Case Study 011: Donut World

Site Name:     Donut World

Site Address:  720 NE Burnside Rd

                       Gresham, OR 97030

One rainy day, the research team decided to make the long trek to the suburbs in search of a new donut experience. Through the downpour, off in the distance, a big red barn shown like a beacon of hope. That beacon was Donut World. That hope was expressed with raspberry fritters.

Figure 1. Site Exterior

Donut World is a barn full of doughnuts. The stained-glass window greeting you as you walk in (Figure 2) gives you a good feel for what you're in for...

Figure 2. Site Interior

Donut World reminded Josh of what espresso shops looked like in the mid-nineties in Portland: this weird transition to something fancy, but not fully committed to it. Josh loves this vibe, given how much of his adolescence was spent in places like this. He was a trench-coat and a pack of Djarum Blacks away from being fifteen again...

Figure 3. The Goods


Josh sampled a raspberry fritter and a buttermilk bar (he was ravenous from the hike out to Gresham). The fritter had a heavy, sugary glaze and a dense dough with a neon pink swirl. This one ran a little too far on the sweet scale for Josh.

Josh reported that the buttermilk bar was dense and creamy. This was a spot-on doughnut; acting as a counter-punch to the teeth-rattling sweetness of the fritter. Well played, Donut World.

Figure 4. Josh's Sample

Lorna sampled a Boston Cream. She reported the cream was pretty typical, but still good. The frosting was a bit thin, but the cake was nice and fluffy. Overall, Lorna was happy with both her sample and the bite she had of Josh's fritter. After a long debate on the merits of the glaze in the construction of a fritter, Lorna and Josh agreed to disagree.

Figure 5. Lorna's Sample

Below is an eerily accurate account of a typical Sunday morning at the Keeling household (just replace Garfield with our lumbering dog, Bear). How do you know us so well, DW?

Figure 6. A Typical Day in the Keeling Household

Donut World has a special sort of charm that appealed to both Josh's love of kitschy coffeehouses and Lorna's nostalgia for the homey vibe of the Midwest. The doughnuts have their merits, but are not enough to justify the trip if you live in the city. That said, if you live in Gresham or happen to be passing through, they're worth a stop to settle in with a hunk of dough and a giant white chocolate mocha.

Case Study 010: Tonalli's Doughnuts & Cream

Site Name:      Tonalli's Doughnuts & Cream

Site Address:   503 SE Dorion Ave
                        Pendleton, OR 97801



This was a long time coming. Tonalli's has been an important part of Josh and Lorna's life. Their courtship took place just down the street from Tonalli's and many a late-night snack were giggled over by younger, rosier-eyed Keelings.

Tonalli's has been an anchor of the Alberta community for awhile. It's right on the corner, with big windows for people watching. They serve ice cream and burgers and have a super friendly staff.

Figure 1. Site Exterior

As is the case with many shops, timing is everything. At least in our younger days, you could get super fresh doughnuts here if you showed up around ten o'clock at night. Mmmm... fresh buttermilk bars...

Figure 2. Site Interior

Lorna sampled a Boston creme while Josh had an apple fritter. Lorna reported the cream-filled was alright, though nothing noteworthy. The cream and frosting were both fairly standard.

Josh noted the glaze was quite heavy on the fritter that he had. This is a point of taste for fritter lovers. Josh prefers his fritters to be fluffy and fruity, while some fritter-ers prefer a a heavy glaze that dominates the flavor. For you glaze lovers, Tonalli's is the place (close second goes to Donut Queen on Burnside). For you fluff-fans, go to Honey Jar.

That said, we know from past experience that where Tonalli's really stands out is with their old-fashioneds and buttermilk bars. These denser delights are creamy on the inside and crisp on the outside; an absolute treat. Few other shops come close to Tonalli's in this regard.

