Crown Bakery
Green Tea Cookies
Butter Bread
Sweet Pecan Pie
Rock Bun
Mr. Kim Bun
Ube Cream
Choco-Honey Cake
Located next to latenight stalwart Ichiza, occupying the East corner of the second floor at 4355 Spring Mountain Road, Crown Bakery had long been a place on the local to-do list and with dim sum at Ping Pang Pong proving less than exhilarating it was largely on a whim that the decision was made to stop in, a smiling young lady more than happy to answer several questions and even going so far as to offer a pair of complimentary cookies atop the half-dozen items self-selected to check out the store’s wares.
Most certainly no expert in Asian baked goods, a sweet tooth crafted in the Midwest far more attuned to American and European-styled pastry, it was with coffee in hand that a degustation of Crown’s buns and breads was undertaken and starting off with the crispy matcha cookies teaming with chopped nuts the restrained use of sugar was immediately evident, a texture not far from Italian Biscotti while the flavor profile trended herbal and lightly creamy – each bite actually well paired to the java, and likely even more appropriate alongside a pot of tea.
Attempting best to see flavors progress from mild to rich it was with one cookie set aside that sights were turned to the appropriately named “Butter Bread” and as much as placing butter atop milk bread filled with cream filling may seem a good idea the use of a whole pad that stood solid simply seemed unnecessary, the additional calories far better invested in crispy wheels loaded with pralines and sprinkled with sugar, the flavor still less ‘sweet’ than the Southern classic despite the title’s description, but delicious just the same.
Moving next to a dense orb denoted as “Rock Bread,” suffice it to say there is probably no American item comparable to the amalgam of dried fruits, coconut, several types of nuts, and just enough flour to see it all bind tasted to date, and although a bit challenging to pull apart and eat the variety of flavors were exceedingly natural…perhaps even ‘healthy,’ a followup “Mr. Kim Bun” featuring a soft base laced in peanut butter and red bean paste obviously trending a bit more sugary though still quite mellow amidst the supple white base.
Always a fan of purple yam, it was with good fortune that despite arriving a few hours after noon there was still one Ube Cream Bun left on the shelf, and with a light coat of spelt decorating the outside for texture the flavor was every bit as good as expected, a half quickly eaten while the rest was consumed shortly after tasting the cocoa-honey ‘cake’ that unfortunately proved a bit lackluster with texture not dissimilar to that of Wonderbread with neither flavor very pronounced.
THREE AND A HALF STARS: A bit hidden amidst one of Chinatown’s busiest plazas, but featuring several novelties with low prices and the sort of service that one rarely associates with Spring Mountain Road, Crown Bakery is a place well worth exploring for those interested in Asian baked goods, a full exploration of the scene yet to be undertaken but the results thus far a promising start.
RECOMMENDED: Ube Cream, Mr. Kim Bun.
AVOID: Choco-Honey Cake.
TIP: Several chilled pastries and macarons are available, as are custom made cakes and a few items offered by the slice. $10 minimum for Credit Cards.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
