A Pro Pastry Chef Brings a Creative New Bakery to Southeast Portland Next Week

Southeast Portland newcomer Bar King will add a promising new bakery to its premises as of August 6.

The Bakery at Bar King will be helmed by skilled pastry chef Katherine Benvenuti, who brings experience from Los Angeles’ Rose Cafe and Chez Panisse in San Francisco.

Starting next week, the bakery will open Thursdays to Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. — it’s a counter service affair, with outdoor seating on site.

On the menu is a mix of sweet and savory baked goods, plus house breads, showing off Benvenuti’s flavor-pairing skills with flair. Here’s a sampling of the menu items (subject to change — and note that this is just a fraction of the full selection):

Sweet

• Miso walnut brioche sticky buns
• Matcha almond pound cake with passionfruit glaze
• Brown butter rice cake with buckwheat honey ganache, and Jacobsen smoked salt (gluten-free)
• Black sesame butter cookies with white chocolate passionfruit ganache

Savory

• Gruyère and togarashi brioche $4.50
• Vegetable croque-monsieur: buttered brioche, miso bechamel, roasted seasonal vegetables, gruyère

Beyond the baked goods, expect espresso drinks (hot and cold) using beans from Good Coffee.

This isn’t the only project Benvenuti has in the works — she’s also planning a downtown doughnut shop at SW Washington and 13th Avenue. Portland Monthly reports that the as-yet-unnamed shop will open in a matter of weeks (August or September), but those looking to sample some Berliner-style doughnuts sooner can head down on Saturday and Sunday (August 1 and 2) from 8 a.m. to noon — and the fried hunks o’ dough will be just $1 each.

• The Bakery at Bar King Readies to Open August 6 [PDX Monthly]
• Bar King, the Southeast Portland Restaurant from a Culinary Power Couple, Opens March 9 [EPDX]