Mike L.
Yelp
Despite Pushkin's popularity and wealth of reviews, I'm not really sure if I could've found this place on my own...literally. Never mind the fact that the address lists 29th St - I'm not sure if I would've found the entrance without doing a lap around the building (I assumed the entrance was on the other side of the building where the Temple Coffee/the parking lot is. Honestly, I blame it on the fact that there wasn't a line out the door, which is something you just get accustomed to seeing outside just about every popular bakery in SF. Then again, I'm not exactly complaining about that either...ha!
While they may not be the biggest bakery out there (anywhere, let alone in Sacramento), the full slate of what Pushkin's has to offer is surprisingly extensive. On any given day, the day's offerings will span a varied selection of their full collection of pastries and baked goodies to choose from, such as scones, coffee cakes, cookies, scones, and buns. What's more, they have a variety of sandwiches to offer as well, including both breakfast sandwiches and "lunch" sandwiches with both meat and vegan options. In all, the vast majority of items look really interesting, but what might be especially appealing is they have goodies for folks with dietary restrictions, whether you're vegan, have a gluten sensitivity, and/or have dairy allergies.
-- BREAKFAST SANDWICH #2 - Mayo, Green Tangy Dressing, Egg, Ham, and Cheese...$9.99
This was terrific! The ham, egg, and cheese complemented each other perfectly and contrasted well against the dressing (which was only slightly tangy). However, I wish this had some tomato or red onion for some sweet freshness.
-- MEYER LEMON COFFEE CAKE...$4.35
A little on the sweet side (there's a fair amount of icing), but this is, easily, my favorite baked item here. The coffee cake is moist and not overly dense/heavy, but what I love most is how much Meyer lemon flavor it has.
-- BREAKFAST SANDWICH #1 - Mayo, Pesto, Egg, bacon, Tomato, Avocado, and Spinach...$9.99
Not quite as good as #2, but still very solid. Ironically, this had the reverse issue - while I liked the spinach and thick cuts of tomatoes, I wish there was another slice of bacon to add more meatiness to the sandwich.
-- TOASTED ALMOND APPLE CAKE...$4.85
I've had mixed experiences with similar pastries elsewhere, but this one was great! The interior of the cake was a little wet (presumably from the apples), but I liked how well the almond and apple flavors worked together.
-- CINNAMON BUN...$3.25
Although the bottom of the bun felt a little overcooked (very dark in color), the taste of this was pretty decent. The wealth of icing certainly helped, but I liked how the bun itself wasn't overly sweet and had a nice hit of cinnamon in it.
-- MORNING BUN...$3.25
Honestly, this was very...meh. While it wasn't awful by any means, it wasn't all that interesting ether. The texture was moist, but other than the sliced almonds on top, the bun itself didn't have a strong taste of anything to me.
-- NEW YORKER SANDWICH - Salami, Soppressata, Provolone, Onion, Tomato, Pepperoncini, Iceberg Lettuce, Yellow Mustard, and Oregano Vinaigrette...$10.99
The bread didn't do much for me (it fell apart quickly), but hard not to like such classic flavors. Plus, they didn't skimp on the meat, as there was a lot of soppressata and salami. I just wish the veggies didn't make the bread so soggy.
One thing that I will say is that across everything I've tried, though more so with regards to the sandwiches, the portion sizes feel a little light. I get why that is the case with the pastries (comparatively small batches), but neither of the breakfast sandwiches felt all that hefty for the money. The same could be said about the New Yorker, but at least that one was packed with salami and mortadella. That said, it's not the biggest complaint, as the ingredients all tasted fresh and tasted of a better quality.
While I've managed to try a number of things so far, the one thing I can't speak to are the cupcakes, muffins, or the cakes. However, from the look of them in the display case, they all look pretty appealing (I just tend to gravitate towards their other offerings). Even though Pushkin's isn't exactly in my neighborhood, I'd definitely look to come back for their Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake or one of their breakfast sandwiches, especially now that I know where they are!