GK Pastry — Restaurant in Palo Alto

An afternoon walk brought me to this small pastry shop. Nice and cozy interior, with a welcoming owner by the counter explaining the products to me. I acquired a loaf of Olive/Parmesan and a loaf of Tomato/Cheese. On my way home, the aroma from freshly baked bread aroused my smell sensory, tempting me to commit an unsafe move - eating and driving (that does not break the law though). That would surely be disrespect to such a fine product. The bread deserves a better treatment.

In the morning, a cloudy day, I sliced up the Olive/Parmesan into small cubes. Hard exterior, but soft interior ... interesting, but not surprising. It is just characteristic to sourdough. Pan-fry the bread into golden-brown, with crispy coating all around. In the meantime, I grounded up coffee by hand (dark roast bean ... a bad choice for the occasion). The mixture of two distinctive aromas hinted that this would be a wonderful breakfast.

The first bite proved that cherishing the delicate texture of this bread really paid off - one should treat it like a tuna fillet, browning outside while keeping the pinkish inside. Over-cooking will surely ruin it. The bread is crispy outside, but soft/chewy inside, a marvelous combination that reminded me the pandan waffle I had in Oakland. Olive is interesting - it gracefully balanced the plain feeling by adding a hint of bitterness, saltiness, and sweet after-taste. Parmesan is very light, does not overpower the olive. The smell is wonderful, but very hard to explain - just imagine breathing in the fresh air when sitting under the tree in the morning. A sliver of sunshine passing through leaves and landing on the face - that kind of feeling.

Continue biting down the remaining bread, I realized it had a neutral character: not like dogs hugging my legs and begging for my attention, or like cats that simply don't give me a damn. It is a performer, doing its best job to present different characters and see what attract me. Unfortunately, my coffee is a like a rude intruder in a concert, shouting and dragging me out of the seat. But on the other hand, it reflected the composure of the bread. I am anxious to see how it pairs up with crisp white wine (like Sterling Chardonnay; Moscado or Moscado d'Asti will likely be too sweet). As for coffee ... I feel that medium roast bean would complement better than the dark roast.

This is a wonderful experience, and I am grateful for this adventure brought by an...

Welcome to G.K. Pastry, a little bake shop hidden away on the bustling business street of Park Blvd, Palo Alto.

My family & I ran into this mother & son owned bakery on our way to the nearby Mollie Stone’s. After trying their sundried tomato & cheese sourdough, we were hooked! However, G.K. Pastry would be nothing if not diverse with a menu ranging from savory spice to rich sweetness.

Recently we tried one of the family’s specialties: their Apple Pie Jar Cake! The layers of crisp diced apples, whipping cream, & cinnamon fused to create a bite akin to gourmet apple pie.

As bread enthusiasts, my family soon returned to purchase their homemade pesto foccassia bread. They sell pesto with crab or tomatoes, & although many may be put off by the sound of seafood on their bread, we can attest that the crispy crab topping on top of the soft cheesy dough was instant perfection, similar to a pizza!

It is also a pleasure to speak with the kind son of the duo, who usually mans the cash register & always gives detailed answers to our questions. If you have a hankering for a sweet treat or need a gift for a fellow foodie, I suggest supporting G.K. Pastry.

Not sponsored, created independently to support a small...

We will be back! We have discovered a gem here in Palo Alto today. We got jalapeño cheddar bread, a sourdough loaf, pistachio napoleon, and a chocolate mousse jar cake. The jalapeño bread packed the perfect punch. It’s super flavorful and made a great sandwich, toast, and snack on its own. The sourdough is, in my view, exactly what a sourdough loaf should be. The crust is crisp and tasty without being oppressively thick. The interior of the bread has just the right balance between lightness and chew. It has great flavor without being too funky. I would happily eat this bread every day. The napoleon is what phyllo dreams are made of. It has countless super crispy layers with a gorgeous lightly sweetened cream without any sogginess, perfect with a cup of tea. The chocolate mousse was a sweet indulgence. It tastes like very high quality chocolate and we loved the textual contrast in it with crispy chocolate pearls. I cant wait to come back and try the large variety of sweet and savory focaccia that they make. If they are anything like what we tried today, I’m sure they will be...