While a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador, I had a tough time
finding doughnuts. Once back in the states, my third food purchase was
a dozen doughnuts. I drove less than a block from the store before the
pink box found a place on my lap. At a red light, mid bite, I looked to
my left and made eye contact with two cute girls in a Volkswagen Jetta.
The driver seemed disgusted, but the passenger looked jealous.
I’m sure she wanted a doughnut, and having recently returned from
helping those less fortunate than myself, I almost rolled down the
window and offered her one. After all, doughnuts are one of the finest
food products imaginable. I’m sure there’s some data out
there suggesting a diet rich in doughnuts might not be wise, which
means I’ll just have to run more or cut out some other junk food
because I just had my first Doughboy’s doughnut, and I’ve
got the constant doughnut craving again.
My wife, Kat, and I visited Doughboy’s Donuts pretty early on
a Saturday. Inside they’ve got a handful of stools and tables and
a big flat screen, which was tuned into the news. There’s not
really much to say about the décor of the place unless you count
what’s behind the glass cases: the not-so-subtle beauty of
hundreds of freshly fried and finely decorated doughnuts.
One server told me they prepare between 70 and 80 doughnut types
daily, and because Doughboy’s makes them throughout the day, you
stand a darn good chance of getting something fresh. After the
doughnuts, my second favorite thing about Doughboy’s was all of
the happy people. I watched child after child walk through the front
door and start trembling with happiness, each with eyes bigger than
their stomachs. I, along with a chunk of the adult clientele, did the
same thing.
Luckily the staff was patient because I couldn’t decide what
to order. Something cakey, a cinnamon roll, maybe some sprinkles,
perhaps glazed, something filled with creamy goodness, or maybe grab a
dozen ($8.95, excluding premium doughnuts) and avoid those tough
choices. In the end, Kat ordered a crumb raised ($.85) and a small
decaf coffee ($1.45). I started to order the DB Big Boy ($5.50), which
the server described as “like seven to 10 glazed
doughnuts,” but Kat’s elbow in my ribs suggested I try
something more modest. Eventually, I picked the buttermilk bar ($.95)
and the maple bar ($.95).
Doughboy’s makes some pretty tasty doughnuts, particularly
their buttermilk bar. It was fresh and crumbly and by far one of the
better buttermilk doughnuts I’ve eaten. The coffee, while fine,
wasn’t anything special.
After eating two incredibly sweet doughnuts, I needed something
savory. The ham and cheese croissant ($2.50) warmed up for me by the
server was a great choice. The ham was thinly sliced and, while
perfectly edible, tasted fairly low-grade. However, Doughboy’s
melts cheese throughout the croissant, and its sharp flavor wonderfully
contrasted the rich, slightly sweet flavor of the croissant.
I know it’s a little late considering the building is erected,
but I wanted to see more of the kitchen, where the magic happens. From
the counter, I only saw the glazing trough. The doughnut chef dipped
this long watering can of sorts into a vat of molten glaze and then
rained it down upon a batch of happily awaiting raised doughnuts. They
looked so warm and sticky and I wanted one badly.