Paderia Bakehouse is more than your typical bakery. A modern, globally inspired bakehouse, Paderia has changed the game with its understated quality and a limited menu of baked goods meticulously perfected over the course of years. Now they are also planning to change the game for how we celebrate Lunar New Year 2024. We sat down with Paderia’s owner, Nathan Vuong, to learn how.
Founded by Nathan Vuong of Newport Beach, Paderia prides itself on serving traditional baked goods from around the world fresh from scratch using only quality ingredients. Yet while their products are based in tradition, they are elevated through a contemporary and innovative lens.
The same can be said for Paderia’s Lunar New Year celebration, running this year from February 7th thru the 11th. Since 2021, Lunar New Year has become the busiest time of year for the bakehouse. Guests line up not for mooncakes, the most traditional Lunar New Year goodie, however. Instead, patrons line up at the store for their popular Portuguese egg tarts.
A New Tradition of Gift Giving – Egg Tarts
“Mooncakes are like fruitcakes at Christmas. Everyone gives them, but no one really wants them,” laughs Vuong. “Our egg tarts have become a popular alternative treat for gift giving.”
And it’s no wonder why. It took Vuong and his team nearly four years to develop and perfect the recipe to have their delicious and delicate flaky outside and creamy custard inside that patrons recognize, love, and order by the dozens today.
“Every detail matters,” shares Vuong. He then compares sourcing and ensuring the proper ingredients to a television screen. If a single pixel is wrong, it’s not much in the grand scheme of things, but you might find it stands out on occasion when there’s a random dot on a character’s face. If five pixels are messed up, while still small, you’d definitely notice. If half the pixels are wrong, well then—
“You may as well throw it out and just get a new TV,” Vuong jokes.
Because of their popularity as a gift-giving treat, Paderia is offering a “Buy 12 Egg Tarts, Get 1 Free” special for the holiday.
Red Envelopes to Share in Luck
In addition to egg tarts, Paderia is leaning into the Lunar New Year tradition with holiday decorations and gifting of red envelopes as a symbol of good luck and fortune in the year ahead. This year, the red envelopes will be adorned with gilded dragons in honor of the Year of the Dragon.
“The Year of the Dragon is possibly one of the best of the Zodiac calendar,” Vuong explains. “It’s more inclusive than the other years. Everyone shares in the luck.”
Every patron at Paderia who makes a purchase of $15 or more will be gifted a red envelope. In the spirit of good fortune, the red envelopes will be a lottery of sorts where everyone wins a prize, from a discounted future purchase to a complimentary cookie or egg tart. A few particularly lucky guests may even discover a $100 gift card inside their red envelope!
Paderia is excited to share good wishes and luck for the New Year with every guest who comes in to celebrate Lunar New Year with them and introduce this cultural celebration to those who may not traditionally celebrate it.
Be sure to pop into one of their locations, grab yourself some egg tarts (and maybe even a few of their award winning cookies) and your red envelope to ensure you start your New Year off sweet!
Paderia Locations
Fountain Valley
18279 Brookhurst St, Suite 1
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Irvine
17935 MacArthur Blvd
Irvine, CA 92614
Santa Monica
3032 Wilshire Blvd, Suite E
Santa Monica, CA 90403
