Shio Pan (Japanese Salt Bread) and Orange County

A recipe for Shio Pan (塩パン, Japanese Salt Bread) inspired by our time in Orange County, California! These crescent-shaped rolls have a salted, crispy crust with a chewy, buttery center.

For the first couple of years of our time in Los Angeles, we had annual passes to Disneyland.

While we enjoyed the themed food in the parks, we often used the opportunity to enjoy some of the incredible food nearby in Anaheim, Buena Park, and Garden Grove.

I originally started this post to feature those restaurants near Disneyland, but ended up wanting to branch further out to include favorites in other areas of Orange County too!

Most of these spots are coffee/doughnut/breakfast-related since that was usually the time of day we were driving through the area.

Anaheim

Okayama Kobo Bakery & Cafe

One of our absolute favorite stops was Okayama Kobo Bakery & Cafe at 155 W Center Street Promenade.

It is only about 2 miles (3 kilometers) north of Disneyland and an easy breakfast option before heading into the park.

This Japanese bakery has a variety of breads, pastries, and sandwiches using 100% Hokkaido flour. Their drinks are also fantastic.

I especially love their Salt and Butter Rolls (Shio Pan- “A light, fluffy bread with a buttery flavor and a hint of salt”) and Yakisoba Coppe (Japanese fried noodles with veggies in a soft bun). The kids would usually pick the Chocolate Emoji (Soft sweet bun filled with dark chocolate and vanilla bean custard cream) and Kobokuma (Bear shaped bread filled with Vanilla bean custard cream).

They now have a second location in Little Tokyo inside Miyako Hotel.

MDK Noodles

We stopped by MDK (Myung Dong Kyoja) Noodles at 1000 N Euclid Street once for takeout before heading home. They have a menu packed with noodles and dumplings.

We tried the knife cut noodles in chicken broth with ground chicken, vegetables, and pork dumplings; rice cake dumpling soup; pan-fried dumplings with shredded cabbage salad; and beef bulgogi with grilled onions and rice.

They have additional locations in Koreatown and Houston, Texas.

Le Mirage Pastry

Le Mirage Pastry at 100 S Brookhurst Street was one of our last visits in Anaheim before our move. They have an incredible assortment of handcrafted Syrian pastries, knafeh, bouza, baklava, cakes, cookies, and more.

We enjoyed the assorted baklava and Bouza (Syrian ice cream with crushed pistachios).

Anaheim Packing House

Anaheim Packing House is a beautiful indoor food hall with vendors spanning across two stories. It is located inside a renovated, historic 1919 citrus-packing house at 440 S Anaheim Blvd.

Le Parfait Paris

I originally had Le Parfait Paris on the list while in San Diego. We ran out of time and missed it, but luckily they have a location in Anaheim Packing District!

I was finally able to visit with my friend Karen of Karen’s Kitchen Stories a couple of months ago.

They have a variety of coffee, pastries, desserts, crêpes, and sandwiches. I enjoyed the Galette Complète (cheese béchamel, fried egg, Paris ham) with a Maple Pancake Latte.

Georgia’s Restaurant

During my first visit to the Anaheim Packing District, I had the Chicken & Waffle from Georgia’s Restaurant. They feature authentic Soul Food with a Creole-inspired menu.

It was such a delicious lunch with their signature fried chicken, Belgian waffle, maple syrup, and creaming honey butter. The kids (and I) loved the Mac & cheese too.

They have a second location in Long Beach.

Buena Park

The Source

The Source at 6940 Beach Blvd was another favorite stop. This Korean-based outdoor shopping center has three levels with restaurants, dessert cafes, food courts, shops, and an indoor play area.

Flippoly

When visiting The Source, we usually got egg sandwiches and Dalgona coffee from Flippoly.

They recently opened a second location in Irvine.

We also liked to get Korean-style hot dogs from Myungrang Hot Dog (명랑 핫도그) across the walkway.

Basilur Tea and Coffee

Basilur Tea and Coffee is also on the lower level of The Source. They have specialty coffee drinks, tea cocktails, soufflé pancakes, Eggs Benedict, and an afternoon tea time set.

I loved the vibrant color of their Ube Latte and the Tiramisu Soufflé Pancakes were so light and fluffy.

Smoking Tiger Coffee & Bread

Smoking Tiger Coffee & Bread at 4600 Beach Blvd is about 2.5 miles north of The Source. They focus on crafted drinks and baked goods with Korean flavors.

During our visit, we loved the Fireplace Latte (vanilla cinnamon), Seoul Strawberry Milk, Matcha Scone, and Korean Honey Oat Scone.

They have additional locations in Fullerton and Cerritos.

