We entered the Chinese pastry shop Kee Wah Bakery with high hopes and empty stomachs, expecting to be amazed. The bakery had received rather generous reviews on Yelp, perhaps due to its friendly staff and lovely ambiance. However, its hours were too short and its pastries were too small for the price, leading to a rather disappointing visit.

Perhaps the largest failing of the posh shop is its shortage of foodstuffs. By 7 p.m., when  we arrived, nearly all the shelves were empty. Faced with few options, we ended up ordering a slice of a coffee swiss roll, a cappuccino and a sliver of a French cheesecake, all for a grand total of $6.50.

The French cheesecake, one of the few baked goods the shop had left in stock, was a dismal disappointment. We received the slice of a flavorless cheesecake for the atrocious price of $2.75. Even the cheesecakes at Safeway are more appetizing, not to mention less expensive.

The coffee swiss Roll, which barely tasted like coffee, was neither horrible nor delightful, but was definitely not worth another $2.75.

While the staff was pleasant, the service was rather slow, and the wait for the cappuccino was much longer than the wait for coffee at more convenient establishments like Starbucks and Peet's Coffee.

But Kee Wah Bakery wasn’t all bad. Aside from the food itself, the shop was a joy to eat in. Festive lights adorned the counters and the wall, which was also graced by the outline of a Christmas tree, even though we went in mid-January. The venue had plentiful seating and comfortable chairs, although very few people stayed to eat. The bakery was well-lit and seemed fairly clean, and offered free wifi after we paid for our order.

To its credit, the bakery is nestled in the heart of Cupertino, just off S. De Anza Blvd, fairly close to the high school, and therefore ideal for stopping by after school. Unfortunately, the short hours (the store closes at 8 p.m. on Friday nights) made us feel rather rushed. We were unable to enjoy, let alone finish, our meals.

Kee Wah Bakery turned out to be just all right. Perhaps we set our expectations too high for the small shop by comparing it to the more popular 85 degrees, or perhaps we went at a time when their better pastries were simply out of stock. Whatever the reason, we found the bakery, with its lack of foodstuffs and overpriced goods, to be unsatisfying, at best. Despite its gracious staff and welcoming atmosphere, Kee Wah Bakery leaves much to be desired, and we will be continuing our search for better bread elsewhere.