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FRESH OUT OF THE OVEN New bakeries are on the rise. by Benjamin Epstein
FKN BREAD is named for the young sons of owners Dave and Bree VandenBerg: Finn, Kane, and Nash. Dave was born in San Juan Capistrano and raised in the house where FKN Bread was created. Consider the jalapeno-cheddar sourdough loaf and sourdough cinnamon bun. The baklava croissant and sea-salt peanut-butter dark-chocolate cookies are worthwhile ventures, too. Merchandise featuring the bakery’s acronym is a top-seller. 31760 CAMINO CAPISTRANO, SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, FKNBREAD.COM
The county’s first koshercertified and nondairy bakery, THE BLESSED BRAID presents Jewish baked goods including five kinds of the braided egg bread challah, such as poppy seed and marble chip. Other offerings include Ukrainian kamishbroyt with cherries and raisins; airy, sugary kichel; and onion- and poppy-topped bialies. Owner Cheryl Honig also makes pecan drops, Belgian street waffles, and butterscotch haystacks. All are displayed under cloches amid colors of the Israeli flag. 16277 LAGUNA CANYON ROAD, IRVINE, 714-587-2850
With SCRATCH BAKERY CAFÉ steps from Neiman Marcus, Fashion Island is now bookended with bakeries. Choices at Scratch include sweet and savory croissants, fancily topped éclairs, and English muffins that aren’t flat like store-bought. Marble is practically a theme: There’s a hazelnut ganache marble cake, a marble rye loaf, and three kinds of hot pastrami sandwiches on grilled marble rye. A neon “love at first bite” sign on a wall of black crepe roses sets the vibe. 561 NEWPORT CENTER DRIVE, NEWPORT BEACH, 949-524-8200
Founded in Japan but based in Taiwan since 1986, SUNMERRY BAKERY applies Japanese technique to Taiwanese pastries and desserts. In California, the chain has absorbed locations of Happy Lemon, serving its salted-cheese teas alongside Sunmerry’s prepackaged green tea croissants, egg sandwiches, barbecued pork bolos, and gigantic puffy walnut cookies. Sunmerry’s no-frills second O.C. location replaces a grass jelly dessert shop but offers those teas, too. 13908 BROOKHURST ST., GARDEN GROVE, 714-462-6888
58 ORA NGE CO AST • March 2022
PHOTOGRAPH BY BENJAMIN EPSTEIN
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