Figure 3. Samples

The nice thing about Tonalli's is the atmosphere. There are always people coming and going and you get to see all kinds of families walking through. A particular vocal child gives a running commentary on the environment in the recording below.


The counter is the perfect spot to hang out and people-watch. Come by in the evening and you might catch the guys from a nearby AA meeting as they feed their sugar fix and unwind. Bum them a cigarette and maybe they'll tell you where to get the best candy in town (ex-drunks are the best sugar hounds). Suffice it to say, everyone is super friendly.

Figure 4. The View

And they clearly love their doughnuts, as evidenced by the shrine built in doughnuts' honor (after seeing a couple of these, we're starting to feel like all doughnut shops should be required to have some sort of alter to the doughnut gods). 

Figure 5. Doughnut Love

If you're in the neighborhood, Tonalli's is a great spot to take a load off and feed the need for a little doughy goodness. They tend to err on the sweet side and there are certainly better doughnuts in town, but few shops have the friendly, community vibe you get at this shop. 

Years ago, it was enough to help two aspiring doughnut researchers fall in love...

Case Study 009: Up With Donuts (in Pendleton, OR)

Site Name:      Up with Donuts
Site Address:  503 SE Dorion Ave
                        Pendleton, OR 97801 



For this field study, Josh and Lorna ventured out into the wild west of Pendelton, OR to experience how the cattle rustlers do doughnuts. There is only one purveyor of doughy goodness in the Pendleton, but boy is it a treat.

Do not bother asking where Up with Donuts got its name. It doesn't matter. It's too perfect. Up with Donuts is small town doughnut perfection. Just accept it.

Figure 1. Site Exterior

For evidence of UWD's greatness, refer to Figure 2. Note that this is a small town doughnut shop run by an extremely friendly Asian family... who hand-painted a doughnut Pegasus in front of a rainbow to welcome the locals. Oh, you think your neon windbreaker is cool? No, Up with Donuts is cooler than you will ever be.

Figure 2. Indicator of Openness

UWD has all the standard doughnut fare. They also have a selection of doughnuts featuring peanut butter, not often seen in other shops. All doughnuts are protected by these two good luck cats and a selection of foreign currency.

Figure 3. Site Interior

 

Josh got courageous on this one. Instead of going for a fritter, he opted for the Peanut Butter Butterfly. The Butterfly is basically a deep-fried cinnamon roll, but, instead of glaze, there is peanut butter chocolate frosting with peanuts sprinkled on top. Oh, and it's enormous. Josh was only able to eat half, and then he had to take a nap. And then he woke up and ate the rest. And then took another nap.

Figure 4. Josh's Sample

Lorna had a Bavarian creme. She reported the frosting was spot-on; the cream and dough were pretty standard. She says that the doughnuts were pretty good overall; nothing special, but definitely worth the visit.

Figure 5. Lorna's Sample

Overall, Up with Donuts is a doughnut lovers doughnut shop. The product is solid, the characters are quirky, and there is a smattering of signature items without trying to be cute or overdoing it (we're looking at you, Acme). If you happen to be moseying through Pendleton sometime, give yourself something to nap about.



 

Case Study 008: Staccato Gelato

Site Name:      Staccato Gelato
Site Address:  232 NE 28th
                       Portland, OR 97232



Staccato Gelato is (as the name would imply) a gelato shop. However, a friend of the blog that lives near Staccato alerted us that they also make their own doughnuts. As we'd never let a research opportunity go to waste, we headed over.

Figure 1. Site Exterior

You have to give it to Staccato on presentation. The doughnuts are gorgeously coated in a mix of novelty and gourmet ingredients. And listen to the music playing. This shop is pure Portland.

Figure 2. Doughnut Array 

The atmosphere is fun and kid-friendly. Unlike many true doughnut shops, the environment is inviting to the whole family. There's tons of color, slowcoustic jams on the radio, and friendly bearded staff happy to pull a shot of sustainably harvested espresso. Most doughnut shops seem to only encourage loitering in old men wanting to talk politics and nurse watery coffee. Well, and old men trapped in young men's bodies (like Josh).

