I absolutely adore Rose Ave Bakery. First and foremost: their Vietnamese iced coffee is, in my…read moreopinion, the best in DC. I would go for that alone, but unfortunately for me, everything else is also amazing.
I live in Adams Morgan, so I have another neighborhood bakery that I frequent simply because it's closer. Rose Ave is still fairly close, and I go pretty regularly, but somehow I had never taken my parents there. On their most recent visit, we happened to be nearby and stopped in.
My mom was genuinely annoyed with me.
Not actually angry, obviously, but after trying everything she basically wanted to know why, if Rose Ave was this close to where I live, I had been taking her to the other bakery all these years. Apparently I had been depriving her of what she now considers the best bakery she's been to in DC. (For the record, I refuse to pit two excellent bakeries against each other. There is room in my life for both.)
I've tried the breakfast sandwiches, several of the filled pastries, and plenty of the more elaborate creations, and everything is fantastic. But oddly enough, one of my absolute favorites is their simple vanilla donut. There is something perfect about it. It isn't overwhelmingly sugary, but it's still sweet, soft, delicate, and just feels like the perfect little treat.
Conveniently, my doctor's office is also nearby, so I have developed a very mature healthcare system in which I schedule morning appointments and reward myself afterward with Rose Ave.
I'm pretty sure doing responsible grown-up things for my health cancels out the sugar. I have not asked my doctor to confirm this.