Delicious buns, breads, cookies are rising at Felida bakery

Why: Owned and operated by the Thomas family, House of the Rising Buns Bakery opened in August and has been delighting the surrounding Felida neighborhood with fresh baked goods ever since. One of the most outstanding decisions of this bakery is that real butter is used in almost all the recipes — the few that have shortening are because the recipe requires it.

Atmosphere: The space is adjacent to a gas station market and was formerly occupied by a pizza restaurant. The interior’s fresh paint tones down the atmosphere from its previous personality, though a few multicolored paint splatters remain on the floor and barstools. A few window seats are available, but other than that, it’s standing room only for a grab ‘n’ go experience.

I appreciated the fact that the space is well-ventilated, avoiding the all-too-common “sugar assault” upon entering. Sweets are displayed in a countertop case, and breads are arranged on a standing floor rack near the register, with a small counter space on the side dedicated to overflow.

What I tried: I took home some whole-wheat rolls, challah bread, a blueberry and a raspberry scone, an apple turnover, two cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting and a selection of cookies that included chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, a raspberry and an apricot shortbread thumbprint, peanut butter, and a plain and a chocolate-drizzled florentine.

I found all of my selections very appetizing. My favorites were the florentine cookies and the cinnamon rolls, with the chocolate chip cookies a close second. The florentines were classically delicate and buttery with a flavor and melt-away quality that left a sweet orange presence on every bite. I could easily overdose on them, given the chance.

The cinnamon rolls were the closest likeness I’ve found to my all-time favorites, my grandmother’s first and then Mrs. Powell’s. They have a sweet, yeast bread flavor with the perfect amount of cinnamon filling rolled in between the rings, and they were not overly sweet, gooey, or undercooked. The real cream cheese frosting that deliciously topped the rolls was nothing short of delectable.

The chocolate chip cookies contained semi-sweet chocolate bits and had a appetizing, slightly chewy texture.

A lot of fresh fruit was incorporated into the scones and they were available in both plain and sugar-topped versions. (I purchased the plain) The generous amount of fruit gave them more of a muffin profile than a scone.

I used the whole-wheat rolls to make pulled pork sandwiches and found they held together quite well.

The challah bread was beautifully braided with a golden brown, glossy finish and it had a traditional flavor.

Menu highlights beyond what I tried: The baked goods are about evenly divided between breads and sweets and the selection is different by the day. Gluten-free and vegan breads and treats are made upon request. Custom orders are available with a 48-hour notice.

Other observations: Unfortunately, coffee is not presently available at the bakery because the coffee machine broke. Plans are in the works to replace it as soon as the money is available.

The housekeeping leaves a bit to be desired. On my visit, some papers had fallen on the floor, and the countertop had a general look of disorganization. However, if you can get past this, I feel the product makes up for it. Overall, it appears they are more about baking and less about appearance.

I experienced friendly service and found the owner, who goes by Fred, very personable and accommodating. When I asked about cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting, since I did not see any, he immediately whipped up some cream cheese frosting for a batch of rolls fresh from the oven, of which I purchased two.

Prices appropriately meet quality.

Cost: Biscuits are $1.75 each. Scones are $2.75 each. Muffins cost $2 for large, $1.25 for small, and $1.50 for a mini 3-pack. Turnovers are $2.50 each. Fruit, brownie, and cake bars are $2 each. Cookies cost 50 cents apiece, $2 for 5, and $4 per dozen. Pies are $10.

Cakes are $10 for an 8-inch round, $20 for a quarter-sheet, $30 for a half-sheet, and $60 for a full sheet. Bread swirls (cinnamon, sticky buns, orange, apple raisin, vegetable, jalapeno, and cheese varieties) cost $3.25 each. Artisan breads, signature breads, and buns range from $3 to $20. Fruit smoothies are $3.50 and 16 ounces.

Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Where: 1804 N.W. 119th St., Suite 104, Vancouver.

Telephone: 360-718-8330.

Online: The bakery has a Facebook page with up-to-date information that often includes spontaneous daily baked specials.

Health score: House of the Rising Buns Bakery received a score of 23 on August 29. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants with a score of 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.