A Puffect Bakery
May 1, 2014
Puffect Bakery & Café is exactly what it sounds like—perfect. From its flawlessly creamed cupcakes to its surprisingly appetizing panini sandwiches, the cozy café does not disappoint.
The bakery, which opened in March on Lemon Avenue, Walnut, features a variety of food on its menu, including different types of sweets, such as cupcakes and macarons, to sandwiches and smoothies. Though the food is a bit expensive for my taste, I can honestly say that I had no regrets splurging.
Upon entering, I was greeted by a friendly employee and two little girls, whom I assumed was related to him. As I walked inside, the girls grinned widely and welcomed me in unison. Throughout my entire visit, the staff was friendly and helpful, happily attending to my vegetarian diet by removing meat from any of my orders. The restaurant had a girly ambiance, with posh, purple seats decorated with rhinestones and royal purple wallpaper.
Perhaps because of my incurable sweet tooth, I was dying to try almost everything on the menu. However, I decided to exercise my self-control by only ordering a box of six macarons, a chocolate cupcake, and a Chicken Panini (without chicken).
I ordered Nutella, Taro, Red Velvet, Mango, Thai Tea, and Earl Grey flavored macarons. The whole box was $12, a bit costly for the tiny macarons, but after my very first bite of the Nutella macaron, any regrets I had vanished. It was deliciously creamy without being too sweet.
Next, someone from my party ordered Mediterranean Panini, which I found, admittedly, too crunchy at first. However, the mix of all the flavors—roasted tomatoes, basil, spinach, and mozzarella cheese—created a virtuosic combination that brought the sandwich together in harmony. One of the employees later explained that every dish is freshly made on the spot.
My favorite, however, was the chocolate cupcake. I’m generally not a big fan of chocolate flavored foods, but this cupcake made me reconsider. The simple brown cupcake was neither too chocolaty, nor too bland. It had almost a coffee-like tinge without the bitterness of espresso beans that left me hungry for more.
All in all, I fell in love with Puffect, and definitely plan to go back for more. The newly-opened restaurant is off to a good start, and I recommend it to anyone like me who has a sweet tooth.
