Cherylynn N.
Yelp
2.5 STARS
Jane be getting' around...
From the Tendergroin, to Pac Heights, to the 'Mo, to Clement, and now to Chinatown.
GET IT, GIRL!
Not in a Nelly Furtado kinda way because we're talking about a yipster bakery here.
Little Jane on Grant is the newest Jane location in the heart of Chinatown (RIP Dragon Papa). It's the smallest location of the five so it's takeout only with a limited selection.
You can enjoy your pastries at Portsmouth Square which is just a block down on Clay. It's a gathering place for the senior Chinese community with plenty of benches and public restrooms.
Staff wore a mask.
M E N U
*Exclusive item to Little Jane on Grant
Limited menu: Plain Croissant, Chocolate Croissant, Hojicha Chocolate Chip Scone, Pineapple Kouign Amann*, Persimmon Puff*, Bread Loaves, and Cookies (no crazy cookie here). GF and vegan cookies available.
Pastries and cookies are not baked on-site.
Hot coffee available and there's also a cold case of drinks (tea, juices, and soda).
P A S T R I E S
I was looking forward to the Pineapple Kouign Amann but they sold out early on weekday. However, the other items were fully stocked.
Since I was already there, I figure I buy some items to snack on.
* Persimmon Puff ($5.50): https://bit.ly/36zn8S0
This was more of a rice pudding tart than a persimmon puff.
The crust was delicious - crunchy, buttery, and flaky crust. And, I liked the crumbles for extra texture.
But, other than the persimmon garnish on top, there was no persimmon flavor. Based on the other review and other persimmon puff picture, there's supposed to be a layer of persimmon between the pudding and shell. There was none in my puff so I basically received a plain rice pudding tart . =(
* Hōjicha Chocolate Chip Scone ($5.50): https://bit.ly/3LPC66u
As a huge fan of hōjicha, I enjoyed the strong roasty bitter flavor of the tea, the rich chocolate chips, and the sweet icing to balance the tea flavor. But, texture-wise, the scone was stale, dry, and overly dense.
* Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookie ($4): https://bit.ly/3HfExM2
After Anthony's, Jane is my girl for cookies. Not on this visit.
In the past, I've accidentally left Jane's cookies in my trunk but still enjoyed them two days later. This cookie was def older than that...the edges were hard and dry, and lacking a satisfying chew in the center. I had to pop it in the microwave to soften it up.
S E R V I C E
Prompt; no line or wait.
A M B I A N C E
Compact shop with narrow walkway.
P A R K I N G
Very, very difficult street parking. Beware of tow-away zones.
Portsmouth Square Garage is 1.5 blocks away and it's FREE parking for the first 2 hours for CNY (through the end of February). Otherwise, it's $4/hour.
Overall, I like Jane's other locations but very disappointed that two of the three items I bought here were stale, and the other was missing a key ingredient. I either visited on an off day and/or they're not moving their inventory fast enough (aside from the kouign amann).
Hope others have a better experience!