Berlu Is So Much More Than a Slice of Pandan Cake

"Berlu's springy, verdant pandan bánh bò nướng ($6.20) is a generous room-temperature cake slice with a cup of slightly salty cream drizzle over the top, but don't ignore the rotating flavors; on prior visits, I sampled banana and coffee flavors. The pineapple cardamom cake ($5.80) has an intense caramel flavor and a crisp bottom that's balanced by its fruit topping;"

"we'd recommend it over the clove canele, which has a similar flavor profile. The coconut egg custard tart ($7.75) has a snappy short crust filled with not-too-sweet cream and showered in salty shaved egg yolk. The bánh bò nướng avocado toast ($16.10) was my best repeat bite of 2025 - a thick, chewy slice of toast topped with ripe avocado, crispy shallots, and sprouts, punched up by scoops of subtly throat-tingling chile oil and salted coconut cream laced with green globes of fig leaf oil."

Berlu reopened in Buckman in June 2025 after a previous iteration closed in October 2024. The bakery blends Vietnamese flavors with pastry techniques and offers a rotating pastry case that includes pandan bánh bò nướng, pineapple cardamom cake, coconut egg custard tart, and a bánh bò nướng avocado toast. The pandan cake is springy and served room temperature with a slightly salty cream drizzle. The pineapple cake has intense caramel notes and a crisp bottom. The coconut tart pairs a snappy short crust with not-too-sweet cream and shaved salty egg yolk. Drinks include a jasmine tea cream soda and a peanut-flavored kẹo mè xửng huế latte. A "One of Everything" pastry option is available for $50, though sampling select items delivers the main flavor and textural highlights.

Read at Eater Portland