Kemi Dessert Bar is a small but mighty bakery on Capitol Hill where Asian and American flavors come together. Owner Kelly opened the shop just over a year ago, drawing on her Chinese American upbringing in New York and a deep love of the food that shaped her community. Since opening, she has built a loyal neighborhood following, one mango sticky rice Rice Krispie treat at a time.
What is the inspiration behind Kemi Dessert Bar?
The inspiration is kind of merging my Asian and American heritage. I grew up in America, but I am Chinese. So I just kind of base everything off of the flavors that I grew up with, the flavors that I enjoy now, the flavors that all my friends and family community grew up with. It’s just a play on everything that we love.
Where does the name “Kemi” come from?
The name is really funny, actually. A lot of people think that it is my name. They come in like, oh my god, it’s you, Kemi. And I’m like, Kemi does not exist really. It is the first two letters of my first and last name. So K-E-M-I. It’s a little bit selfish in a way, but I think it’s fun.
How has the community received the shop since you opened?
The reception has been really, really great. People are really nice, which I kind of didn’t expect. All of our customers are just truly so friendly, so supportive. They just want us to succeed and it’s just really sweet. I grew up in New York, it’s kind of a rougher area. So moving to Seattle, everyone just being so welcoming has been really nice.
Intentionalist’s motto is “spend like it matters.” What does that mean to you?
To me, it’s about supporting small businesses, supporting people that really put heart and soul into what they do and want to create something nice for the community. I always imagined something a little bit bigger for myself, but being in the smaller space is nice. We have a lot of regulars that come in like two or maybe even three times a week, and it’s part of their daily routine. I never expected that, and I never expected to have that kind of relationship with customers. It means something to them, so it means something to me that I can provide something comforting.
What should people know about the menu, and what are some of your favorites?
Everything on our menu is Asian American inspired. Our most popular item is the Mango Sticky Rice Rice Krispie treat, and it is delicious. If you like that dessert at Thai restaurants, it is a spitting image of that in convenient handheld form. Coconutty, mango, creamy, crunchy, crispy, soft. Excellent. I also really love our cherry and toasted rice scone. We toast Jasmine rice, so it has a nice toasty quality with a bit of a cornmeal texture. There’s a dried cherry compote and a cherry glaze. It is honestly so delicious, please do not sleep on it. And our drinks, I think people sleep on our drinks because they think bakeries won’t have good ones. But we put a lot of effort into them. All the syrups are made in house, and they are just really well curated and balanced.
What is the philosophy behind the flavors you create?
It is just kind of everything that I grew up eating, everything that I love. It’s supposed to be fun. I don’t take anything too seriously. I grew up in New York surrounded by so many different types of Asian people, and I did a bit of traveling in Southeast Asia. So it’s everything that I love and everything that my team loves. Nothing too serious.
Are there other local businesses you love and want to shout out?
Cafe Argento is just down the street. They do the closest thing I have found in this neighborhood to a New York City bodega sandwich. I also love Ox Burger. Anyone who asks me what I recommend in Seattle, I say you have to get the Ox Burger from Ox Burger. It is like the most delicious thing I have ever had in my entire life. Every time I think about it, I start salivating. I also love Ben’s Bread, that is my luxury guilty pleasure bakery right now. And of course everyone knows The Flour Box. The line is worth the wait. I know you don’t want to wait an hour and a half for donuts, but I’m sorry, it’s worth it.
Is there anything else people should know before they visit?
We do have a bit of a rotating menu. Most of our items are staples, but we have two or three items that rotate monthly. Our cheesecakes and we always have a cake box or cake cup, which is kind of like a layered dessert. Usually it’s mousse, panna cotta, a chiffon element, and maybe something crunchy to contrast with all the textures. So those rotate monthly. Check our Instagram to see if any of the flavors intrigue you, and if they do, don’t sleep on those.
Kemi Dessert Bar: Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA
