Cake Nara serves up sweet and savory baked goods in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. (Eric Mendiola/Stars and Stripes)
The variety of sweet and savory goods at Cake Nara, a bakery in Pyeongtaek, makes the drive from Camp Humphreys and Osan Air Base worth the effort.
“Nara” is a Korean word for “country,” so the bakery sometimes is referred to as Cake Country. But whatever you choose to call this place, you might soon be calling it your favorite bakery in town.
Inside you’ll find long tables stocked with baked goods, with baskets and tongs ready nearby for you to gather your selection. Cakes are available in refrigerated display cases and on the opposite side of the room is a counter with goods for sale like juice, jams and home decorations.
As you browse through the rows, you’ll notice the staff consistently walking through the bakery keeping everything neat and restocking the items. You’ll also hear the sound of bakers opening ovens and carts laden with pastries being rolled around in the kitchen.
The names of the baked goods are in Korean, but I was able to use a translation app to identify the items. This wasn’t much of a hassle.
Vegetable croquettes at Cake Nara, a bakery in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. (Eric Mendiola/Stars and Stripes)
My first choice was a Korean-style vegetable croquette, a doughnut-shaped savory pastry with a vegetable filling.
The croquette was firm, not crumbling, and held its shape. The buttery, slightly sweet bread held a fresh filling with an oniony tang. It’s a flavorful treat, but not recommended if you don’t like onion.
Moving onto one of the sweeter options, I opted for an egg tart. The disc-shaped, crumbly pastry was wrapped in cellophane. The custard part was sweet and creamy. The crust lacked a distinctive flavor but added a nice crunch to the custard filling.
Other sweet options include doughnuts, croissants and, of course, cakes. Savory options include hot dogs, burgers and freshly baked garlic bread.
The bakery is close enough to the bases to make a morning run for breakfast pastry a tempting choice.
Cake Nara serves up sweet and savory baked goods in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. (Eric Mendiola/Stars and Stripes)
Cake Nara
Location: 755-8 Jisan-dong, Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Hours: Open daily, 10:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Prices: The vegetable croquette was 2,700 won, or about $1.84. The egg tart was 2,000 won.
Dress: Casual
Directions: A short drive from Osan Air Base and Camp Humphreys.
Information: Phone: 031-666-7688
