Vietnam Times Article: Restaurant Review

This was the first article I wrote while working for the Vietnam Times. I pitched writing about BAKED and Friends , a local cafe and bakery, as part of the newspaper’s ongoing Viet Bites series. I met with the owner and interviewed her while sampling their goods then captured photoraphs. After transcribing the interview, I wrote the article, uploaded it to CMS and then promoted the article. It was well received and drove new customers to the business.
This is the version that was sent to the editor before publication.

Link to article: https://vietnamtimes.org.vn/viet-bites-baked-and-friends-in-hanoi-42579.html

Published on 8th June, 2022

Viet Bites: BAKED and Friends in Hanoi

Could this cafe-bakery have the best cookie in Vietnam?

As a foreigner living in Hanoi, it can be difficult to find restaurants or cafes that faithfully recreate the tastes of foods that you miss eating in your home country. This is particularly true when it comes to confectionary items and dessert. BAKED & Friends however, brings to Hanoi a selection of decadent sweet treats that would not seem out of place in the United States.

BAKED has been increasingly gaining popularity through word of mouth amongst the expat community since its inception four and a half years ago. What started off as a home-based business running out of a simple kitchen, has gradually grown into a café and bakery that caters to both individual customers and some of Tay Ho’s most popular restaurants.

Sheereen Amran, the owner of BAKED, is a businesswoman with some ‘sweet’ references… she used to teach baking at schools in her home country of Singapore, before earning a TEFL and moving to Hanoi in 2016 to teach English – a story many foreigners are familiar with here. She struggled to find work as an English teacher so reluctantly fell back into culinary work; first working as an executive pastry chef for The Kafe, before moving into the position of head chef at Hanoi Taco Bar.

During this time in hot kitchens, Sheereen yearned to bake, and had also noticed that in Hanoi there was “a lot of French influence in baking”. She wanted to create something different; something more modern and American/English influenced – food that is indulgent, calorific and rich in taste. And so, BAKED was born.

The BAKED concept grew from a hopeful dream, to a passion-fueled side project, into a full-time home-based business, before finally relocating to an established Tay Ho location in July 2021.

The café itself is low-key and cozy with a modern, minimalist style, tucked away on Xóm Chùa street opposite a public green space – all of which make for a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere. Despite its modest appearance, BAKED supplies numerous confectionary items to well-known local restaurants including Kali, The Grumpy Dumpling and Hanoi Cider House.

While Sheereen was explaining the ins and outs of the business, a customer/friend walked past and said “Damn girl, those cookies!” – these now semi-famous cookies are one of the reasons people justifiably flock to BAKED. Restaurants and cafes the world over will claim to have “the best [food] in town/city/the world”. However, BAKED may actually be a contender for Vietnam’s best cookie, a locally popular opinion that made humble Sheereen teary-eyed upon hearing.

Shannon England, an English teacher from the country that literally invented cookies, described BAKED’s own recipe as “the best chocolate chip cookie I have ever had”. Izzie London; a British expat, said of the cookie; “I have yet to find a better one in Vietnam, despite it being my goal in life”.

Word of these amazing cookies has even spread beyond Hanoi. Daniel White and Nadine Sullivan, two HCMC-based teachers, were at BAKED following up on a recommendation of the best cookie in town. They were doubtful at first, stating that they’ve already had the ‘best cookie’ in HCMC, but after a couple of bites both agreed “this cookie is actually better than Annie’s bakery” (Sorry Annie’s!).

You get the point – their cookie is amazing; it has the perfect balance between soft and crunchy, and crumbles slightly in your hand with just the right amount of gooey chocolate oozing from its warm centre.

Much like the inspiration for Sheereen’s business, the recipe for her cookies was born out of a difficult time. During one of the toughest, most regulated periods of the COVID lockdowns, her ability to get ingredients from suppliers, and to sell cakes, was strictly restricted.

It was during these lengthy home confinements, stuck with bulk loads of baking supplies that she started to experiment with cookie recipes, until she found the perfect one. As the saying goes, “every cloud has a silver lining”. Out of difficult times in Sheereen’s life, she has been inspired to create.

Her creations are not limited to just cookies – BAKED also sells cupcakes, brownies, ice cream and truffles; everything one might need to satiate their inner sugar-holic.

The selection of confectionery items on offer when visiting BAKED may seem small at first glance, but a lot of passion goes into whichever creations are on the menu that week. This is what keeps customers returning – each week there are new, delicious baked goods to spark your sugar rush, such as four changing flavors of cupcake to enjoy (follow their Instagram @bakedandfriends.hn to see all the delightful delicacies available).

BAKED always makes sure to have at least one vegan and one gluten-free option available. Gluten-intolerant British expat Juliet Coome, while following up on a BAKED recommendation, discovered their gluten-free chocolate cupcake and exclaimed, jokingly “This is the best day of my life!”.

Sheereen (although not a vegan herself) and her team put a lot of care into making vegan alternatives for existing confectionery recipes. She explained that they spend a lot of time on the vegan recipes, as they need to get it right. After a lot of experimentation, BAKED has figured out how to get a consistency that is exactly the same as a non-vegan cake.

BAKED and Friends also make customized cakes, and are great at doing so; thanks to the enthusiastic kitchen team and the owner’s outstanding ability in her former hobby of making novelty-cake sculptures. They taste-test their new weekly recipes thoroughly before selling them, making sure to perfect them before gracing customers with their exquisite taste. While Sheereen’s own favorite item is the lemon meringue cupcake, customers at the café struggle to pick just one.

Sheereen isn’t sure what’s next for BAKED. The growing influx of new business is already keeping her busy so she is just going with the flow for now and enjoying the experience, though there was talk of a possible ice cream sandwich (yum!) in the works, and even potentially opening a second branch.

Regardless of what’s on the cards in BAKED’s future – what’s available now is enough to warrant a visit. Whether sugary treats are your thing or not, it’s more than worthwhile trying out the cookies at least once. After your curiosity is piqued, you’ll likely want to experiment with their other confectionary goods, but be warned – make sure you have enough room in your life for a new addiction because you’ll probably find one here!

“And that’s the way the cookie crumbles…“

Written by Jason Law