Huguette Jean-Romain’s love of baking goes all the way back to her earliest childhood memories in Haiti. “I really inherited it from my Aunt,” she explains. “And growing up I’d go to cooking school during the summers. I just always loved making things that make people happy.”

After having spend most of her professional life doing just that, she's just sold her share in another very successful commercial bakery in Old Bridge, New Jersey to fully focus on realizing her life-long dream of opening her own place. “Unfortunately my Aunt didn’t live to see it – she passed while I was in college,” shares Huguette. “But I know she would be very happy.”

Her beloved Aunt would probably be pretty proud, as well:

Jean-Romain now has a daughter of her own in college, and has seen the fruits of her labor come to fruition at 1925 Springfield Avenue where The ID Bakery colorfully stands. Judging from the compliments customers were giving to the friendly folks behind the counters today, the place is very aptly named; ID stands for ‘Incredibly Delicious’, a reaction Jean-Romain was long used to hearing from friends, family upon sampling her culinary creations. It's also something she’s sure to hear on a frequent basis from now on, too.

The bright and bustling bakery stands out like a slice of sunshine on the corner of Springfield and Indiana and makes a wonderful addition to the retail stretch it joins. The location, which really does seem a perfect fit for both car and foot traffic, is one Huguette actually stumbled upon by happy accident. “I was just about to sign the papers on a place two blocks up when I took a wrong turn on the way home and found myself parked in front of the realtor’s sign for this space,” she recalls. " I got out of my car and realized that THIS was really the perfect spot.”

After you walk into the clean, cheerful counter-order oriented bakery you’d be hard pressed to disagree or think of why the space was ever anything else, so settled does the bakery seem in its new home:

The attentive, helpful and sincerely welcoming staff is eager to explain the offerings and serve up suggestions and recommendations of their own. (That sort of service is a treat in and of itself and ALWAYS a sign of a well-run place.) There’s a modest amount of inside seating (3 tables and 8 seats) as well as a small outdoor area. Most of the business here is carry out, but the listing of patties, soups, sandwiches, gourmet donuts, desserts, breads and cakes will definitely entice one to linger before ordering. (I gave in to a herring patty out of curiosity and was quite pleased with my choice – a scrumptious flaky pillow of savory perfection for just $1.75.)

The establishment eased into such a successful ‘soft opening’ recently that they had to close for two days to make sure they could keep ahead of the demand – as well as the cravings of their new customers. “I’m still learning exactly what people like best and I truly want them to leave wanting to spread the word to others about us,” says Huguette who sincerely welcomes feedback and requests. (She says folks can expect more whole wheat offering and cupcakes based on recent responses.)  “We’re all about being diversified,” she says. “I want to have something here for everyone.”

And chances are it’ll be incredibly delicious!

The ID Bakery: 1925 Springfield, Open 7AM – 7PM Monday – Saturday. 973-699-8211