likebyregina On July 20, 2019, it was a special day for me because I purposely woke up for a pop up hosting at Yama Café. Though I am a food blogger, I rarely wake up early for food and lineups. I have made an exception to eF & Be Bakehouse, a online bakery that features Japanese pans and pastries. And of course, it has been awhile since I last visited Yama Café so it was the perfect opportunity for me to pay a visit.
Who is eF & Be Bakehouse?
There are two important ladies working behind eF & Be Bakehouse, Fumie Meguro and Bowie. Fumie is a Japanese baker, who loves to create Japanese baked goods and pastries, which brings the taste of Japan in every bite. Bowie is Fumie’s best friend, who inspires Fumie to start this bakehouse. Both are inspirational and passionate, which I think are some key elements to create delicious pastries. eF & Be Bakehouse started about two weeks ago, and they are doing pop-ups across Vancouver. So make sure to check their social media page to see where the next one is.
I bought few pans to try during the pop-up, including the signature melon pan and beef kare Pan.
Melon Pans are served in various flavours, including matcha, black sesame, and chocolate, etc. I ordered the Matcha Melon Pan, and it has a perfect dome shape. The size of the pan is just right, so you won’t get too full from eating one. Matcha flavor is strong, with a subtle of bitterness from the matcha lingering in my mouth. The pan doesn’t have any filling, but it is soft and pillowy. I would recommend to pair it with a cup of sencha or genmaicha.
Beef Kare (curry) Pan is my favourite, and it is usually not my type of pan. It normally has a strong onion taste, but this pan totally blew my mind and change my impression of kare pan. You can expect a crispy shell, with a pillowy bread. The beef curry filling is not overpowered by the onion, instead it has a subtle curry flavor. It was too good to fully describe in words, but we ordered another one after we finished the first!
The owner is so nice, and she offered me to try the Black Bean Pan as well. It is unique to find black bean as a filling because red bean is the common ingredient. I don’t like how red bean paste is too sweet and heavy most of the time, but again Fumie proved me wrong with her take on black bean. The flat pan is pillowy soft, with a hint of sweetness from the black bean paste. Unlike red bean paste, it is light, I can probably eat another one in one setting.
If you cannot enjoy on the day of purchase, they would include a paper which provides the reheating instructions for both pan with and without filling.
Overall Impression
There are many Japanese bakeries in Vancouver, but I think eF & Be Bakehouse is now my favourite, especially the Kare Pan and Black Bean Pan. There are more options available online, and they offer delivery and pick up as well. I am looking forward to their next pop-up, and I would probably call in to see if they can preorder, as they sold out quickly.
Taste : 4.5/5 • Service: 5/5 • Ambiance: N/A • Quality-Price: 4.5/5
