Baker & Table Cafe

Baker and Table Cafe has been on my radar ever since it opened two years ago. It’s no secret that the boyfriend and I love Japanese food and culture. Despite going to Tokyo only 3 months ago, we miss Japan a lot and can’t wait to go back! To get our Japanese grocery fix, we go to Fujiya often. On one of our grocery trips, I noticed Fujiya carried some mochi melonpan from Baker and Table (weekends only)! I took my chance and bought all 4 buns that they offered.

This is the place in the lower mainland to get "melonpan": a Japanese lightly sweet bun with a thin cookie-like crust.

The texture of the buns are crisp, light and not too sweet.

The atmosphere of the place is “welcoming” with plenty of tables and work space.

We found it quite expensive compared to the portions that we get.

Baker & Table is a small bakery on Fraser St. that offers a variety of Japanese-style cakes and pastries, which helps distinguish them from the popular Breka Bakery located just a block away. On my visit there, I've tried their Matcha Tiramisu, Red Bean Melonpan, and Belgian Chocolate and Caramel Roasted Apricot Torte.

Matcha Tiramisu ($5.5): 3.5/5; Technically not a tiramisu since it hasn't got any coffee or marscapone. The cake is a bit on the dry side, but that is countered by the layers of matcha and chocolate mousse sandwiched in between. The matcha flavour was quite weak and I personally would have liked the cake to be a bit sweeter overall (I have a high sugar tolerance).

Red Bean Melonpan ($3.25): 3/5; Considering that I'm not a big fan of red bean desserts, this was pretty good. The bun was fluffy and soft, and the red beans had a good texture (soft but not mushy) and a good sweetness. Those who do like red beans will probably enjoy this.

Belgian Chocolate and Caramel Roasted Apricot Torte ($5.5): 4.5/5; I'm a huge chocoholic, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that this is my favourite of the three items that I've tried. Unlike the tiramisu, the cake was considerably more moist and the chocolate flavour strong and bold. The apricot preserves lent a nice tangy contrast. This cake satisfied my chocolate fix, and left me a happy camper for the day.

While I did enjoy most of the food offered by Baker & Table, I do take issue with their prices. The sizes of their cake slices are quite small, and I do feel that >$5 is way overpriced, especially considering that Breka across the street is offering equally delicious cakes with considerably more generous portions at lower prices. So although I do like the bakery, I doubt that I'll be returning to it anytime soon.

At the new Baker & Table Café, it could have something to do with that rose-hued holiday. Meaning, despite all reasons to be cynical in this world, there is something heartfelt about this place.
If you have doubts, consider owner and baker supreme Hitomi Syvertsen's sincerely penned confession to her customers in a modern-day diary. That is, on Facebook, she writes that, she gets emotional when she realizes that her dream is no longer about opening café. Now, it's about making this opportunity a success and making her customers happy.