A Variety of European Pastries All In One Location: European Bakery & Café
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By: Jessica Danielle Ramirez
In the west Valley, just west of 36th Avenue and Bell road, a hint of sweet European flavors awaits your discovery.
Lined with shopping centers, convenience stores and specialty shops on almost every block, you might not expect to find an authentic east European bakery. However, taking the time to take a closer look, you would be surprised to discover an astonishing bakery that will take your taste buds on a culinary adventure.
European Bakery and Café is home to an Armenian family now residing in Phoenix. David and Rose Kouyoumjain – along with their two young daughters – create these fantastically authentic pastries and operate the business as a family.
Every day brings a new commitment to maintain the highest quality and flavors for these sweet delicacies. Working from sunrise to late night, David and Rose work to craft each pastry in a unique and authentic style, resembling items one would find in their native Armenia, but also in France, Italy, Poland, and a variety of other regions from their beloved Europe.
“Everyone who comes in says our food tastes just like back home,” Rose said. “And not all of our customers are from Europe. Many are from Japan, South America and even Mexico City.”
The wonderful feedback and compliments from so many of their customers surprised David and Rose, and inspired them to develop and produce an extended line of deserts, appealing to an even broader base of costumers.
Baba au Rum is a commonly ordered treat that exemplifies the uniqueness of this bakery. It is pastry dough that is soaked in rum syrup with custard and whipped cream. Much of the rum is burned off in the baking process, leaving its strength and flavor, which gives the desert a rich flavor.
“We also have a Napoleon cake, which is one dessert that I grew up with,” Rose added.
Notably, many of their customers come from different ethnicities, and tend to order items reflecting the kind of tastes and flavors they grew up with.
“If we get Bosnians, Croatians or Romanians they like hazelnut or chocolate hazelnut,” she said. “Or if I get American customers they tend to get German chocolate.”
Although the bakery is known for their one-of-a-kind crafted pastries, they have also been successful with their intensely flavorful sandwiches. When building the sandwich, many of the ingredients are imported, and are of the highest quality.
“Our Swiss cheese is imported from Switzerland, the Havarti is imported from Demark, and our provolone is imported from Italy,” David explained.
Growing up in a European country, like Armenia, gives a person exposure to so many different kinds of food and flavors. Family recipes and techniques are passed down from generation to generation and many times, sadly, these recipes are lost and forgotten.
Thankfully, Rose has managed to bring all of her knowledge and baking experience to a little part of Phoenix, Ariz. The local neighborhood and their customers are fortunate to enjoy and take part in this little slice of dessert heaven
As their success continues to grow and the family continues to prosper, they shared the secret to their thriving business.
“Our motto is: if we won’t eat it, why would our customers eat it?” David said.
The family is committed to give their customers the best experience they can each and every day, and for that, they are leaving customers with a satisfied belly and wanting to return for more.
3602 W. Bell Rd. Suite 3
Glendale, AZ 85308
(602) 439-0215