Panash Bakery Markham Review – Hit-or-Miss Buns with Great Texture but Disappointing Cakes – Average EV Score: 5.8/10
Reviewed by Tastes of Ottawa
Each dish is rated using our EV Score (Enjoyment-to-Value Score), based on enjoyment, price paid, and benchmark pricing.
Table of Contents
Panash Bakery Overview
9750 Markham Rd, Markham, ON L6E 0H8
Panash Bakery sits in a convenient plaza with lots of parking available. That makes it an easy stop compared to bakeries in denser parts of town where street parking is the only option. The space itself is modern, clean, and bright, with a sleek interior that feels more contemporary than many traditional Asian bakeries.
Panash offers a variety of Chinese and Asian-inspired baked goods, ranging from classic pineapple buns and croissants to sponge cakes and sweet buns with fillings. While some items showed off great texture and flavour, others missed the mark, either from dryness or from not matching expectations.
Would return?: Yes, but only for very specific buns.
Pineapple Bun
😋 Enjoyment: 8/10
💰 Price Paid: $2
🎯 Benchmark Price: $2
📊 EV Score: 8/10
🔁 Order Again?: Yes.
The pineapple bun was easily one of the highlights. The bun itself was soft and fluffy, with a pillowy texture that made it very enjoyable to bite into. The crumbly top layer had the signature golden crunch you expect, adding just the right amount of sweetness without being overwhelming.
It wasn’t overly buttery, but the balance of flavour and texture was spot-on. As a classic Chinese bakery staple, this version did justice to the tradition. If you’re stopping by Panash, this is one item I’d recommend without hesitation.
Castella Cake (Chocolate)
😋 Enjoyment: 4.5/10
💰 Price Paid: $3
🎯 Benchmark Price: $3
📊 EV Score: 4.5/10
🔁 Order Again?: No.
This was a big letdown. Castella cakes are supposed to be light, spongy, and slightly moist, but this one was far too dry. The dryness left a chalky feeling in the mouth and made it hard to enjoy more than a bite or two.
The chocolate flavour was faint, almost an afterthought, which didn’t help the experience. For a cake that should be delicate and rich at the same time, this version lacked both the moisture and flavour to make it worth ordering again.
Dark Chocolate Croissant
😋 Enjoyment: 5.5/10
💰 Price Paid: $4
🎯 Benchmark Price: $4
📊 EV Score: 5.5/10
🔁 Order Again?: No.
Visually, this croissant looked promising, but the execution fell short. The outer layers were flaky and crisp, which is a good start, but the interior was disappointingly dry.
What really dragged this one down was the lack of filling. Despite being marketed as a dark chocolate croissant, there was no chocolate inside at all. The only chocolate element was a drizzle on top, which had a mild, bittersweet flavour that wasn’t enough to carry the pastry. While it wasn’t terrible, it didn’t live up to expectations.
Pineapple Bun with Coconut Butter Paste
😋 Enjoyment: 5/10
💰 Price Paid: $3
🎯 Benchmark Price: $3
📊 EV Score: 5/10
🔁 Order Again?: No.
This variation of the pineapple bun missed the mark. The coconut butter paste filling had good flavour, offering a distinct coconut profile that worked well on its own. Unfortunately, the bun itself was dry, which took away from the overall enjoyment.
The biggest issue was the lack of crunch on the top layer. A proper pineapple bun should have that cookie-like crust, but here it was soft and flat, without the satisfying crumbly texture. Combined with the dryness, it made the bun feel incomplete and underwhelming.
Final Thoughts
Panash Bakery has the look and feel of a modern Asian bakery with a variety of options, but the results are mixed. On the positive side, the classic pineapple bun is excellent, delivering soft texture and a perfectly sweet, crumbly top. On the negative side, items like the castella cake, chocolate croissant, and coconut butter bun all suffered from dryness or execution issues.
The plaza location with ample parking makes it convenient to visit, and the clean, stylish interior adds to the appeal. The staff were friendly, and the service was quick. But in terms of the baked goods themselves, it feels hit-or-miss.
If you’re in the area, Panash is worth a stop to try the pineapple bun, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for most of the other items. With more consistency across the menu, it could become a standout bakery, but as it stands, it’s best approached selectively.