Fanel Bakery & Coffee Delight

Hidden gem for lunch in the San Jose tech district. Spaghetti and California sandwich are good. Lot of Asian options and sweets. Wish they had Mountain Dew.

What a great restaurant. It’s only the husband in front and wife cooking but the food is great.

5 stars for service!
Been wanting to try their food since stumbling upon this hole in the wall 4 years ago on a Saturday. They are not open weekends, but the nice couple were working on cakes. They let us in and the hubz bought coffee. I noticed they had an interesting menu. Alas, They serve food only Mon to Fri & I don’t work in the area.
Fast forward to today, my day off & I’m in the area, and I was determined to get a taste. Had to try the Bun Lao, Laotian noodle soup, their specialty. I was not disappointed. The broth was unique, piping hot, the meat (spare ribs?) so super tender it fell off the bone. A very satisfying bowl. The flavors are unlike anything I’ve experienced to date. However they are not bold. So don’t expect otherwise. Also I wish there were more herbs, but I’m just used to the Vietnamese places in the area.
The man manning (ha, ha) the cash register noticed that I must have looked lost and asked, «First time?» and helped me locate the noodle soup photo on the wall, the wall of specials, (the specials are not on their menu) right away. Such a sweet man. I don’t know if this is the same man from 4 years ago but same nice attitude, very warm and welcoming. He explained that the noodle soup was very popular. No kidding!
The food came quickly and thankfully as I was famished. This is one local business and I would love to continue to support. And I hope they will be around for a long, long time. It would be well deserved.

This place — bloody fantastic! Came here on a whim and had the Bun Lao. The interior isn’t much to look at, but the staff is friendly and the food is wonderful.

good food, nice owner, i love it, they treat you like a home

Very friendly owners who lived in France for years before following their son to the US. Excellent bun lao, bun thit nuong, and almond cookies. Also love the curry chicken lunch plate. They are best known for their catering, but I haven’t had the opportunity to try out those items, but am seriously considering ordering a tray of pâté chaud for Thanksgiving.
Worth seeking out!

BUN LAO! And almond cookies!!! Always get extra cookies to bring back to work, which everybody snatch it up quickly! The service is good too. The gentleman that works there (owner?) is very nice and inviting.

Good service is good business and this place has it! The owners are super polite, friendly, and classy (it’s the French influence ;)).
My family and I usually order their pineapple upside down cake for potlucks. Boy oh boy is the cake good! It is sooo moist and it’s at the perfect sweetness to satisfy my sweet tooth. I always get compliments for bringing the cake, making me feel so proud! We never have any leftovers and even the crumbs are gone! Totally worth the $ 25.
I have yet to try their Bun Lao and other items on the menu; however, I totally want to and will soon!

Customer service is next to none.
Came here for the Bun Lao and was not disappointed. After tax price is $ 7.54 but gave back change for $ 7.50. Sign of non greedy small business owner!
Also got a almond cookie, on the house!
Check this place out and support small business’!

My new fav place, portion is really big for $ 6.50. And super friendly owner is always a plus.

We order togo for 25 people for my brother wedding. Bun Lao was delicious, beef salad was great so is the pastry. We will definitely come back to try out other dishes.

This place is awesome! I can’t believe I didn’t know this place existed and I work in the area! My friend took me to this place to have lunch, and he ordered the Bun Lao for the both of us. To be honest, I was disappointed when we pulled into the place cause we started our day early without having breakfast and he’s taking me to a bakery place? in some industrial/​business area? Little did I know the moment I stepped inside that it’s a small mom and pop restaurant owned by a vietnamese couple. The place really has a home feeling. The couple talks to their customers as if they were family. At first, I thought my friend was a regular here so they would know him but I see them talking to all their customers asking about them and what would they like them to cook for them that day. The husband was friendly and ask if the food was good and I guess the owner knew a bit of more about me after that day thanks to my friend. They made me feel like family. Customer service is definitely A+ in my book.
Enough with service! Let’s get to the Bun Lao! This noodle soup was soooooooo goooooooood yet simple! It’s what it seems to be a curry/​coconut base with noodles and spareribs cooked to perfection. It includes a plate of raw cabbage that you add into your noodle bowl. It’s full of flavors… definitely recommend it. They also gave my friend and I an almond cookie to finish the meal. I have to try their cakes sometime since it’s French influenced. :)
I am definitely coming back!

It’s hard not to give this place 5 stars based on the food and service. Food, I would give it 4 stars but for the owners and their friendly service, this place is definitely 5 stars worthy.
The owners are a couple who moved over here from France about 9 years ago. They both have professional culinary experience, so you can definitely expect the food and baked goods to be of high quality. They sure know how to make guests feel comfortable and at home in their place.
Their popular dish is the Bun Lao, which is a delicious Lao style noodle soup. the soup has a very rich curry flavor that is more on the sweeter side. It is the perfect amount of creamy and savory. The noodles come with a side of sliced cabbage which goes great with the noodle soup. I highly recommend trying their Bun Lao. After we finished eating, the owners came by and let us try some of their tuiles aux amandes, which is a thin almond cookie. So yummy!
Seriously, the owners are some of the sweetest people around. They held conversations with my friend and me for a while after we finished eating since no one else was around. We got to know a little about their history as they shared with us some of their stories and life experiences. Truly great people that deliver great food.

