In one of my walks to work from the Montgomery Street BART station to my office in Union Square, San Francisco, I stumbled upon Andersen Bakery, a Danish one, hidden down the stairs of the Crocker Galleria. Attracted by the arrangement of breads and pastries, I had to check it out.

After looking at every single bread and pastry, I opted for a classic and something new. (It was really hard)!

My favorite classic item is the Ham & Cheese Croissant.

Yes, I’ve seen and tasted the best of these croissants especially in France. But if you’re in San Francisco and have a craving for it, this is it. Flaky, buttery, savory with a nice crunch at every bite. I was impressed how nearly folded and tasty the ham and cheese were inside. Even the flakes and crumbs were good!

Now for something new: I was intrigued by the Saffron Raisin Twist.

My experience in cooking with saffron is that it can be overpowering. So I have to be very careful with how much I add into my dishes. The bakers at this bakery certainly accomplished this in the Saffron Raisin Twist! A lightly sweet pastry with raisins and a hint of Saffron, topped with toasted almonds and a drizzle of vanilla. All of these ingridients were an incredible, delicious harmony. Like the Ham & Chesse Croissant, I had nice crunch with each bite.

Impressed by my choices, I knew that I had to go back. There are so much more breads, pastries, sandwiches and desserts that I have to try! To check out all of this in San Francsico and their other locations, visit Anderson Bakery’s website at http://www.andersenbakery.com/

Happy Eating!

All images and content © 2017 Carol Vu, unless otherwise indicated.