Kee Wah Bakery, which just last week opened its doors in Cupertino, is the best of what looks like an up-and-coming trend for Asian-style bakeries. 

Like other Bay Area beachheads of larger chain bakeries from Hong Kong and Taiwan, Kee Wah offers traditional red-sugar or bean-filled cookies, pineapple shortbread, and even sticky moon cakes when the time is right. 

But it's the perfectly fluffy sponge cake and the meat-based pastries that will keep me coming back. Coconut, orange, matcha (green tea), honey or vanilla cakes are all marvy, and a bargain to boot. $1.50 for a 4-inch roll of sponge cake (which can easily be shared), or $3.25 for a whole cake, which is the size and shape of a small bundt cake.

The Ham and cheese roll, bacon and egg roll and the curry pork pastry will undoubtedly end up as lunch when the kids go back to school.

They also creates these lovely European-inspired/Asian-flavored, absolutely ethereal cakes and pastries. In other words, the perfect hapa bakery. Cakes are impossibly light and fluffy, and fresh-fruit filled with mango, peaches or strawberries. There are also unexpected combos like the matcha mousse cake.

While other Asian-style bakeries may have similar offerings, Kee Wah just has a good vibe. It also offers greater breadth (traditional Asian/American-Asian, sweet/savory and Hong Kong imported/locally made), is spotlessly clean, and bakes onsite--so you know the stuff is fresh. You can even watch them work their magic in their open-view kitchen. And their unfailingly polite and honest staff means I leave happy and will return often.

For more information on Kee Wah locations and as well as a couple other of my favorite bakeries, click here.

No way I even try to make these. Not even the hubby does.

These mini almond croissants are from my very favorite neighborhood bakery, Sugar Butter Flour in Sunnyvale. It is nestled in a strip mall with a Safeway, Round Table Pizza, a Japanese restaurant, a Mexican restaurant, and the ubiquitous nail salon and dry cleaners. It is in the old Fuji Bakery space and I started going there only grudgingly when Fuji closed.

And I have been richly rewarded. If I were 'forced' to eat there every day, for the rest of my life, the mini almond croissant would be the one for me. They also have full-sized almond croissants (too big),  chocolate/almond versions (a little over the top for me), plain croissants and my close second, mini-cinnamon croissants.

My clients show up in person, happy, and on time for my 8:30 am meetings when they know I'm bringing in The Pastry Box. Mini almond croissants or cinnamon croissants to the first 12 people who show up. The best productivity tool/motivation I've found.

Beyond that, Sugar Butter Flour has a great selection of individual desserts. When we have a special occasion or when I just can't resist because I happen to be at Safeway, I get a few favorites: Raspberry Mango Mousse, Key Lime Tart, Pear Almond Tart and Chocolate Mousse Cake. They may seem small, but they are rich enough to share, even with teenagers.

Face it, there will always be food that you will not make at home. Mini almond croissants are on that list for me.

Eat well. Be well.