JJ Bakery - Arcadia — Restaurant in Arcadia

From the perspective of food quality only, they are top notch and comparable to (or should I say even exceed) 85 Degrees’ quality. However, their service quality is nowhere close. We made a phone call during the 10% discount period to pre-order a Mother’s Day Coconut Taro Cloud cake to be picked up in the morning of the day before Mother’s Day. As expected, the lady on the phone wrote down my name, the kind of cake that I pre-ordered and my phone number. I asked whether I had to pay on the phone for the pre-order and she said I would pay when I would pick up the cake. Then when it was the day and time to pick up the cake, I was asked by the staff for the “order number”, which I was not given when I called to pre-order. Then the staff asked me whether I paid, and I told her whoever wrote down the order for me on the phone said I would pay when I would pick up instead of instantly. In return, the staff asked me my phone number when I called to make the pre-order, and I gave accordingly. As a result, she checked and told me they still didn’t have my pre-order. Thankfully, there was a Coconut Taro Cloud cake in display which they were OK to let me buy it. However, due to “no pre-order”, I had to pay in full instead of getting the 10% discount even though I was able to show my iPhone call record. What’s more ridiculous is that, on the same day when we were having dinner in the evening, they kept calling me and left me voice message that they were still “waiting for me to pick up my pre-order”. Finally, I decided to call them back and when the lady on the other side of the phone told me I “haven’t picked up my pre-ordered cake” yet, I had to tell her that I already picked up mine and had to pay in full. She checked with other staffs on her end instantly and confirmed that I had paid for my cake in full rate. She apologized but the damage has already been done!!!

My advice to JJ (not just this location but every location in general): If they have plans to expand their business base, they’d better hire people with much better fluency in English. Those who don’t know or are not fluent in Mandarin will have a very hard time communicating with them at least on the phone if not in-store. Besides, they need to make sure every staff knows and executes the same process and procedures for phone orders, because obviously in my case somebody (the pre-order staff on the phone) had a disconnect and missed some steps in the call (e.g., giving me the “order number”). Until they can correct these issues and provide better service quality, their business areas can only be restricted to the Pan-Asian (or particularly Mandarin-speaking) communities only instead of the business success currently enjoyed...

Short summary (open fully for WAY more 😂😂😬😱): huge selection five stars if you know what to get but probably four stars otherwise you need to know what you like (but you could also do trial and error to figure it out!)

Suggestions: Tuna Danish Curry Puffs 糍飯糰 (Salty Glutinous Rice Rolls) AND Salty Soy Milk (theirs or from another place) Black Forest Cake Chocolate Passionfruit Mousse Cake)

I'll give a five-star rating because I've tried such a wide variety of their goods that I know what I like. There's A LOT from which to choose, so it's easy to be uncertain as you shop around or to end up with some things that you enjoy but don't LOVE. But if you nab a bunch of things and get to taste-test with friends and/or family, I'm sure you'll find what floats your boat! ✌🏻

Personally, I always go for their Tuna Danish (on the shelves) or Curry Puffs (usually towards the very back-right corner of the store in a metal warmer, if I recall correctly) in terms of breads. Otherwise, their 糍飯糰/糍飯/飯糰 (its English name may be something like "Salty Glutinous Rice Roll") is usually kept at the front by the cash register, and it's also not to be missed if you're into it (which I am). They have a fancier (like a "deluxe") version with egg and Taiwanese sausage that may be a bit confusing if you're a Hong Konger like me, but it ends up sometimes really hitting the spot! These 糍飯糰/rolls can run a bit dry or have too much rice (ratio-wise), but these are particularly good when eaten with Salty Soy Milk, which I think they have (though I prefer to make my own because I've yet to find any place that makes it as well as my mom, my aunt, and now me).

As for cakes, I only ever like Black Forest Cake if it's from J.J.'s. It's not too sweet, and it's quite airy and light. I also enjoy their Chocolate Passionfruit Mousse Cake, which is a bit sweeter if that's what you like. I think "mousse" is a misleading description of the texture,...

JJ Bakery Arcadia – A Letdown for Classic Chinese Bakery Lovers

I judge a Chinese bakery by two staples: the pineapple bun (bolo bao) and the BBQ pork bun (char siu bao). These are the foundation of any good bakery, the true test of skill and tradition. Unfortunately, JJ Bakery in Arcadia failed that test.

Walking in, I should have known better. The selection leaned more toward the polished, trendy side—reminiscent of 85°C Bakery—rather than the down-home, Hong Kong-style bakeries I crave. But I still held out hope for those classic flavors. That hope didn’t last long.

The char siu bao was my first disappointment. Covered in sesame seeds, it was already sending warning signals. A good BBQ pork bun doesn’t need distractions—it should speak for itself. Biting in, the filling was moist but shockingly bland. Where was the depth? The balance of sweetness and umami that defines a proper char siu bao? Nowhere to be found.

I left JJ Bakery wishing I had just gone somewhere else, somewhere that respects the classics instead of chasing trends. If you’re looking for true, time-tested flavors, this...