Ray's Bakery

A considerable time ago, I was learning to drive (no, I didn't pay anyone off...), when suddenly my instructor took me to Westside Bakery.  Yah, sounds a bit weird, but I assure you it wasn't like Harold and Kumar goes to White Castle.  The reason for such a detour was due to their fabulous flaky cheese buns.  I was skeptical, but really, when reheated (or fresh from the oven), these things were killer.  However, the person responsible for these cheesy treats left and eventually opened up Ray's Bakery on the Burnaby/New West border.  I was tipped off by a reader a few years ago, but it took this long for a visit.

With my son tagging along, it was fitting since he absolutely loves Cheese Buns.  Of course we got a half dozen of them.  Yes, they were exactly how I remembered them - flaky, soft, cheesy, buttery and aromatic.  The ones at Safeway have nothing on these ones as there is more cheese and butter involved.  Healthy?  No, but who really cares right?  With a limited selection of goods, we decided to grab a few Shortbread Cookies.  These had a firm butteriness that was not overly hard.  They were easy on the sugar which meant that we could eat more than one without getting sick of them.

I also picked up some Cheddar Scones and one Raisin.  These were not remotely dry while cheesy like the buns.  In fact, after a quick pop in the microwave, they were soft and fluffy.  The specks of cheese strewn throughout the scone ensured an appealing savouriness.  As for the raisin scone, it benefited from little bursts of sweetness.  I enjoyed these very much.  My son was eying the Chocolate Brownie.  Shockingly, he ate it willingly despite the inclusion of walnuts.  I gave it a try and there was no wonder why.  It was chocolatey, sweet and chewy.  Hey, as much as Ray's Bakery is not chic nor really all that sexy, there is good stuff to be found, especially the flaky cheese buns.

The Good:
- Best flaky cheese buns in town
- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:
- Limited selection