Through a quirk of timing, Portland went from having no bakeries from James Beard Award winners to having two over a single fortnight in June.

That’s because, 13 days after Jinju Patisserie on North Williams Avenue was named America’s most Outstanding Bakery for its croissants, cakes and bonbons, Vince Nguyen — who won the Northwest region’s best chef award two years ago — turned his old tasting menu restaurant Berlu into a standalone Vietnamese bakery on Southeast Belmont Street.

Of the two, Jinju is the more accomplished: Have you tried the carrot cake? The brookie? The Dubai chocolate bar? If Jin Caldwell and Kyurim Lee make it, it’s gonna be golden . But Berlu might be the more interesting.

Portland has its share of Vietnamese bakeries, mostly mom and pops like Lanvin French

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