Bake Code started their own online delivery system with a $3
service charge (for using the system), but no mark-ups on the products or extra
delivery fees. Run through Door Dash, it’s surprisingly quick and in no time,
we were tucking into Taiwanese baked goods.
If you’re not sure what to order, their bread box ($20)
includes a variety of best sellers: different sausage buns, chocolate buns, coffee
buns, and whatever their bread-of-the-month happens to be. It’s the most
economical option, not only providing a slight discount over purchasing them
separately but also a tax-free purchase as well. Normally, at bakeries if 6 or
more items are purchased, the order is tax exempt. But, because Bake Code
pre-packages them into bags, the tax is applied to everything except when they
are then put into a box. Never thought you’d get a tax lesson at Gasto World
huh?
My favourite item from the bread box is the roasted coffee bun
($3.50), consequently also the item that holds up the best as even after being
two-days old it was still delicious. After taking it out of the bag, the bun
felt harder – oh no, it’s stale, I thought. Nonetheless, it was still light and
airy and tasted like a cross between challah and milk bread. The coffee flavour comes from the brown
topping (sort of like the “Mexico bun”), which isn’t overly strong. So, if you
want a more intense coffee taste, eat the bun upside down so the crust hits the
tongue first.
The baseball-sized black sesame QQ bread ($2.90) looks like
a typical bun but as you tear the bread, you realize the glutinous rice flour
is going to put up a fight. Once you get through, the centre is hollow, and the
pastry reminded me of sweet dough crullers (ham geen bang) that’s served
in congee restaurants. The QQ bread has the same light sweetness and chewy
texture but without the oiliness. It’s also smells lovely, giving off a sweet
nutty aroma.
Their ube croissant ($4.50) also smells wonderful, a
mixture of sugar, butter, and taro … the promise of good things to come. Indeed,
the ube custard is packed with flavour and the cream light enough that
it doesn’t take away from the flakey air pockets in the bread. It is less buttery
than a traditional butter croissant, more dessert than pastry.
Surprisingly, the taro mochi ($4.50), which sounded so good on paper - taro, puff Pastry, Korean rice cake – was my least favourite (but was one of my husband’s top choices). Apparently, it’s one you must eat on the first day as after 24-hours what I expected to be chewy mochi was just a lump of dough that tasted raw. Unlike the croissant, the taro existed more in colour than flavour. A hit or miss indeed.
Bake Code’s Denmark crust BBQ pork croissant ($4.90) is
popular; despite placing an order the moment the North York location opened, a
call advised there was only one left. I can see why it’s beloved: it
incorporates big chunks of BBQ pork that’s sweet enough without being too
sugary, there is the requisite buttery “pineapple” topping, and the dough is a
mixture of croissant and bun. It’s perhaps the most decadent bun of the bunch and
one that also tastes best on day one.
The lack of up-to-date inventory is perhaps the most
annoying part of the experience and something Bake Code must rectify. My
suggestion: hold inventory for online orders separately from walk-ins so that the
system updates properly. Staff can always add to or reduce the online inventory
(when swapping with the retail bakery) and update the backend system to keep it
current. This would prevent people from ordering order items that are sold out
already (or at least reduce the chances of it happening).
As noted, I placed my order as soon as the store opened and
was told that there would be three missing buns. Since I had already purchased
so many other items, there were no desired replacements, so I asked the caller
to refund whatever they couldn’t fulfill. It wasn’t until later in the day that
the staff member called back and told me they couldn’t process refunds and my
only option was to have a credit on file with their North York store that I
could use on a future online/in store purchase.
For anyone that knows me, forced store credits are something
I despise. Sure, they are reasonable in situations where an establishment’s
refund policy explicitly states store credit is the currency for returns (in
that case, I rarely purchase from that brand), but to force me to get store credit
when it was their inventory mismanagement is a terrible experience.
So, not one to take no for an answer, I was told that I’d
have to contact head office to have the refund done.
Fail number two for Bake Code: their “contact us” form on
their website doesn’t work and they do not publish an email or phone number on
their website. So, I resorted to contacting their “head office” through Instagram
and Facebook, which appears to be manned by a PR agency that isn’t exactly the
most timely at responding to messages and has no clue how to process refunds
(not their fault).
After a week with no resolutions, I finally called back the
North York store and asked for a manager. Thankfully, there was finally someone
who understood that customer satisfaction is important. He reiterated that
unfortunately they couldn’t do a refund, but we came to a mutually satisfactory
agreement that they would deliver the three missing buns that day (and ended up
throwing in a drink and extra buns for free, a great surprise). And that, is
how it’s done.
Overall mark - 6 out of 10
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never order again
- 6 - decent for delivery and takeout, but there's better
- 7 - this is good, for delivery and takeout
- 8 - great for delivery and takeout, it's almost like you're in a restaurant
- 9 - wow, it's like I'm eating at a restaurant
- 10 - I'd happily order this for delivery or takeout instead of dining in any day!
