Great little bakery in the area! All the bread is delicious. I wish they opened either earlier or later so I could get bread before/after work :(
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Tonkatsu quesadilla, pan, and cat shaped bread are so good. Great hot drinks. Amazing little corner Japanese bakery, in Belmont!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Anpan
It is remarkable that an authentic Japanese bakery exists in the Peninsula, let alone a quaint neighborhood between San Carlos and Belmont. Don't get me wrong - nothing wrong with this. Just that you might wonder whether the demand is there.
Now imagine if your favorite friendly Japanese aunt had a hobby in baking. She's quite good. And she puts a smile on everyone's face whenever she serves bread. And one day, she decides she wants to try opening a bakery. Start small, sell it to those that's around her. I'm not sure what the backstory of Jiro's is but it absolutely feels this way.
The breads here are nothing but love. You can "feel" the love and care they've put into it. Yes, they taste quite good. Not your top notch Michelin grade but also not a factory-style super sweet sales-optimized production. They are hearty.
To judge any Japanese bakery, you must try its Melon-pan. It's the primary staple of any Japense establishment. The crust must be crisp yet gentle. The insides airy. The melon scent is the key. Jiro's does not nail this. I wished the bread was a bit more briochy and the crust didn't carry the melon scent well. Also, a hint of chocolate filling surprised me. It is definitely not your commerical "classical" recipe. But it worked. I enjoyed it.
And now... the price. $4.50 for a Melon-pan is nearing the border of blasphemy. It is like charging $20 for a burger. However, this is what you should be wililng to pay to taste bread made with love.
I'm so happy that Jiro's opened in San Carlos. Will absolutely return to try all of their menus.
Service
Take out
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$1–10
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Melon Pan
Cute Japanese bakery/cafe in the San Carlos, Belmont area. The space is cozy and intimate inside, with roughly 10 seats. Lots of Japanese bread and hot food items at great prices - we tried their yakisoba bun and it was delicious. Also tried their Japanese purin (pudding) and tasted very authentic as well. Definitely recommend swinging by to try their food for lunch or a snack! Reminds us of cafes back in Japan.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$1–10
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5