Donut Place Guide to the Valley

Discussion in 'City Guides' started by purr1n, Apr 13, 2017.

  1. No_One411

    No_One411 Fired by Jude

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    It's an awesome family run place. Around 5 minutes away from my place.

    There's a place in LA, Birdies(?), that sells this ridiculous $100 gold donut...
     
  2. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    I've been to Mag's a few times since it's basically down the street from me. Will try Donut Star.
     
  3. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

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    Donut Star is pretty good IMO. It is actually closer to me than Mag's. Hard to say which one I like more. Both carry cronuts, which I really like.
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2017
  4. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    BTW, if you are ever in Houston go to Shipleys donuts. I usually went to the one in Pasadena, but they are all good.
     
  5. SineDave

    SineDave Friend

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    As a Houstonian, we are extremely lucky. Having a large Vietnamese population who own excellent donut shops doesn't hurt.

    We have a few really outstanding donut places though. Hugs & Donuts is AMAZING, and happens to be right next to Fat Cat Creamery, which makes amazing ice cream that usually incorporates beer. Houston really does have a great food scene. Too bad it's hot, flat and ugly.
     
  6. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    I went to Donut Star this morning at the Alton location instead of Irvine Blvd. I got a couple donuts, donut holes, a cronut and a cinnamon twist. The cronut was the most expensive item at $3.50 and also the worst one. Avoid. Aside from that, the rest were excellent, especially the donuts. Open for 24h which is good to know. Not too many places around here like that. I mean even the IHOP in Irvine is the only one I know that's not open for 24h.
     
  7. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

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    Cronuts are the most expensive items indeed. Mag's also has them and I think they are about the same. I don't think they are bad though. I know the Packing House in Anaheim also sells them and they are less cheap. It may be an acquired taste, which I acquired.
     
  8. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    The cronut seems like a bad imitation of a kouign-amann, which I had plenty of while I was in Brittany. This is my first and only example so I admit it's not a good sample. I can see it tasting much better if they changed a few things but I don't know if I would trade 3 x donuts for one cronut.

    Maybe I need to try the original in NY to see what the big deal is.
     
  9. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

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    Nah. I had both Mag's and Donut Star cronuts. I could be wrong, but if you don't like Donut Star, then Mag's and others are probably not going to change your mind.

    I think the price may reflect the extra manual labor into the cronut, but I don't know if they put 3x the manual labor though. I usually split the cronut in two and share with the wife. Son sometimes is too quick and eats it before we get the chance.

    I did not know about kouign-amanns. And obviously much less that they were related. Thanks for pointing it out.
     
  10. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    From what I am reading, they are the new pastry trend coming to the US. I saw them for sale at Peet's Coffee near UCI the other day. Be prepared to see them in other places as well.
     
  11. JayC

    JayC Resident Crash Test Dummy

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    Theres a video of a donut comparison at 3 price points, with the place you mentioned in it!

    I knew it had to be the same place as soon as you said gold donut.. Just dont shoot me about the guys eating/talking about the donuts in the video
     
  12. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Added to first post:

    Gladstone Donut 1332 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

    Belongs in the top tier along with the above. I know, not in the valley, but I grabbed some donuts at this place before heading to @brencho's one day. They were the bomb, especially with @brencho's special coffees. Cash only.
     
  13. Cellist88

    Cellist88 Friend

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    Sounds like Marvey should become a Food blogger Lol
     
  14. crazychile

    crazychile Eastern Iowa's Spiciest Pepper

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    Marv you bastard. These LA based food threads depress the hell out of me. I can't hardly get a decent steak here in Iowa and we raise some of the best beef anywhere. That and all the local oompa loompas choose to eat at shitty chain restaurants so the decent places go out of business. I guess that's what you get when the area was originally settled by the Irish, Germans, and Bohemies. A real melting pot of culinary abominations. And my ancestry is one of those but at least I learned how to cook.
     
  15. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Wait until I start on the craft beer places.
     
  16. winders

    winders boomer

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    Or places for the best trim....
     
  17. Druid

    Druid Hyperactive Tree

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    I'm not a big Voodoo fan either. Putting a limp cold piece of bacon on a maple bar, shouldn't be enough to make every tourist get magnetically drawn to your establishment.

    Here's the place that's my personal favorite donut place here in Portland:

    Blue Star Donuts
    http://www.bluestardonuts.com/
    Holy f**k, I didn't realize until I started posting this that they are invading SoCal. To think that this post would actually become relevant to the topic...
    No, this is not your blue collar donut shop, but omg do they taste good. There is a Cointreau Creme Brulee donut that has a syringe of Cointreau sticking into it. When someone bought these and brought them to work we all wondered if eating this donut could get us fired for drinking on the job. And yes, they have a Maple Bacon donut, but it's much more tastefully done than Voodoo.
     
  18. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    Exit stage left....
    i'd be more interested in local haunts that sell great aebleskivers. yet maybe that's for another (short) thread.
    ;)
     
  19. bazelio

    bazelio Friend

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    Bascom Donuts
    Bascom Avenue Los Gatos or San Jose - not sure which. Prob San Jose as it is just North of Hwy 85. Run by Asians, although not sure if they're the Southeastern variety. Also conveniently located a mile or less down the street from The Analog Room. Donuts and vinyl. Mmm mmm.
     
  20. bazelio

    bazelio Friend

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    How about Donut Wheel on De Anza. Open 24 hours. Twas great when I was in high school. That was a while ago.
     

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