S E V E N T Y - T W O /// years in the making, and it was worth the wait A 72-year-old bakery from Saga, Japan just opened its first U.S. location in Costa Mesa, and the line forms before the pastries run out. 1954.bakery brings small-batch Japanese baking to Orange County, and every item on the menu has a reason to exist. What to order: 🧈 Salt & Butter ($2.95): a soft Japanese milk roll finished with butter and a touch of salt. The one you’ll plan your return trip around. 🍮 1954 Custard Cream ($3.50): their signature bun filled with house-made custard cream. Sweet, soft, and exactly what a 72-year-old recipe should taste like. 🍈 Sunrise Melon Pan ($3.50): a classic Japanese sweet bun with a crisp cookie crust on top. More dessert than bread, and that’s the point. 🌶️ Mentai France ($3.40): a baguette soaked in house-made mentaiko sauce and baked with mayonnaise. The savory anchor of the whole lineup. 📍 1954 Bakery, 2937 Bristol St #D100, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Tuesday through ...