Memphis has been doing a little standup around the Washington DC Metro area!
He will be performing throughout 2018-19 as a House Comic for LIT Comedy
You can also visit his YouTube site
13 August 2018
Comedy Journey
He will be performing throughout 2018-19 as a House Comic for LIT Comedy
You can also visit his YouTube site
08 May 2016
I am truly at home @ District Doughnut - 97/100
Having a favorite local doughnut shop is the ultimate security blanket for me. When they day goes south and you haven't had a good doughnut in a long time (sometimes a week feels like an eternity) it's nice to know there's that special place where you can go and get a perfect doughnut every time.
I can't get to District Doughnut every time I need a doughnut, and that's not the key for me. I realize that I just feel better that it exists in the world and there's some lucky people getting fed those wonderful doughnut creations. And whether I duck out of work and ride the Metro over for a quick doughnut, or I just let the anticipation build for the next time I can get there, I feel content.
District has a home in Barracks Row, DC with a great location near the Eastern Market Metro stop and right across from the Marine Barracks (I've seen Marines there!). Lots of restaurants line 8th Street and District fits right in. And soon, they will be popping up a Georgetown location for a while!
It's doughnuts and Compass coffee here until they sell out, which definitely happens, and you do need to get there before you miss out, especially on a weekend. These really are the most decadent doughnuts in DC. I think they are also the most expensive, along with Astro Doughnuts, but you have to splurge from time to time, and indulge in these finely crafted gourmet doughnuts.
The District counter displays your choices for the day. The "Brown Butter" is a constant there, a yeast doughnut with cinnamon coating and brown butter icing. I have enjoyed this doughnut and it's a pretty solid regular and something different than the standard plain glazed yeast doughnut. Many of the other flavors rotate on the season or just for a weekly change of pace.
The greatest doughnut of them all is the "Cannoli". This creation is so perfect I find it difficult to communicate my true feelings. The best way to describe it are "ecstasy", "pure bliss", "dessert paradise", "the greatest", and "I eat this doughnut, therefore I am". It's the fluffy yeast lightness, fried to perfection, hit with cocoa powder, and filled with a glorious cannoli filling that is perfect for a doughnut. Creamy, sweet, ricotta-goodness, chocolate chip-ness filling that just makes you want to curl up inside the doughnut with the filling. I'm not exaggerating here, I would be buried inside one of these doughnuts if possible.
The "Salted Dulce de Leche" is my second favorite at District and if I can eat one of these alongside a "Cannoli", I can pretty much consider my day a success with no further effort. It's a caramel delight in both the filling and the topping that really puts me over the edge. Salted caramel is a personal favorite so this is fitting right into my pleasure zone.
Some of the other recent featured flavors include Baklava, Chocolate Creme Brulee (with an on-the-spot torching!), Mocha Crunch, and the Fluffernutter (combining peanut butter and marshmallow).
Their cake donut holes are even big and decadent! They often have vanilla bean glazed and I've been able to pre-order chocolate and snickerdoodle ones for a special occasion. Delivery can be made through Postmates, so keep that in mind!
District Doughnut
749 8th St SE
Washington, DC 20003
Quick Score - 10 out of 10 - This is pure gourmet goodness at its finest.
Donut Quality - 9 out of 10 - They are always well crafted with the finest ingredients. There was an occasion where some filled doughnuts were light on the filling, but it was a one-time thing.
Donut Selection - 10 out of 10 - It's just that any more choices and I either would not be able to decide on a couple and I'd have to eat a dozen.
Donut Freshness - 10 out of 10 - These are always daily fresh doughnuts that just do not taste the same too late in the day or the next morning so gobble them down!
Service - 10 out of 10- People are always friendly and good with questions about the doughnuts and what they have going on with the different flavor combinations.
Extras - 9 out of 10 - Coffee is very good and the new Georgetown popup will do espresso drinks. Maybe they will adopt that at the Barracks Row location for more coffee options.
Appeal - 10 out of 10 - It's just a fun doughnut haven.
Emotion - 10 out of 10 - I just got such strong emotions at the thought of District and this Cannoli doughnut does things to my brain that many other doughnuts don't do.
Other's Rating - 10 out of 10 - There's great ratings out there and then you got some national media attention such as Thrillist's "Top 33 Doughnut Shops in America"
Price - 4 out of 5 - This is DC and we pay high prices. These are gourmet and they are way worth it, but there are times where a dozen for the office are just a little too much. I would have to note, I have seen people want to bring doughnuts to the office and realize these are just a little too much.
Doughnut Dunkability - 5 out of 5 - You want to dunk a yeast, you're set. You want to dunk a cake, you're set. You want to dunk a cake bite, you're set. They all taste great in the coffee.
I can't get to District Doughnut every time I need a doughnut, and that's not the key for me. I realize that I just feel better that it exists in the world and there's some lucky people getting fed those wonderful doughnut creations. And whether I duck out of work and ride the Metro over for a quick doughnut, or I just let the anticipation build for the next time I can get there, I feel content.