Stereoscope Coffee

Stereoscope Coffee is across the street from Smoking Tiger Coffee & Bread at 4542 Beach Blvd.

We tried their Vietnamese Cold Brew (inspired by Vietnamese coffee- Kyoto cold brew shaken with condensed milk), Madagascar Vanilla Latte (so good!), Pistachio Croissant, and Everything Croissant.

They have additional locations in Echo Park, Long Beach, and Newport Beach.

Garden Grove

Airoma Cafe

Airoma Cafe opened in Fall 2020 at 10246 Westminster Avenue.

I regularly make Cà Phê Trứng at home, but this was my first time trying Vietnamese Egg Coffee in a cafe! In their version, smooth iced coffee is complimented with a sweet creamy egg froth. It was so good!

We also liked the Ube Latte and Strawberry Sunset (fresh strawberry puree with mint and tea).

The Donut Makers

The Donut Makers is currently open for takeout daily at 13651 Magnolia Street. This family-owned shop has been open since 1995 and features a fun assortment of doughnuts, pastries, sandwiches, cronchas, and drinks. 

The Cronchas were such a delicious and unique treat. A fusion between a croissant and concha, they have variety of flavors including original white, sprinkles, chocolate maple drizzle, cinnamon brown sugar, chocolate, and more. 

Phin Smith

Phin Smith is a Vietnamese coffee shop located at 12921 Main Street. They have a refreshing variety of coffee, tea, and specialty drinks.

During our visit, we enjoyed the Taiwanese Sea Salt Coffee, Cà Phê Sữa đá (Vietnamese Iced Coffee with option of hazelnut and sea salt foam- so so good!), and Calamantea- (calamansi with desired tea- we got it with white tea).

Westminster

Da Vien Coffee

Da Vien Coffee opened in Spring 2021 at 9731 Bolsa Avenue with Vietnamese coffee, drinks, sweet and savory toast, and bingsoo.

I stopped by once for breakfast and enjoyed the Cinnamon Egg Coffee (Vietnamese coffee with sweetened egg cream and cinnamon) and Cheese Salted Egg Toast (pork floss, salted egg, cheese, and butter).

Nok’s Kitchen

I first tried Nok’s Kitchen’s Lao pork sausage last year during a collaboration with Cali Dumpling and am so so happy I was able to stop by their newly opened restaurant at 9378 Westminster Blvd before our move!

Nok’s Kitchen has a delicious variety of Laotian sausages, skewers, salads, drinks, and desserts along with weekend specials on Friday/Saturday.

We had the Lao Sausage Combo (2 pork Lao sausages with sauce and sticky rice), Chicken Thigh Skewer Combo, Nam Khao (Crispy Rice Salad), Mango Pandan Sticky Rice, Dragon Fruit Lemonade, and Fresh Coconut Juice. Everything was fantastic!

Eiswelt Gelato

Eiswelt Gelato at 9605 Bolsa Avenue serves their hand-crafted gelato in such a fun and cute way!

Scoops of ice cream in desired flavors are shaped into characters such as bears, bunnies, dogs, pigs, chickens, cats, roses, unicorns, and seasonal options.

They also have a location in Tokyo.

Huntington Beach

AOSA Coffee

AOSA Coffee is tucked within a shopping center at 16821 Algonquin Street Ste 104. Their menu has a variety of coffee, tea, kombucha, açaí bowls, toast, sandwiches, and pastries.

We enjoyed the Iced Honey Cinnamon Latte, Classic Avocado Toast (avocado, tomatoes, micro greens), nutella toast, and OG Wave Açaí bowl.

Able Coffee Roasters

Able Coffee Roasters opened in December 2020 at 7451 Edinger Avenue Ste 115 as a way to create paying jobs for individuals with Autism and disabilities while featuring coffee, tea, pastries, and breakfast items. I am so so happy my son is growing up seeing examples like this.

We enjoyed the Able Latte (espresso and butterfly pea), Sensory Latte (espresso with brown sugar and cinnamon), vegan donuts, and a bag of Love Drip Beans (notes of herbal, tropical fruit, and chocolate).

They now have a second location in Fullerton.

Fountain Valley

Sofra Urbana

When driving through the area, we often picked up lunch from Sofra Urbana at 17098 Magnolia Street. Along with pizza, salads, and sandwiches, they also have traditional cuisine from Bosnia I Hercegovina.

