ASA Bakery — Restaurant in San Diego

Asa Bakery has been making waves in San Diego’s pastry scene, so I stopped by to try some of their most talked-about items. While the presentation and craftsmanship were evident, the flavors left something to be desired.

Naruto Croissant

The viral swirl croissant caught my attention, and I opted for the chocolate variation. Though marketed as having different flavor choices (strawberry, green tea, or chocolate), the only real difference is the exterior decoration—the filling remains a standard vanilla custard. While the custard itself was smooth and enjoyable, the portion inside felt skimpy. Given the hype, I expected a more indulgent experience.

Ribbon Caramel Croissant

Visually stunning with delicate lamination and a crisp, flaky texture, this croissant had great potential. Unfortunately, the caramel flavor was barely noticeable, making it feel more like a classic croissant rather than a specialty item.

Shrimp Katsu Sando

This sandwich, made with fluffy milk bread and a crispy panko-fried shrimp patty, seemed promising. However, the flavors didn’t quite come together for me. I believe there was a wasabi mayo that overpowered the dish rather than complementing it. It’s a bold choice, but one that may not appeal to everyone.

Fruit Danish

Despite its fresh and inviting appearance, this pastry lacked depth in flavor. I was hoping for something bright and sweet, but it didn’t leave much of an impression.

Sakura Latte

I was excited to try this, expecting a delicate floral profile, but it tasted slightly artificial and didn’t capture the nuanced, subtle sweetness that I associate with sakura.

Final Thoughts

Asa Bakery has the aesthetic appeal down, with gorgeous pastries that are clearly made with care. However, the flavors didn’t always match the visual allure. While some items were decent, nothing truly wowed me. If you’re visiting, it might be worth trying the Naruto Croissant for the novelty, but overall, I found the experience...

I went here again On Friday, January 25 of 2025 and the place was beautiful as always! It was afternoon and way past the lunch rush so I was helped right away. The restaurant was clean and the overall vibe of the place looks so cute!! If I'm being completely honest, the place reminds me of the game tea time on Roblox! 😂😂

I bought the Hojicha Latte (Iced & with whole milk), Strawberry Naruto Croissant, and the Apple Brioche! All pastries were so delicious and fresh! You can order milk alternatives! I know they have oat milk and they most likely have almond milk too! The Hojicha is made from the same ingredients as matcha (green tea leaves) but for Hojicha, the leaves are roasted and then grinded to make the powder for a latte! Matcha uses fresh green tea leaves that haven't been roasted at all! :3 The Strawberry Naruto Croissant was soft and flaky and has a very delicious, creamy custard inside! I loved that part! The apple brioche was definitely unique as I have never seen a pastry with a tiny squeeze tube poked into it. The little tube has syrup you use to spread onto the apple brioche as you eat it! There was cinnamon in it as well and it tasted like an apple cinnamon pancake to me!

Though, having to use the bathroom here IS a bit odd because you have to go through the kitchen doors, walk through a small hallway then turn to the right to access the bathroom. It's quite unusual and could make some people uncomfortable so be aware of that. I've seen dishwashers constantly turning the corner and bring dishes out in the same path and usually yell corner but I'm worried about a Deaf customer going through the path and not hearing the kitchen call-out so if you're Deaf, I suggest you quickly shoot your hand out before turning the corner to use the bathroom or have music playing on your phone as you go to the bathroom so the employees can...

I had such high hopes for this bakery because I read so many great reviews and the menu items looked interesting. The line was incredibly long and busy all Saturday morning. All the inside tables were full, but there was some outside seating. We had to clean the table ourselves before seating.

I was looking forward to the matcha croissant and as a soft serve lover the Hokkaido milk soft serve. When I arrived the matcha croissant was sold out so I opted for the green tea Naruto Croissant.

Naruto croissant - right off I was turned off by the fingerprint on the chocolate. I would expect blemish-less goods from a bakery like ASA. The green tea flavor was lacking and overall this croissant was incredibly sweet (by Asian standards). The custard was just okay and the pastry was more bread like than croissant like.

Hokkaido milk soft serve - was already melting and dripping all over my hands as soon as it was handed to me! We were so disappointed in the texture of this soft serve. It was very dense and watery (as opposed to creamy and whipped/airy) kind of like the cheap soft serve you get at a Chinese buffet restaurant. For a price higher than SomiSomi, we expected better texture. You’re better off with SomiSomi soft serve ice cream if you want Asian flavored soft serve.

The everything mochi bagel and macadamia nut pies were just okay. Nothing to write about. My husband was disappointed in his chocolate croissant that looked more chocolatey...