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| A rainy day brought sunshine by District Doughnut |
District has a home in Barracks Row, DC with a great location near the Eastern Market Metro stop and right across from the Marine Barracks (I've seen Marines there!). Lots of restaurants line 8th Street and District fits right in. And soon, they will be popping up a Georgetown location for a while!
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| The view from inside the space \ |
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| The selection process, so difficult to choose! |
The District counter displays your choices for the day. The "Brown Butter" is a constant there, a yeast doughnut with cinnamon coating and brown butter icing. I have enjoyed this doughnut and it's a pretty solid regular and something different than the standard plain glazed yeast doughnut. Many of the other flavors rotate on the season or just for a weekly change of pace.
 |
| The District Doughnuts are a huge hit at work |
The greatest doughnut of them all is the "Cannoli". This creation is so perfect I find it difficult to communicate my true feelings. The best way to describe it are "ecstasy", "pure bliss", "dessert paradise", "the greatest", and "I eat this doughnut, therefore I am". It's the fluffy yeast lightness, fried to perfection, hit with cocoa powder, and filled with a glorious cannoli filling that is perfect for a doughnut. Creamy, sweet, ricotta-goodness, chocolate chip-ness filling that just makes you want to curl up inside the doughnut with the filling. I'm not exaggerating here, I would be buried inside one of these doughnuts if possible.
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| They have boxes that hold 24 doughnuts for large orders! |
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| A special District Doughnut spread including the cake bite holes |
Some of the other recent featured flavors include Baklava, Chocolate Creme Brulee (with an on-the-spot torching!), Mocha Crunch, and the Fluffernutter (combining peanut butter and marshmallow).
Their cake donut holes are even big and decadent! They often have vanilla bean glazed and I've been able to pre-order chocolate and snickerdoodle ones for a special occasion. Delivery can be made through Postmates, so keep that in mind!
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| Make sure you show them your #Doughface! |
749 8th St SE
Washington, DC 20003
Quick Score - 10 out of 10 - This is pure gourmet goodness at its finest.
Donut Quality - 9 out of 10 - They are always well crafted with the finest ingredients. There was an occasion where some filled doughnuts were light on the filling, but it was a one-time thing.
Donut Selection - 10 out of 10 - It's just that any more choices and I either would not be able to decide on a couple and I'd have to eat a dozen.
Donut Freshness - 10 out of 10 - These are always daily fresh doughnuts that just do not taste the same too late in the day or the next morning so gobble them down!
Service - 10 out of 10- People are always friendly and good with questions about the doughnuts and what they have going on with the different flavor combinations.
Extras - 9 out of 10 - Coffee is very good and the new Georgetown popup will do espresso drinks. Maybe they will adopt that at the Barracks Row location for more coffee options.
Appeal - 10 out of 10 - It's just a fun doughnut haven.
Emotion - 10 out of 10 - I just got such strong emotions at the thought of District and this Cannoli doughnut does things to my brain that many other doughnuts don't do.
Other's Rating - 10 out of 10 - There's great ratings out there and then you got some national media attention such as Thrillist's "Top 33 Doughnut Shops in America"
Price - 4 out of 5 - This is DC and we pay high prices. These are gourmet and they are way worth it, but there are times where a dozen for the office are just a little too much. I would have to note, I have seen people want to bring doughnuts to the office and realize these are just a little too much.
Doughnut Dunkability - 5 out of 5 - You want to dunk a yeast, you're set. You want to dunk a cake, you're set. You want to dunk a cake bite, you're set. They all taste great in the coffee.
30 January 2016
The Joy of Duck Donuts - 97/100
There are many places of donut lore I am still waiting to experience. Voodoo, Blue Star, and Gordough's are just a few of the legends still on my list to taste. But there's one I finally got to cross of my list, and I have been back several times! This franchise is having a lot of success right now with more locations opening in Virginia, and it is just the kind of small chain that I readily support. I've had the pleasure of conversing with folks who've eaten at Duck, and laud the warm, delicious donuts they serve. I've been to the Fairfax and Arlington locations multiple times. And this year, Duck was the site of my first donut of the New Year, a January 1 treat to start the next year of donuts off right!
The formula is simple. A warm donut is a delicious donut. You can pick your icings, pick your toppings, and watch the donut makers get to it. There's a donut assembly line with things being started with the "donut river" machine where batter drops into the fryer, cooks, flips, and is deposited in the ready plate. I've seen employees check them out, pick them up, and remove the inferior ones, and it is a nice sign of quality control.
Choices are set with a series of glazes and toppings that give a good variety, but are not overwhelming. I wouldn't mind having a few more choices but you still get the basics to choose from, and the peanut butter, strawberry, and lemon glazes are very special to me. Toppings include sprinkles, peanuts, bacon, and coconut, and more that allow for some really nice combinations.
It's the warmness of the donut and how it just melts in your mouth when you bite into it which seals the deal for me. It's so soft and fluffy and the glaze just gets melted a little bit from the donut. Their glazes are not too sugary in my mind, they are just right. And the batter has a more yellow color to it than I've experienced at many donut shops. I think the egg yolks are generous and makes it so yellow and delicious for me.
