Not all pastry shops are the same. There are the good ones that sell pastries that aren’t overly sweet but still taste excellent; the bad ones with tasty but sugary goods that make one feel really guilty for having consumed them. And the ugly, where cheap-looking, sugar-coated treats make one feel sick after a few bites.
And then there’s Paderia Bakehouse, where even a single item (i.e. their Portuguese Egg Tart) makes one visit the shop again and again despite the distance. Not to mention their award-winning Cookie plus their Malasada that I haven’t even tried yet.
The Square Shopping Center
Tucked away in The Square next to the John Wayne Airport, Paderia Bakehouse may easily be overlooked. In fact, one may opt for the better-known Starbucks several shops away. Yet, once you experience their desserts and/or drinks, the shopping center will become that spot where you get all your Paderia goodies.
On the outside, the bakery looks nothing special with its bland but neat store front and clean fonts:
The Bakehouse
But once you enter, you will be pleasantly surprised by the chic designs of the dark interior with gilded accents. Along with the stylish, modern interior design, the green plants placed here and there help give off an eco-friendly atmosphere.
A few steps further in, you’ll face the counter with the baked goods displayed behind the glass:
Here’s a close up of the baked treats sold at the Irvine location:
A Limited Menu (Serving Only the Good Stuff)
What I also found somewhat unique to Paderia was its limited menu. They only have select drinks and treats to choose from, compared to, say, Starbucks or other cafes.
This is their complete menu from the Irvine location:
I conjectured that this was due to the fact that they were confident in their select items. The limitation, to me, felt like a sign that this bakery only served top-quality food and drinks that they knew (like really knew) how to make.
And I was correct!
Portuguese Egg Tarts
On my first visit, I chose to get some Portuguese egg tarts, cookies, and Mazapan coffee. I had never tried Portuguese egg tarts even though it’s easily available in other bakeries that I visit, as I never expected it to taste particularly good, given the visuals. The egg tarts at Paderia prompted me to try, and little did I know that my life would change forever!
The egg tarts are just…
(How do I type this as accurately as possible..?)
They are SO GOOD that they haunt you. Seriously. After tasting their egg tarts, I became HOOKED. Me, a skeptic of egg tarts and an opponent of the concept of putting more eggs in pastries other than during the baking process, became a FAN.
It’s warm & soft in the inside, crunchy & flaky on the outside, with hints of sweetness that explode as you savor each bite. It’s COMPLETE BLISS.
Other Items
As for the other items, they were excellent, too. The hot Mazapan coffee, which is hazelnut “harmonized with a crème froth & Mazapan peanut candy bits” is as good as its description on Paderia’s website. The cookies, which are satisfyingly fatter than other cookies, are great. According to their site, their Chocolate Walnut Cookie is an “Award-winning Cookie.”
Who doesn’t want to try an award-winning cookie?
My favorite thing about the cookie was how thick and chunky they were. You really get to just dive in the chocolatiness and the buttery texture. But as such, it can get overwhelming if you eat more than one in a single seating.
On my most recent visits, I tried the Ensaymada, Drip Coffee (both hot & iced), and the Vietnamese Coffee (+more Portuguese egg tarts), and I can say with confidence that they are all good. As for the rest of the items, I haven’t tried yet so I can’t say but they all sound & look delicious. Especially the Malasada that they only sell at their Fountain Valley location!
Paderia Bakehouse: For the Cosmopolitan Connoisseur
Paderia is not some bakery to try out. As their self-description, they are a bakehouse serving traditional baked goods from around the world, with emphasis on “basics, quality and authenticity.” They make “fresh-from-scratch” products in their kitchen with “intentionally sourced” ingredients, making sure to not sell old inventory with their “Open until sold out” policy.
Dear Cosmopolitan Reader, do yourself a favor and check out Paderia Bakehouse next time you’re around Fountain Valley, CA/ Irvine, CA / Santa Monica, CA.
This modern, globally-inspired bakehouse will inspire you.
P.S. Paderia Bakehouse was founded by the two young Vietnamese owners, Nathan Vuong and Davion Tran. Check out the duo’s interview here! 🤩
🍪Official Website of Paderia: https://www.paderia.com/
☕Official Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/paderiabakehouse/?hl=en
P.P.S. They have this cute little egg tart crochet plush displayed with the egg tarts behind the glass display. I’ve asked the cashier if they sold plushies (as I said, I’ve become quite a fan), but she said that they don’t. 🙁
P.P.P.S. 2/16/2022 Update: I visited the Fountain Valley location to try the malasada – and it wasn’t as good as I thought it would be. It was good, for sure, but not as good as a beignet I’ve tried in Corona Del Mar, CA (view the post HERE.)
It is unfair to compare a malasada with a beignet but the two pastries all share similarities with the doughnut and I can’t help myself from comparing them…
The dough and vanilla cream of Paderia’s Malasada were both very light, and I prefer my dough and cream heavier with more substance. I wouldn’t drive all the way to their Fountain Valley store to eat their Malasada whereas I would drive to both their Fountain Valley and Irvine locations to get their Portuguese Egg Tart.
Here’s a short clip of the pretty signage inside the Fountain Valley location to wrap up this post!
