Grand Opening: A Pop-Up Bakery Hidden In an Alley of Chinatown

While most people may have heard of Mr. Jiu's restaurant at 28 Waverly Pl, few may have heard about the "pop-up" bakery that also operates out of the "Kitchen" right next to it, called Grand Opening.

Operating as a pop-up since 2019, Grand Opening was operated by Melissa Chou, the star pastry chef that helped three different restaurants earn a Michelin star. She used to be opening pastry chef at Mr. Jius, and Grand Opening was supposed to be her first solo venture. She took a break at the beginning of 2020 to visit family back in New Zealand, but had to stay much longer due to COVID. Her return in late 2021 means she's ready to make Grand Opening a dedicated venture.

Keep in mind that Grand Opening is a pop-up, which means you need to pre-order off the website, unless you want to come on Sundays to Mr. Jiu's, where you may find Melissa at the window with a selection of what's available, and this is more about what she wanted to make instead of what fits into the menu. And the menu changes every week.

While you will find something "similar" to the traditional Chinese items like bolo buns or egg tarts, these are not your typical dimsum cart or bakery stuff. The sponge cake may look similar to the classical Chinese version, but the seasonal ingredients are quite distinct, such as jasmine mousse, blackberries, and ginger custard, and it will vary depending on what's in season. The Parisian egg tart is thick and deep with vanilla bean flecks and torched on top. Very... chef-y variation indeed, and nothing you'd really expect to find in Chinatown... which is a good thing. But the prices are a bit on the steep side, more in line with what you'd expect in a European patisserie.

This little box of 3 pieces cost me... $19.24 with tax. And let's just say these are pretty much the only thing left by 11AM.

3 pieces from Grand Opening. for just under $20 USD
courtesy author

The flat piece is delicious. The apricots are just right, and there's cream custard under them and the pastry was crisp. The cookie was interesting, as the outside is slightly crunchy yet the inside is soft, somewhere between an oatmeal cookie and a chewy chocolate chip cookie. The square bar is a bit too tall to fit into mouth, but it's two pieces layered and the middle filled with fruit filling. They are delicious, but they are a bit on the expensive side.

If you are in Chinatown Sunday Morning, about 10-ish, walk by 28 Waverly and look for Grand Opening, which is a window next to Mr. Jiu's main entrance, with a small neon sign. You may find something pleasant you were not expecting.

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