Figure 3. Site Interior

Right off the bat, Staccato Gelato does not sell fritters (strike 1). Josh sampled a maple, chocolate cake doughnut. He was not happy with it. The cake was dense, the maple was distinctly un-maple-y. He reported that it didn't really taste like a doughnut so much as a cupcake formed into the shape of torus.

Figure 4. Josh's Sample

That said, Lorna had a much different experience. She sampled a triple-chocolate (cake, frosting, sprinkles) cake doughnut. She found the sample airy and light, with a nice crispiness on the outside. As caught on the recording below, even Josh was forced to admit that the chocolate was pretty good.


We then split a salted caramel cake doughnut. This has become a pervasive flavor combination in the Portland foodie scene and we must admit that we're usually big fans. This one, however, did not meet expectations. It was more butterscotch than caramel and the salt wasn't really there.

Figure 5. Shared Sample

This is not to say that Staccato is not a good place to pick up an early morning treat. It's a great spot to bring the kids (they have a box of toys in one corner) or maybe to give visiting relatives a non-threatening taste of Portland quirk. But if you're looking for a place to pick up a great Portland doughnut, Staccato should not be at the top of your list.

Case Study 007: Tigard Donut

Site Name:     Tigard Donut
Site Address: 13815 SW Pacific Hwy
                       Ste 80
                       Portland, OR 97223



There are a million Tigard Donuts out there. Go to LA and you'll see a Tigard Donut on every other corner. Tigard Donut is a nondescript, immigrant-owned doughnut shop tucked away in a suburban strip mall. But we love these places and, quite frankly, Portland doesn't have enough of them.

Figure 1. Site Exterior

Tigard Donut has all the things you're looking for: old men arguing about politics, early hours, bad coffee, and solid, sugary doughnuts. Why is it that these places only exist in Portland suburbs (except for you, Annie's...)?

 Figure 2. Site Interior

Did we mention how awesome the owners are? The research team was cutting it pretty close to closing time, as TD closes either at 1pm or when they decide there aren't enough customers to justify sticking around. Luckily, we called ahead. And they gladly set aside a apple fritter for Josh out of caution and promised to stay open until we got there.

Figure 3. Site Owners

Josh reported that his fritter was sweet and light. The fritter had a heavy glaze and chocked full of apples. There are two types of apple fritters: those made out of apple/cinnamon flavored dough and those that have chunks of apple tossed in. Normally, Josh is pretty happy with the former normally, but Tigard pulls off the latter pretty well. A little sweet, but a solid doughnut.

Figure 4. Josh's Sample

Lorna sampled an eclair on this outing. Her notes were recorded for posterity.

 
Figure 5. Lorna's Sample

But the very best part of Tigard Donut is the fact that they have a kid's book all about the life of Arnie the Donut. It's an epic tale of self-discovery of one plucky little chocolate-sprinkled upstart. Highly recommended.

Figure 6. Reading Material

Case Study 006: Sesame Donuts

Site Name:    Sesame Donuts
Site Address: 6990 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale  Hwy
                      Portland, OR 97225-1461

Field Recording: Sesame Donuts by Mog Bog

Sesame Donuts is a bastion of doughy goodness in the wilderness that is Southwest Portland. Squished into the insane intersection that is the crossing of Scholls-Ferry and Beaverton-Hillsdale, this place is a little slice of Middle-Eastern doughnut heaven.

Figure 1. Site Exterior

It appears that an Arab family took it upon themselves to swoop up all the old Dunkin Donuts locations in Southwest Portland and make them their own. And man, did they do a good job. The selection is fantastic and well-priced. The requisite old men in the corner arguing about politics were at their most charming. At one in the afternoon, there was still a steady stream of customers.

