Canal Bakery
“Bak tong go (white spongy looking sugar cane cake), mochi, and butterfly twist are all good.”
“I've tried their pork floss buns, egg tarts, and coconut and peanut mochi.”
“My friend introduced me to this a few months ago and whenever I am in Chinatown, this is a spot to visit.”
Canal Bakery
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Inexpensive
8 reviews
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The selection of goodies was very good, they've got some traditional black bean paste pancake thing that I don't normally see elsewhere.
And omg this place is way too cheap.
If I were the owner, I'd try to improve the harf-heartedly packaging and service, and charge more!
Isn't that like a win-win situation for both the business and customers?
I don't much like pastries or Chinese food, but give me a Chinese bakery and I'm in seventh heaven.
This place was convenient and I stopped in twice during a recent visit. While there I realized we had stopped in here a couple years ago and I had gotten a mooncake. So we go way back, Canal Bakery.
Any who, this is a real no frills bakery with a somewhat frilly case of bakery goods facing the doorway to the street. I sadly didn't get to sample the fancier cakes or try the bubble tea, but twice I got a small container of food from a Panda express like steam table line up by the cash register. Both times I got some sort of noodle dish and two meat sides – one time I got a coconut custard bun to go with my to go container of food, the other time a soda. Each time my total was $3 & change. I am so not complaining.
I came in for a regular small hot tea with lemon. On a freezing cold day, where I wanted to stay in for a bit of warmth, it was great, since it had some seating within. There are also many options. Hot food in the back area. On the right, there are buns that you can steam when you get home. In the center, there are shrimp chips, rice triangles, and almond cookies. On the left close to the front window, there are tasty cream packed cakes made of sheetcake (a fluffy light taste). The hot drinks range from 90 cents to $1.25 for a small. They have regular tea, Hong Kong style tea (concentrated), Horlicks, and other types. I did eye the raisin twist, but I couldn't bring myself to buy it and eat it, knowing that I had to meet someone for dinner in half an hour.
Cheap lunches and snacks found in this bakery. Similar to a "Panda Express" cafeteria style eating found at malls and airports.
I decided to stop by because a friend of mine told me there is real food in the back of this bakery. There is small selection of entrees, various fried noodles and rices for me to pick from.
A large lunch box is $3.95. What is the large lunch box combo consist of? Well, you can either have white rice and pick 3 entrees or I opted for the Lo Mein which came with two selections from the various entrees.
I saw entrees like string beans, sesame chicken, braised chicken, mixed tofu vegetable mix, beef brisket turnip stew, scrambled egg omelet and maybe a couple other entrees to choose from.
With my Lo Mein I selected the tofu vegetable mix and sesame chicken and my bill came up to be $3.95. Decent price.
Don't expect the food to be greaseless. Matter of fact it's super duper greasy and soggy. Don't expect it to be gourmet. Don't expect a smile or a "thank you". Just expect to a cheap Lunch that will fill you up. Hey what can I say, I was broke and unemployed.
Nothing fancy at this bakery…just cheap eats
*WARNING: Stay away from the curry puffs.
FYI, no gratuity needed here because there is no table service.
I love this place! It's a super cheap and quick option if you need a meal fast and don't have time to sit down and wait for service. I come here all the time when I'm in the neighborhood for haircuts or doctor's appointments.
I don't ever go for baked goods…I come for the hot food.
Their options are always the same and they're a mixture of American-Chinese and traditional dishes (aka. sesame chicken & Ngao Lam (braised beef with turnips))…I always go for their stir fried rice noodles and braised beef with turnips. A small portion will run you almost $4, but it's filling and not too OD.
To be perfectly honest, their stuff is greasy as hell and it is not a fancy place by any means. I'm just a big sucker for junk – substantial, high calorie, filling junk smothered in sauce. Plus a cup of HK style milk tea. Take a seat at the communal table with a mixture of old Chinese grannies and some tourists, and you're all set. Are you turned off yet?
Now dba 242 Café Bakery but still contains the "Canal Bakery" name on the books.
There are no Caa1 Siu1 Baau1 叉燒包 as I was operating on a empty stomach in dire need. Meh! Cheap lunches are available and self-serve operation. No gratuity required. Food is loaded with grease, oil and probably MSG.
Everything is super cheap. You can get a hot coffee/tea for only $1, and cold coffee/tea for $2, and add boba for 50 cents. They also serve a variety of lunch box items for really cheap. You can get a lunch box of rice with other side dishes for under 5 dollars, and theres a variety of pastries and breads for also about 1-2 dollars each. I will say that quality is a bit lacking though. The lunch box dishes are all super greasy and drenched in soy sauce and the like, and the milk tea I got is a bit watered down and too sweet. But if you're in the area and need something quick and cheap, this place is for you.
What a place. All I can say is CHEAP and YUMMY! If these two words don't convince you enough let me explain some more. First off, the place isn't the most pretty out there but they have authentic chinese pastries. My friend introduced me to this a few months ago and whenever I am in Chinatown, this is a spot to visit.
There's a fairly large variety of different sweets to choose from. I suggest going for the sponge rolls. I don't know if the different colors actually indicate types of flavors (they all for the most part taste the same to me haha) but anyway… they're fluffy, sweet and creamy bites. I've also had the coconut pastry which was good too. I want to try the other items there but to be honest… don't know what a "moon cake" is. I'm pretty gutsy when it comes to food and will try almost anything. And besides, how bad could it be if it's dessert? But gradually I'll try more there.
And the best part is, even if you don't particularly like it that much… most of the items there are under $1! Or if anything maybe $3-$5 max. I also heard they have a lunch special with a meal, rice/noodles, and a drink for $3.95. I will have to look into that next. Just beware that it will be pretty crowded upon arrival. But I think this is a good culinary find!