not their main focus.
2️⃣ The frequency of opening for sales is quite low; it might only be a few days a month, often falling on weekdays rather than weekends, resulting in a high chance of visiting and finding it closed. The schedule can even vary based on the owner's personal agenda, so mainly, they announce their business days through social media.
3️⃣ On weekdays, they do open, but mainly for customers who have made reservations. Whatever is available in-store is what they sell.
So, if you want to buy one or two to try, just take a chance or choose your days wisely! Or just order directly online!
Now, let’s talk about what happened that day:
A few days prior, the shop announced their operating days for the month,
and one of those days happened to be a holiday.
The shop mentioned that there would be limited items for sale that day,
which included a dessert we were quite curious about,
so we made sure to arrive exactly at the announced opening time.
When we arrived right on time, we found a long queue that extended back past several residential homes.
It even attracted many onlookers and neighbors,
curious about what this line was for.
At first, we thought it was strange.
It was one thing for passersby to be curious, but why didn’t even the neighbors know what kind of shop this was?
Later on, I stood in line for two hours before getting inside the store,
which could only accommodate 3 customers standing at a time;
then, the limited item I was looking for was bought right in front of me, the last portion😑.
After waiting for 2 hours, I could only buy whatever was available on-site.
It almost made me furious!
However, the situation that day did lead to quite a few complaints.
I heard the shop received many messages of discontent,
and afterwards, they even posted to clarify their regular operating procedures,
stating that they were not intentionally trying to create a sense of scarcity, etc.
Since then, I haven't seen the shop open for sales on holidays.
In conclusion, it’s better to purchase online 😅
I really don’t recommend going through the trouble of waiting in line;
after all, the dates for in-store sales are already very few, and it’s even more frustrating to miss out.
The atmosphere is comfortable.
As soon as you reach the storefront, you can smell a sweet fragrance.
It's located in the middle of American Village, so be sure to pay attention as you turn into the alley.
There are options for single flavors as well as mix cups in large and small sizes.
I ordered a small cup, which was about ¥150.
There are many flavors of bread, and since I couldn't choose, I just got the mixed one. 😄
The bread is slightly sweet and has a soft texture.
This time I tried red taro, mango, pineapple, and matcha.
I thought the red taro was the best; it's also one of Okinawa's signature flavors. 👍🏻
Since it's on the sweeter side, it's hard to finish by yourself, so I recommend sharing with multiple people.
#Vegetarian
📍Japan, Fukuoka Hakata
The last stop of this Japan trip! Fukuoka
This bakery in Fukuoka is very famous, with many extravagant breads that are decorated with lots of fruits, meats, and more, looking like works of art that are simply stunning. 🎨
Every day, there is a long line before it opens at 8 AM, and we arrived around 11 AM. It took 25 minutes from the time we started queuing to finally buying the bread.
Inside, there is only one line of bread display cabinets, and even if you just want to buy one bread, you cannot skip the queue.
What I think is the best part of this bakery is that as soon as you enter, they are roasting smoked sausages right at the entrance, and who can resist that delicious aroma? 🤤🤤🤤
Many people immediately grabbed the smoked sausage bread. 🍗🍖
Unfortunately, in the last few days, my stomach wasn’t feeling well, so I only bought bread without meat or fruit to take back to Taiwan, missing out on that one. 😮
Once back in Taiwan, I found it simply amazing! 🤩🤩🤩
There was mentaiko French bread, soybean flour fried bread, pineapple bread, cinnamon rolls, and toast. 🍞
Each type can be considered among the best in its category, you can taste the aroma of the flour and enjoy a soft or chewy texture. 🥳
Some of the breads are even frozen before being eaten, yet they maintain such an impressive standard.
🍄
Would I visit again? Yes!
The bread isn't cheap; 8 pieces cost 550 TWD,
but the flavors are truly unforgettable. 🥰
✏️
Note:
🔸 Credit cards and Quicpay are accepted.
📍Location: Barcelona, Spain
This time in Barcelona, I had the best Basque cake I've ever tasted, which is JonCake!!!!!
If you're visiting here, you absolutely must! You MUST! try it! JonCake's fame is definitely well-deserved!
Because it's so famous, expect to encounter the situation of having to wait in line. It's recommended not to rush there just before closing time, as there might not be the flavors you want or they could sell out early.
I arrived at the store around 5:30 PM on a weekday, and waited about half an hour, which was still acceptable. If I had waited just 5 more minutes, the line would have stretched into the horizon. However, there were three staff members inside assisting customers with orders and cutting cakes, so the line moved quite quickly.
The cake prices are based on weight, €33/kg, and the daily limited flavors are €35/kg. You communicate with the staff about how big your cake slice should be.
Apart from the classic flavor, other flavors rotate.
After we bought the cake, we didn't head back immediately but walked around outside for a while before returning to our accommodation to enjoy it. I unexpectedly got to eat the cake in what I believe to be its best state 🤩
The caramelized surface was slightly hard, but the inside was a bit gooey, super fragrant, and smooth!!!!! My taste buds could detect the delicate flavor of cheese, and the base was a crispy texture that was delicious on its own, and had an even better mouthfeel when paired with the gooey cheese filling on top!
