Panaderya Toyo, which opened in 2017, changed the way we appreciate and eat bread. Suddenly, our pan de sal cravings turned from the subtly sweet round to the knotted sourdough kind.
Owners Jordy and May Navarra love challenging traditions. In their much celebrated restaurant Toyo, beloved items like the Tocino bread and fermented black rice sourdough have left a good impression on people’s dining experiences. And so extending their line by opening a bakery was a logical move.
“Panaderya Toyo takes the everyday panaderya concept and flips it on its head,” says May. “We wanted to create a space with bread at the core of its identity, guided by traditional craft methods of bread-making, but with inventive applications.”
Unlike other typical neighborhood bakeries, they allow you to dine in and eat their bread with a variety of palaman, ranging from tortang talong to octopus with tomato mayo.
Their roster triggers interest and delivers satisfaction. The Cruasan de Masa Madre, which resembles and bites like a flaky croissant, lends a milky flavor with the use of heirloom red rice from Ifugao, which the bakers milled themselves.
There’s Bollos, pull-apart soft buns made with pork lard as well as sweet pastries like conchas, and angel wing-shaped Palmeras with a citrus punch.
Familiar flavors
At the start of the year, they introduced a selection of breads that reel things in closer to home as Jordy and head bakers Gab Garcia, Chili Mendiola and Rhea Siccio played around with more familiar flavors and ingredients.
They have their own version of all-time favorite Pan de Coco, stuffed with sweet coconut flakes, coconut sugar and gata. The shape is flatter than typical, guaranteeing a piece of the filling with every bite.
They also have a unique take on the popular Taystee loaf called Pan Malasa, which is milk bread with butter.
Two variants incorporate local vegetables—Baston, a long crusty loaf made with malunggay oil, and Bandila, overnight batard with kangkong, corn and burnt kalabasa.
Addressing multiple requests, Panaderya Toyo now offers a version 2.0 of their famous Tocino bread. Aptly named the Twocino, it looks like a coffee bun but is actually brioche stuffed with house-cured pork and topped with caramelized onion cookie.
For the sweet tooth, there’s the cinnamon roll-looking Ipo-Ipo, cheese brioche with toyo and cocoa swirl, and the EnsayNada, which is akin to a cheesy and flaky kouign-amann, crowned with buttercream and shredded queso de bola.
The Navarras promise to introduce many equally decadent and intriguing items. “We’ve been trying to get better day by day, adding more to the offerings, but questioning and evolving what we have,” says May. “We’re also thinking of opening Panaderya Toyo at night and doing an after-hours menu that will be a collaborative effort between Toyo Eatery and Panaderya Toyo.”
Panaderya Toyo: The Alley at Karrivin, 2316 Chino Roces Ave. Ext., Makati City
