I first wrote about Baker Brothers in 2001, when I was the food editor for a now-defunct website. At that time, the bakery was barely a month old but it already commanded quite a following in its neighborhood. Some weeks after I wrote that review, I paid them a visit and was flattered to see that they had printed and framed my review and it hung on the store’s walls.

I’ve always believed that some of the best breads can be found in village bakeries – those that aren’t too commercialized and that are very consistent with their quality. Baker Brothers is one of them. I only wish that I didn’t live so far away, so whenever I’m in the south, I make sure to drop by.

Four years after Baker Brothers opened it’s now in the hands of its new owner, Joey Tirol, who happened to be around when I dropped by. (Lucky me!) My review is still hanging there, and this time it made me laugh because I don’t even look like that anymore.

My old favorites are still here – the focaccia, which is soft and the perfect partner for pasta and olive oil, as well as the sourdough bread, chewy with a tang. The line of Italian breads is still here, (ciabatta, panino) as is the bakery’s famous sesame bread sticks, their multi-grain batard, and their pillow-soft ensaymadas. One new item is the raisin bread, which Joey told me carried them through last year’s Christmas season. “We must’ve sold about 2,000 loaves,” he tells me, still in disbelief. Unlike other raisin breads where the raisins are almost an afterthought, the one at Baker Brothers is substantial, striking a good balance between bread and raisins. I toasted some slices at home and smeared them with cream cheese. Bliss.

I got to walk around out back where the bakers make the bread. The aroma of fresh bread was so intoxicating, I could’ve bottled the scent and sold it on Ebay. Mmm. The bakery is small but sufficient and efficient. A curious sign hangs on the wall: “Success and rest don’t sleep together – Russian proverb.” If that’s the formula for success for Baker Brothers, how well it works for them.

Additional Information:
Baker Brothers
#12 Presidents Ave., Tahanan Village, Parañaque.
Open Tuesday-Sunday, 7 am – 9 pm. Call 850-8993.

This establishment is now closed.