It was truly delicious; my friend and I couldn't help but exclaim after the first bite, and then we couldn't stop eating, one bite after another—JonCake is that amazing! We chose three flavors, which were:
Classic (Personal Favorite😘❤️)
The cheese flavor was rich, a bit saltier compared to the other two flavors, but because it was the first flavor we tasted, it was truly astonishing, so it’s my personal favorite!
My friend and I were reminded to stop eating when there was less than half left, but we hadn’t tried the other two flavors yet 😆.
Brie (Friend's Favorite❤️)
Compared to the classic flavor, the cheese taste is stronger, and it is less salty; the classic flavor's saltiness doesn’t become apparent until after comparing it with the Brie flavor. After prolonged tasting, the two flavors seemed quite similar, so the initial impression is what matters.
Daily Special
It was a flavor that started with a T. The staff's handwriting was hard to read; I initially thought it was truffle (Trufa), but there was no truffle flavor, instead it had a very strong sheep's milk taste, which I couldn’t quite accept due to the gamey flavor 😂 I couldn’t eat it for a while, but I felt bad throwing it away, so I put it in the fridge to try again the next day. I unexpectedly found that the frozen cake didn’t have such a strong flavor! Issue resolved 👍 Those who can accept sheep's milk cheese might enjoy it.
✏️ From this experience, the slightly melted state of the cake was the best for tasting, allowing one to appreciate each unique flavor. It's recommended to enjoy it slightly thawed!
⚠️ Additionally, JonCake’s location is in the old town area, which has poorer security, so it's better to go during the day or travel in groups at night. We learned the next day from a tour guide that there are many robbery cases in the area, but fortunately, everything went smoothly for us 😅 Just be a bit cautious if you decide to go.
【Foodholic Niko @ Taipei】
In the past, whenever it was a family member or friend's birthday, we always chose cakes from Red Leaf. But since today was a last-minute decision to eat cake, we had to order from a bakery that I would pass by on the way home from work to try out other birthday cakes.
"Yoshin Bakery" is located on Park Road, near Taipei Main Station, just a 1-minute walk from exit M8. The storefront doesn’t look very eye-catching, and it's considered an old-school bakery (I found out it was established in 1990, so it has been around for over 30 years).
"Yoshin Bakery" not only sells birthday cakes but also various breads and pastries. If there are banquet or meeting needs, you can also order bento boxes and snacks for catering from them, making them quite diversified in operations.
What made me choose this bakery for the birthday cake was not only its convenient location but also the fact that they can make cakes up to 10 inches or even 12, 14, and 16 inches. Many fancy cake shops nowadays only make cakes up to 8 inches, and larger cakes either aren't made or require booking many days in advance. So being able to order a 10-inch cake on the same day is really great!
Yoshin Mocha Jazz Cake 10-inch $1200
The cake base is chocolate-flavored, with filling made up of peach kernel, egg pudding, and mocha cream. It is topped with macarons and strawberries, and it looks really nice!
P.S. I might be used to the plain-looking Red Leaf cakes, but today when buying this cake, my family said, "Wow! This one looks pretty nice!"
The cake base was quite moist, which is great because I really don’t like dry cakes. I also loved the pudding inside, combined with the walnuts on top, the overall flavor was delicious!
However, the whipped cream part was just average because Red Leaf’s whipped cream is really hard to beat.
If there’s a need for another birthday cake in the future, I would be willing to come back and buy from here again.
Four Dimension Bakery is a common bakery I come across in the Yunlin and Chiayi areas. At first, I thought it was some nationwide chain, but it seems like you can only find it in these two places. This time, I happened to pass by a branch near Dou-Nan Station, so I bought some bread for breakfast.
They offer quite a variety of bread, ranging from regular sweet bread to more substantial European-style bread. I chose a European-style bread this time; it was quite filling for breakfast, with a hard texture but rich aroma, perfect for those who enjoy it plain or paired with spreads. The overall quality is good, and the prices are considered moderately high. Compared to the southern region, it might be a bit on the expensive side, but still within an acceptable range.
They also sell cakes, which I've tried before and remembered fondly, but I didn't specifically document that this time. The store environment is clean, and the staff are friendly, making for a pleasant overall experience.
In summary, this is a great place to pop in for snacks or breakfast anytime, especially for bread lovers who should find plenty of choices to enjoy. It would be even more perfect if the prices were a bit more affordable.
📍Hiroshima, Japan
Not just a massive temple of bread selling 🥖🍞
Anderson Bakery is a must-visit shop in Hiroshima as introduced in travel guides.
This store is very large! Located in the Hondori shopping street, it is a five-story Renaissance-style building. On Saturdays, the crowds are continuous, and there’s a bit of a wait in line to check out.
This building was originally a bank, only 360 meters away from the Hiroshima atomic bomb site, and was purchased and renovated by Anderson Bakery in 1967.
What’s special is that not only is the 1st floor a bakery, but the other floors showcase various aspects of bread.
The 2nd floor is a European-style restaurant,
the 3rd floor is a handmade bakery,
and the 4th and 5th floors can be rented as event spaces.