Favorites included the Bosnian Burger (beef pljeskavica with lettuce, tomato, kajmak, and ajvar), Spinach Burek (spinach and cheese spiraled pastry with tzatziki), Shopska (tomato, cucumber, red onion, green olives, feta, and roasted bell pepper salad), Cevapi (mini sausages with halal beef with Somun/Lepinje bread, onions, ajvar, and kajmak), and Balkan Pizza (mozzarella, mushrooms, suho meso- smoked beef, soyuk, kaymak, and tomato sauce).

Crafted Donuts

We picked up doughnuts from Crafted Donuts at 18011 Newhope Street once while in the area for Sofra Urbana. The flavors were so creative and decorated beautifully! They have raw juice and smoothies too.

We tried the Banana Cream Pie, Fruity Pebble, Caramel Latte, and Mud Pie donuts.

 Nếp Cafe

One of our most memorable brunches in Orange County was at Nếp Cafe at 10836 Warner Avenue. Their menu highlights French-Vietnamese coffee and breakfast/brunch options.

During our visit, we loved the Yuzu Margarita, Saigon Cooler (coconut, pineapple, sugarcane, lemon, butterfly pea tea), Cà Phê Trứng Muối (egg coffee with salted egg yolk), Xôi Mặn (sticky rice, quail eggs, pâté, Chả lụa, Lạp xưởng, pork floss, scallion oil, peanuts), The “Dao” (sousvide egg, potato espuma), and Beef Tongue Fried Rice.

Costa Mesa

Good Town Doughnuts

I actually first came across Good Town Doughnuts (グッドタウンドーナツ) while researching for our Tokyo trip and learned they had a second location in the United States not too far from our house!

Found inside The LAB Anti-Mall at 2930 Bristol Street, they feature handcrafted brioche doughnuts along with vegan options.

Looking for more of our visits in Orange County?

Check out:

• Spaghetti Grilled Cheese and Irvine, California
• Mustafarian Lava Roll and Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• Mummy Macarons and Halloween Time at Disneyland
• Pumpkin Spice Milkshake and Halloween Time at Disney California Adventure

Shio Pan (Japanese Salt Bread)

To pair with this post, I wanted to make my favorite bread from Okayama Kobo Bakery & Cafe, Shio Pan (塩パン, Japanese Salt Bread)! I also often got a version from 85˚C Bakery Cafe called Salted Butter Rolls.

These yeast-based rolls are filled with a thin stick of salted butter, then rolled up into a crescent shape. The butter melts in the oven to create a bread with a soft and fluffy texture and a golden, crisp crust on the bottom.

The Shio Pan are best served warm from the oven or within a couple of hours for the perfect texture. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 days.

A Few Shio Pan Tips

If the dough is too wet, add a little more flour (only enough to keep it from sticking). Add a little more lukewarm water if too tough and crumbly.

Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size. This may take 1 hour in warm kitchens and closer to 2 hours during the winter.

When rolling up the dough around the stick of butter, pinch and seal the edges well. This is needed to keep most of the butter inside the Shio Pan.

Some of the butter will seep out during baking. This is normal and will help create the crisp, golden crust on the bottom. Use a rimmed baking sheet to keep the butter from making a mess in the oven.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Shio Pan (Japanese Salt Bread) Recipe

Adapted from 世界一親切な家おやつ

Print Pin

5 from 2 votes

Shio Pan (Japanese Salt Bread)

A recipe for Shio Pan (塩パン, Japanese Salt Bread) inspired by our time in Orange County, California! These crescent-shaped rolls have a salted, crispy crust with a chewy, buttery center.

Course Bread

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword bread, butter, Japan, Japanese, roll

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Rolls

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) lukewarm water 105-115˚F, 40-46˚C
• 3 cups (400 grams) bread flour
• 1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) salted butter softened at room temperature

To assemble:

• 8 tablespoons (113 grams) salted butter chilled and cut into 8 equal, long strips, plus more for brushing
• Flaky sea salt for garnish

Instructions

• In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the lukewarm water. Stir to combine and let sit until frothy, about 10 minutes.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
• Mix in the frothy yeast with water and the 2 tablespoons (30 grams) salted butter to form a soft dough.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
• If too dry and crumbly, add a little more lukewarm water. If too sticky to touch, add just enough flour to handle.
• Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic or a towel, and allow to rise until doubled, 1-2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the risen dough into a circle about 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) thick.
• Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut the circle into 8 equal slices/triangles.
• Place a strip of the salted butter along the widest edge of the triangle away from the center.
• Roll up the triangle, pinching and sealing the butter inside the bread as you roll, and slightly turn in the ends to form a crescent shape.
• Transfer the formed roll to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining triangles.
• Cover the baking sheet with a large cloth and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, until puffed.
• Brush the puffed rolls with additional melted butter, and top with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown with a crisp bottom, about 18 minutes.
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.