Fuck You Up Bakery (FYUB) Pops Up in West Oakland

Line at FYUB

Yesterday was a momentous occasion.  I was excited to witness the return of Chef Nora Haron to Oakland for a pop-up bakery.  It’s been about a year since Chef Nora closed her cafe Drip Line in West Oakland and I’ve been sad ever since.  She brought unique Singapore flavors to the food that she shared with the community, which had lasting memories.  Her kaya butter was everything.  

The Fuck You Up Bakery (FYUB) was parked outside the new Orbit Coffee and Doughnuts shop on 7th Street.  I arrived with a friend shortly after 10am to witness and taste the goods. With five items on the menu, it was too easy. We ordered one of everything.

A box of everything

The most highly anticipated item for me was the Karen From Finance’s Kaya Bun which is made of a brioche bun filled with caramel kaya and topped with semolina and poppy seeds.  Truthfully, it was my least favorite.  I expected a softer bread to melt in my mouth and the proportion of filing to bread didn’t match up.  Also, a warm kayak bun could’ve made all the difference.  I’ll carry on because it only gets better. 

Next we tried the savory item.  The Clout-full Chicken Curry Turnover was amazing.  It reminded me of the curry handpies you can get at some Asian bakeries, but not.  Chef Nora’s flavors were next level.  As a fan of savory items, I could’ve kept eating these. 

I usually turn away from items that label themselves as Vegan or Gluten Free.  But you don’t need to be afraid of the Vegan and Wheat Free sign on the No Bullshit Banana Nut Chocolate Bread.  It was sticky, gooey, and delicious.  

The Mad Moringa Cloud Cake, labeled as dairy free, was a very soft sponge cake and another winner.  The flavor tasted like matcha. It was so light, no wonder they call it a cloud cake.  I am not familiar with moringa, but it is being marketed as a superfood.  Since the cake is both dairy free and a superfood, can we say healthy cake?  Bring me more cake!

The final item was the Conscienceless Pandan, Conconut, Butterscotch Cookie.  The fusion flavors in the cookie were wonderful and the texture offered the perfect chewiness.

I am super excited to see when and where the next FYUB pop up will be, but in the meantime, I’ll be making a reservation at Local Kitchen in San Francisco, where Chef Noran is Executive Chef.  

Share: