It’s always dangerous for me when I see a new bakery is opening up nearby! I saw this one as I was waiting for the bus, but alas, it was before they had even opened for business. So as soon as they opened, I headed over to check out what they had. It turns out they are bringing the flavors of Eastern Europe to a bakery, specifically the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia. I was unfamiliar with the food, so I eagerly listened to the owner explain everything they had on offer.
One of the major baked goods they focus on is the Zang, which looks a lot like a croissant, but apparently is somewhere between brioche and a croissant, almost like a laminated brioche. They have different flavors and shapes to choose from, and they all looked amazing. They also have Blinchiki filled with fruit that turned out to be similar to a blintz. They also make some hot lunches including some warmed baked pastries filled with meat, one of which is triangular shaped (Uchpuchmak), and the other filled with a seasoned meat patty, almost like a burger (Peremech). And since I was sharing, I ordered a selection of dishes to take home and split up.
Everything had an amazing flavor. The Zang was one of the lightest and tastiest croissants (but not a croissant), I’ve had. The blinchiki was really light and refreshing. The peremech was absolutely heavenly, even if the burger was well done. It was more like a really seasoned meatloaf inside of bread. The uchpuchmak was also flavorful, but the chicken was a bit dry, so next time I’d probably try the beef instead.
The fact that everything was so delicious is definitely going to test my resolve, and they do breakfast, so I’m dying to trying the Madame Zang to see what that would be like. If you’re looking for something very different than your standard bakery, and one that bakes everything with love and care, Aydea is the bakery for you.
Score: 4.5/5
Recommendation: Get a zang and a peremech!
Aydea
799 Bryant St
San Francisco, CA 94107
