Rose Ave Bakery, an Asian American bakery, opened its doors to downtown D.C. in the Block Food Hall on March 11, 2020, the same day that the World Health Organization declared an international emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the community’s engagement and Eater D.C.’s choice of Rose Ave as Bakery of the Year in 2021 have enabled the small business to overcome its challenging start. At its new Woodley Park location, the stand-alone bakery will expand its sweet and savory pastries and introduce a coffee program.
The bakery’s mission is “to reflect the palate of Asian Americans and to share knowledge, culture and Asian flavors to all,” according to their website. By being D.C.’s first modern Asian American bakery, its owners, Rosie Nguyen and Paula Wang, hope to “push the limits for Asian pastries to be fun, delicious and fresh.”
Rose Ave’s pastries epitomize the multicultural WIS palette at a perfect price and proximity to campus. Dateline staff members Naomi Breuer (NB) and Zoe Hällström (ZH) reviewed popular menu items during the bakery’s soft opening on the week of April 3 to 9.
Black Sesame Donut
NB: One of the softest, fluffiest, not-too-sweet donuts I have had, with a good amount of sugar on the outside to add a slight crunch, but not a strong enough sesame flavor to make it stand out (8/10).
ZH: So soft. A modest donut with subtle nutty and toasty tones (9/10).
Coconut Mochi Puffs
NB: The crunchy exterior and the chewy interior combined with the toasted sesame seeds and the fresh coconut flavor made this an ideal sweet snack (9.5/10).
ZH: These soft puffs have a syrupy and subtle coconut flavor (7/10).
Garlicy Scallion Bun
NB: This pastry has great texture: flaky and crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside, but could use more scallion flavor to make it pop (8/10).
ZH: This flaky and buttery croissant-like pastry packs a punch of aromatic flavor (9.5/10).
Passion Fruit Donut
NB: This was beautiful both inside and out. The punch of the passion fruit and the soft, chewy dough made this pastry stand out (9/10).
ZH: The tart passion fruit curd cuts through this sugary donut. This elevates the donut to the height and hype of Saint Honoré Bakery’s (8/10).
Ube Latte
NB: I am not a coffee person, which made the taste unappealing to me, but this was definitely one of the better coffees I have tried, as it felt natural and more subtle (3/10).
ZH: This purple iced latte tastes as vibrant as it looks. It’s strong, silky and sweetened with purple yam (9.5/10).
Green Thai Tea
NB: This is the perfect refreshing drink. It feels like a combination of an herbal tea and a tea latte that is authentic and less sweet than typical iced teas (9/10).
ZH: Most customers would describe this tea as bright and refreshing but it’s too floral and watery for my taste (3/10).
Strawberry Lychee Rose Donut
NB: One of the best donuts I have ever eaten. The soft dough, the sweet (but not too sweet!) cream and the freshness of the lychee and strawberry combined with a subtle rose flavor made this so complex and beautiful (9.5/10).
Strawberry Passion Kouign Amann
NB: The flaky, croissant-like texture of this pastry mixed with the strong passion fruit flavor and sweet strawberry made this treat unique and worthwhile (8/10).
Visit Rose Ave Bakery at 2633 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008, or visit its website: https://www.roseavebakery.com/.
By Naomi Breuer and Zoe Hällström