The interior on the 1st floor has a very European vibe. In addition to selling European-style bread, there are also cakes, fresh flowers, jams, salads, and other ingredients for sale. It is a very comfortable space despite the larger crowds.
I bought a total of 7 breads, ranging from croissants, baguettes, to klim, costing a fair amount of 450 TWD, which means each bread averages about 65 TWD.
To be honest, the texture and taste of the bread here are not the type to immediately impress on the first bite.
The baguette type of bread is actually very hard 🤣, making it difficult to bite into, but you gradually find it becoming more and more fragrant, feeling the care and quality in the ingredients used.
🍄
Will I return: Yes!
It surpasses the usual experience of visiting a bakery. Besides the incredibly diverse variety of breads,
the layout of the breads and the interior design of the shop provide a sense of order. The main theme is distinctly European, even Danish 🇩🇰 in style (there's no awkwardness of selling baguettes on one side and meat floss bread on the other 🤣).
It feels like you’re not just buying bread at this shop but embracing a lifestyle that enjoys living fully and beautifully. 🤩🫶🏻
# Cooperative New Village
# Cooperative Market Fu Xin Zhen Bakery
Once again, I've returned to a familiar place that now feels strange; I originally planned to go somewhere else but ended up wandering around the bread stall next to the [Cooperative Market]!
This market truly holds all my memories from childhood to middle school. As a child, I would accompany adults to shop at the market, and during elementary school lunch breaks, I had to race to secure a spot at the meat noodle shop inside the market to eat; if I couldn't get a seat, I would have to go hungry until I got home from school in the afternoon. But today, the main attraction I'm going to introduce is not the meat noodles 😁; it is the "Fu Xin Zhen Bakery," which is said to have been operating 24 hours a day for 40 years at the corner of Jinhua Road and Fugui Street, just outside the market.
Although this shop is called a bakery, it actually produces many types of bread, and the prices are incredibly affordable ❤️—four for $50, or eight for $100. Where else can you find such old-fashioned prices nowadays! Because of their long hours, you can buy bread at any time, and they also have Swiss rolls and other cakes with prices and flavors displayed on a whiteboard.
The owner has not just placed the bread out haphazardly; instead, they thoughtfully pack each loaf in bags for display, making it look clean and hygienic.
I bought 2 donuts and 2 salad buns for a total of $50 to enjoy as afternoon tea with my friend, who exclaimed in disbelief!
The bread has a soft and fluffy texture, just like I remember from my childhood, and it tastes just as delicious!
In this experience, I'm not just enjoying memories but also getting incredible value.
# Bread 4 for $50
📍Location: London, England
I tried the popular Bread Ahead doughnuts 🍩 that are trending on IG. They claim to be a refreshing choice in the London doughnut scene, and they are quite rare in that they are not overly sweet, which my colleagues highly praised as delicious.
But…
I personally didn't really like them 😂
I’ve never been particularly fond of doughnuts coated with granulated sugar. However, since everyone said they were delicious, I decided to give them a try.
I chose the blackcurrant cheesecake flavor 🍰, and the filling had a slightly firmer cream texture. It indeed wasn't overly sweet but was also not particularly tasty and lacks any memorable quality. I wouldn’t recommend it ❌.
My colleague bought the sea salt caramel flavor 🧂, and after trying a bite, I found the filling to be much smoother with more layered flavors, so it was significantly better than mine.
However, if I were to recommend must-try spots in London, this doesn't seem that impressive 😓. Looking at how much my colleague enjoyed theirs, I truly wondered if we were eating the same thing 😂.
Online recommendations for the best flavors are: original vanilla, sea salt caramel, and pistachio. If you want to try, I suggest starting with these three flavors, as the experience might be different.
I also ordered a cinnamon roll, which was much better 😋. Reheating it at home made it doubly delicious.
In summary, overall, I still think it’s just average. I would only consider it when there’s nothing else to eat, so I’m reluctantly giving it a 2.5⭐️.
📍Location: Bangkok, Thailand
The creative waffle shop located in ICONSIAM, is a small place, but the aroma can travel a thousand miles.
The most eye-catching feature is probably the folded shape of the waffle! After the staff bake it in the waffle machine, they hang it up while it's still not fully formed 😆 and the drooping waffle naturally takes on the folded appearance – you might call it a gimmick, but it is indeed quite creative.
Currently, there are two flavors: Pandan 🌿 and Thai milk tea 🧋. The pandan is a staple flavor, while the other flavor seems to change from time to time.
The waffle has a magically crispy texture, making it hard to stop at just one; it’s baked to a cookie-like texture and you finish it in no time.
🌿 The pandan flavor has a rich aroma, and most of my friends liked it.
🧋 The Thai milk tea flavor has a subtle Thai tea scent, with a slight bitter aftertaste according to my friends, but I personally think it’s not bad.
In terms of price, it’s not too cheap; one piece costs 30 Thai Baht, and you have to buy at least two. It’s something you’d occasionally crave, but I recommend trying it if you haven’t had it before during your first visit.
⚠️ It’s best to eat it on the spot; if you take it home for friends, it won't be crispy anymore and won’t taste as good.