Sumi Cakery offers made-from-scratch sweet treats and breads
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by MARK KANNY
Tribune-Review
In less than a month's time, Sumi Cakery in Squirrel Hill has established itself — starting with strength in the Korean community of its owner and building local support from walk-in traffic.
"I think some people walk in expecting something more ethnic, but this is a modern Korean bakery," says Sonya Chun, owner Sumi Chun's daughter. "You would find these pastries in bakeries in South Korea today. There are a lot of bakeries in Korea."
Sumi Chun says Korean bakeries have strong Japanese and French influences, and that she likes the fusion of the two.
Sumi Chun was born in Seoul in 1963, and learned cooking at her mother's side, although not baking. Her father was owner and principal of a private high school. In 1989, she moved to Pittsburgh with her husband, who opened a dry-cleaning business in Squirrel Hill.
"My mom's been a housewife forever," daughter Bonnie Chun says. "She started baking cakes and breads as a hobby. She's wanted to open her own business doing that for five years and, in March, finally did. I've never seen her happier."
Everything at Sumi's is made from scratch, and almost everything without butter. The owner is helped by her daughters and their cousin Clara. Naturally, most of the business is take-out, but there are tables and chairs for those who wish to take a sweet break right then and there.
Cakes are offered in four flavors, green tea (using imported matcha, green-tea powder), strawberry, blueberry and mocha -- $19 for a small (6-inch diameter); $35 for a 9-inch regular, and $70 for a 12-inch large. They are topped with freshly whipped cream and fresh fruit. Strawberry and blueberry flavors also are available as yogurt cakes at the same prices.
The cupcakes are in the same flavors as the cakes plus blackberry, and also topped with whipped cream, $2.50 each.
Pastry buns are surprisingly light, $1.50 to $3, and offered in buttercream, mocha cream, red bean, coffee, crumb, veggie and sausage. The red-bean filling is sweetened, and has the consistency of fig newton filling minus the seeds.
The shop sells four kinds of bread by the loaf -- white bread and three sweetbreads: chestnut, buttercream and mocha, from $3.50 to $6.50. The chestnut bread has whole and half chestnuts, and is lightly sweetened.
Sumi's also offers shaved ice in big servings for three or four people, $6.50, in red bean, green tea and strawberry.
Sumi's Cakery, 2119 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Details: 412-422-2253