Figure 2. Site Interior

The part that must be mentioned, though, is the staff. They are easily the friendliest doughnut vendors we have ever met. The staff at Sesame have created an in-store experience that is basically the doughnut equivalent of Car Talk. Everyone behind the counter loves to make bad joke after bad joke. And we're happy to groan along with them. 

Field Recording: Sesame Donuts (Gag Reel) by Mog Bog

On to the doughnuts. For this outing, we picked up three sample units: a Boston creme, an apple fritter, and the famed Sesame doughnut. We also had a chocolate milk (not reviewed here).

Figure 3. The Full Spread

Field Notes: Sesame Donuts by Mog Bog

Lorna reported positive results from her Boston creme. She said that the cream was delicious and there was a good texture to the dough. She was pleasantly surprised (as heard in the above recording).

Figure 4. Lorna's Sample

Josh said that his apple fritter was delicious. As seen in the figure below, there were large chunks of apple (a sadly infrequent occurrence in most places), good spice, and nice texture. He said that it was very moist and had the perfect degree of sweetness.

Figure 5. Josh's Sample

Josh and Lorna split (fought over) the Sesame doughnut. This gem is a lemon-glazed cake doughnut coated in sesame seeds. We don't want to stray too far into hyperbole, but this was one of the best doughnuts we've ever had. And we're professional doughnut researchers.

Figure 6. Bonus Round: The Sesame Donut

There is nothing bad that can be said about Sesame Donuts. These guys have it down. Unless you hate good doughnuts and awful puns (that is, you have no soul), you will love Sesame Donut. And it will love you back.

Figure 7. Josh at Work

 

Oh, did we mention they deliver?

Figure 8. The Sesame-Mobile

Case Study 005: Honey Jar Yogurt

Site Name:      Honey Jar Yogurt

Site Location: 13810 NE Sandy Blvd

                        Portland, OR 97230

Field Recording: Honey Jar Yogurt by Mog Bog

Honey Jar Yogurt (AKA Honey Jar Cafe, Honey Jar Donuts) is a bit of a hike from the inner city, but it's worth the trip. Honey Jar offers a little bit for everyone, with Thai food, frozen yogurt, hamburgers, and (most importantly) doughnuts on the menu. So far, the field team has sampled the doughnuts and Thai food and can report with confidence that both are excellent.

Figure 1. Site Exterior (North Side)

Figure 2. Site Exterior (East Side)

Honey Jar seems to be a neighborhood hot spot, with a good mix of people. On any given trip you might find a herd of old ladies on a doughnut mission, a young couple arguing over Thai food, or a family stopping by for a post-soccer game fro-yo. Honey Jar is an odd crossroads on the outskirts of Portland proper.

Honey Jar appears to be run entirely by a Thai family (complete with toddlers running around the place showing off their toys to unsuspecting customers). They are exceedingly nice, even staying open a little late for a last-minute Thai food run made by the field team on a certain Saturday trip to Ikea. That said, they often close early. If you're planning a trip any time past 3 or 4 in the afternoon, call ahead (503.254.2135).

Figure 3. Site Interior

Our first trip to Honey Jar was strictly business: doughnuts only. Lorna got the chocolate and coconut covered cake doughnut. Lorna reported the doughnut was pretty standard, not too dense and fairly moist. It wasn't exceptional, but it was solid. She also had a Boston Creme. She reported that this was pretty killer.

Figure 4. Lorna's Samples

Josh sampled an apple fritter. He found it to be light and crispy with very little glaze. The doughnut was exceptionally light and he claimed that he could have eaten two more easily. This claim remains unsubstantiated.

Figure 5. Josh's Sample

In sum, though Honey Jar is not a true doughnut shop it deserves recognition for managing to produce above average doughnuts while juggling just about every other type of food you could desire. So make the trip and support this funny little place. Oh, did we mention they have this awesome mural?

Figure 6. Doughnut Shrine