#aucklandeats: Viral Korean-Indonesian Bakery out West

Shio Bakery | 1A Buscomb Avenue, Henderson, Auckland 0610

Instagram | @shiobakery

Asian bread has been trending high in Auckland recently. It’s quite different to western bread - it’s much sweeter as it’s got a higher quantity of fat and sugar which makes the bread fluffier and softer. There’s been a noticeable trend and introduction of Asian bread to Auckland recently. With delightful and unique flavours and textures using European patisserie techniques but with flavours from around Asia, no wonder Asian Bakeries like Wheatz Bakery and Domo Bakery are a huge hit these days. West Aucklanders no longer need to feel FOMO as they now have their own Asian-inspired bakery out in Henderson! People are travelling from different parts of Auckland to get a taste of the hyped and viral bakery, Shio Bakery. 

Instagram | Shio Bakery

Shio bakery has been a huge hit and still now, with queues in the morning and selling out well before closing time. But with good reason as it’s created by the masterminds behind Pikuniku, &Sushi and Manis Bakery. Manis Bakery is a popular bakery that’s already famous for their delightful pastries. Especially since the baked goods are created and overseen by one of the co-owners, who has worked at the famous Amano for over eight years. Shio Bakery specialises in Indonesian and Korean inspired creations which is different yet again to other bakeries. Not only do they sell the popular ‘salt bread’ but they also sell other Korean-inspired breads. You’ll also find Indonesian-inspired pies like the delicious Rendang Pie.

Instagram | Shio Bakery 

So what is Salt Bread and why is it so popular? Shio means salt in Japanese and it’s a fine balance between a doughnut and a croissant. You can easily tell once you see the shape of the bread. It looks pretty plain on the outside but once you try it, you’ll realise how oddly addictive it is as it’s super fluffy on the inside. Shio Bakery offers not only the original salt bread but they also offer salt bread filled with bulgogi, tuna or egg salad. It's a sweet ( 단) and salty ( 짠) combination that Koreans call an irresistible 단짠 (dan-jjan) combo. 

Instagram | Shio Bakery

Pandoro bread is another trend in Korea. It’s traditionally Italian and most popular around Christmas and New Year. It’s shaped like a star or a mountain and has been going viral around bakeries and cafes like Cafe Onion in Korea. These aesthetically looking bread are now easily accessible at Shio Bakery so you can try them for yourself. Not only are they visually appealing but they taste delicious too! The texture of the bread is not as dense as it looks and it has a nice vanilla-base taste. At Shio Bakery, they have a wide variety of flavours you can choose from like Cookies and Cream, Mascarpone, Tiramisu and so much more.

Shio Bakery also has many other sweet and savoury options catering for every palate like madeleines, pies, cookies and filled croissants. They’ve been absolutely bombarded since opening so make sure to check them out for yourself and to go early so you don’t miss out!