What an unexpected place! This is hidden away in the corner of a small office complex. Walking in you kind of think to yourself «what is this place?» But then you’re greated warmly and given a menu. The Bun Lao item is their specialty and its delicious. It takes a little bit like Singaporian Laksa but has its own twist to it. We also got a vietnamese sandwich but have yet to try it since the noodles filled us up.
They do accept credit card. Will be back!

Every time I visit my parents, I like to stop here for their delicious bun Lao. It’s a light curry base noodle soup with lots of flavors. Make sure you add all the vegetables that come on the side. It adds great flavors! The papaya salad was delicious as well.
Baked goods… Yum! Their tuiles aux Amandes are great. My mom just bought their coeur de palmiers which I can’t wait to taste!
The owners are really nice. They are also from France.

This is a hole in a wall restaurant/​bakery in Milpitas. They make very good Laos type noodle dishes. It is a family run place. The owners are very friendly and they help you to picking a good dish.
They also have French pastries and cakes which I have not yet tried. If you want to try some exotic Laos style food in Milpitas this is a good place to go.

This is the real deal! Great authentic flavors prepared by the husband and wife owners.
No atmosphere, slow service, and no air conditioning. However the food is so good you won’t care.

I came here to pick up Bun Lao for a party. Little did I know, it was so surprisingly delicious!
The orange/​red soup base was a combination of sweet coconut and spicy pork broth. You’ll find small pork spareribs and bamboo shoots in the soup. Just add the noodles, some shredded cabbage and a bit of thai chili peppers on top and your bowl is ready to go!
This bowl of deliciousness is definitely a winner! It’s different and I’ve never had it at any other restaurant before so you know it’s one of a kind. This place is hidden gem!
I would encourage anyone to try this little shop out and definitely order the Bun Lao!

yup. you got it right. it’s as good as it gets. i’ve heard this place being advertised on Viet radio so many times. curiosity kicks in. what is Bun Lao? i’ve never heard of it, but already my salivary glands were activated. i know their tastes are similar of Vietnamese so nothing to worry about there. except there’s no AC in this place.
little did i know, it turns out this place was already bookmarked on my list. i just couldn’t remember what for. i drove by it so many times with reminders to check it out. (it’s located right across the street from Heald College at the Great Mall. the sign on the side wall facing the street says BUN LAO, you can’t miss it.) it’s hot inside, no AC.
we came in during lunch, several tables are laid out cafeteria style. i know the elderly couple that owns the place are busy taking order and preparing food, as there was only 2 of them working. we took seats and waited for menus. i also learned now that you just go straight to the register and order your food with them, then take seats and food will be brought out to you. not a lot to choose from, but can’t go wrong with the BUN LAO. yum! yum! *sweat* *sweat* it’s hot in here, even on a winter day.
there were couple ladies seated next to us, seems they have been here many times before. owners sat down to converse with them. they asked if everything were good, they even leaned over to my table and asked if i’m okay with my food. she asked why was i eating so slow? was the food not good? no no no, it’s not that. it’s very good. *between mouthfuls* i’m HOT! *fanning myself with my fingers* :(oh, they gave me hot tea, complimentary. :(HOT!
the owner brought out some French almond tuile (almond lace cookies) and passed around for us to taste, complimentary. they were very good. i got hooked and bought a box to take home.
everyone had left, it was only us. we talked to the owners for a while. just idle chit chat. they were so friendly. i’m sure everyone have heard this already. they’re both Laos native. lived in France for 30+ years and studied culinary there. when their kids have grown. they came back here to share their culinary skills. i said this because they’re not in the business to make $$$. they close shop after 4pm, so not to over work themselves. asides from selling food, she also bake French desserts. no doubt they’re good. French desserts, learned from France. no doubt at all. i just can’t wait til someone’s bday to order a cake. pâté chaud, the more you buy, the cheaper it gets.
will definitely be back to try other items, especially the cakes. did i mention it’s so HOT? no AC. now i know they’re also baking in the back. no wonder it’s hot.

My most favorite restaurant in Milpitas. The place can be tricky to find because you have to get in front of the restaurant to see the sign, and it’s part of an small industrial building so it can surprise you. Just pull into the parking lot of the first building north-​west corner of Capitol-​Great Mall and Montague and you will find it.
The owner couple is super friendly, a Vietnamese family who grew up in Lao with a professional culinary degree from France — a rich combination of authenticity and culture, and their food reflect it. They don’t offer a lot of different options on their menu, but that’s why everything they serve is so good. If you’re new, just ask for their recommendation and you will be delighted. My regulars are Bún Lào and Com Ragu (Ragout & Rice). They do have other special Lao dishes, and all kinds of fancy French bakery items, but you will have to order in advance. Birthday, Anniversary, Easter, Christmas, any kind of cakes, are a sure bet. Their Cà Phê Sua á (coffee & condense milk) is the best French-​Vietnamese coffee I’ve tasted.
And the price is super reasonable. I strongly recommend it. Oh — they don’t open for dinner. Anytime from breakfast to late lunch — come in for a special treat.