Happy Bakery in Alhambra

 

Asian Bakeries (an extremely broad array category) are a delicious charm. They sit in a genre of hybridity that I love so much. It often is a patina connected to colonialism and/or opened international trade doors that continue the sharing of cultures. Turning one thing inevitably into a new but related style of baked goods.

Drive around Little Saigon, Sawtelle, Chinatown, Philippine Town, Little Tokyo, Glendale, Little Armenia, Thai Town, Little Bangladesh, the list goes on but you get the idea. There's gonna be at least one bakery but often much more.

In fact it is common in the Japanese-American community to have your favorite bakery that is JA owned. Often, comments such as , "I love that place, their pastries aren't too sweet....". Repeat patrons learn what day to show up for specific treats and often a coffee shop has strategically opened itself near by, it's all a common and lovely trend.

Last week, i was in Alhambra and finished a meeting and was a little hungry but not enough for a meal. Let's find a bakery! I was on Valley, a major artery in the SGV. I began searching out of the corner of my eye while listening to one of my favorite bands, Hitsujibungaku. Within a minute, I spotted three. I decided on Happy Bakery at 846 E Valley Blvd, San Gabriel CA 91776.

I go in naive and trust my instincts. I try not to ask too many questions. I decided on these three. A pork bun but the tender salted shreds are baked into the top of the pastry, a danish and a red bean pastry.

Let's start with the pan, the bread. Soft, cloud-like with the surface that's tight and almost snaps when your teeth break the surface. Chew and your bouncing taste buds are at a five year olds birthday party.

Did I finish all three in one sitting? no , I did not.

Did I take bites out of all of them in one sitting? yes, I did.

I'm not sharing. It was all gone by night.