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In April, Haesoo Park opened Kukje Bakery (2368 Junipero Serra Blvd., Daly City) in a shopping center neighboring her wonderful Kukje Supermarket (2350 Junipero Serra). Her sister first opened the market in San Francisco in 1990. After she retired, Park brought the business to Daly City in 2002.
After several years of earnest research, my professional opinion is that Kukje Bakery is already offering much more compelling baked goods than the bakery departments at the big Korean supermarkets nearby—H Mart and Jagalchi—and at Paris Baguette, the competent, Seoul-based corporate chain that has several Bay Area locations. On the sweet side, the tiramisu donut is a standout, especially with an unfussy iced coffee for a double kick.
And, as I’ve found throughout the Bay Area this year, some of the best items at Kukje Bakery are savory croquettes and pastries. Korean salt bread, a trendy but unassuming roll that conceals a ton of butter, won’t break the bank here, as it does in San Francisco. There’s an intriguing sweet potato layer cake with sweet potato chips on top that must be investigated.
Besides, the Kukje Supermarket is way more fun to shop in than the behemoths—which I do actually love, for the record—and the overall support doesn’t go to a faceless place!