This dough is so good that Duck is the only place I've chosen a "Bare" donut with nothing on it at all. The warm, fried, plain donut is wonderful being dipped in a hot coffee. These donuts warm well in the microwave later so they are perfect for having some at the shop, and having plenty of leftovers.
They are usually pretty generous on toppings but there's really only 5 to choose from (Chocolate Sprinkles, Rainbow Sprinkles, Coconut, Peanuts, and Bacon. And it feels like you only get 1 topping per donut. I tried getting them to put two types of sprinkles on my donut once and it just wasn't done. And if I wanted bacon + peanuts on a donut, I wonder if they will fill that order? Maybe an idea for my next visit!
Duck Donuts
Multiple Locations on the East Coast
Quick Score - 10 out of 10 - Having all warm donuts makes for a great score.
Donut Quality - 10 out of 10 - They are just the perfect combination of dough, sweet-but-not-overly sweet icings, and nice toppings.
Donut Selection - 9 out of 10 - It's all up to your imagination on what you're going to create, and there's good options to get a good variety going. But there could always be more.
Donut Freshness - 10 out of 10 - There's just no danger of getting a stale donut.
Service - 10 out of 10- People are always friendly. Lines can become long and service may appear slow for those who just want to grab a donut and go, but the wait is really worth it.
Extras - 9 out of 10 - Coffee is fine but nothing to get real excited about. This place isn't about the extras though so it's okay.
Appeal - 10 out of 10 - A fun place to bring joy to donut lovers and make new ones.
Emotion - 10 out of 10 - These donuts are just so fabulous and it's a fun place to go. It really is the joy that Duck brings me.
Other's Rating - 10 out of 10 - There's great ratings out there and it's more the word of mouth that really got me excited about this place well in advance of going there.
Price - 5 out of 5 - It is pretty competitive and it really feels worthwhile since you're getting the donut made for you on the spot.
Donut Dunkability - 4 out of 5 - Really good tasting these donuts in coffee. But no donut holes, and this seems like it happens way more often than it should. Why no donut holes served warm out of the fryer with cinnamon sugar and/or dipped in glazes? I would love to get their donut batter in donut hole form.
Total - 97
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| The glory inside awaits |
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| The box from the first Duck Donuts experience |
Choices are set with a series of glazes and toppings that give a good variety, but are not overwhelming. I wouldn't mind having a few more choices but you still get the basics to choose from, and the peanut butter, strawberry, and lemon glazes are very special to me. Toppings include sprinkles, peanuts, bacon, and coconut, and more that allow for some really nice combinations.
It's the warmness of the donut and how it just melts in your mouth when you bite into it which seals the deal for me. It's so soft and fluffy and the glaze just gets melted a little bit from the donut. Their glazes are not too sugary in my mind, they are just right. And the batter has a more yellow color to it than I've experienced at many donut shops. I think the egg yolks are generous and makes it so yellow and delicious for me.
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| Inside a Maple Bacon |
This dough is so good that Duck is the only place I've chosen a "Bare" donut with nothing on it at all. The warm, fried, plain donut is wonderful being dipped in a hot coffee. These donuts warm well in the microwave later so they are perfect for having some at the shop, and having plenty of leftovers.
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| A nice Duck Donuts spread |
Duck Donuts
Multiple Locations on the East Coast
Quick Score - 10 out of 10 - Having all warm donuts makes for a great score.
Donut Quality - 10 out of 10 - They are just the perfect combination of dough, sweet-but-not-overly sweet icings, and nice toppings.
Donut Selection - 9 out of 10 - It's all up to your imagination on what you're going to create, and there's good options to get a good variety going. But there could always be more.
Donut Freshness - 10 out of 10 - There's just no danger of getting a stale donut.
Service - 10 out of 10- People are always friendly. Lines can become long and service may appear slow for those who just want to grab a donut and go, but the wait is really worth it.
Extras - 9 out of 10 - Coffee is fine but nothing to get real excited about. This place isn't about the extras though so it's okay.
Appeal - 10 out of 10 - A fun place to bring joy to donut lovers and make new ones.
Emotion - 10 out of 10 - These donuts are just so fabulous and it's a fun place to go. It really is the joy that Duck brings me.
Other's Rating - 10 out of 10 - There's great ratings out there and it's more the word of mouth that really got me excited about this place well in advance of going there.
Price - 5 out of 5 - It is pretty competitive and it really feels worthwhile since you're getting the donut made for you on the spot.
Donut Dunkability - 4 out of 5 - Really good tasting these donuts in coffee. But no donut holes, and this seems like it happens way more often than it should. Why no donut holes served warm out of the fryer with cinnamon sugar and/or dipped in glazes? I would love to get their donut batter in donut hole form.
Total - 97
15 August 2015
Donut and Fried Chicken Capital of the USA @ Federal Donuts - 98/100
Donuts and Fried Chicken sharing a bed together inside my stomach is much easier to accomplish in today's culinary climate. From my current nesting home in Washington DC, I can get the goodness at Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken and Golden Brown Delicious. Austinites can enjoy the Mother Clucker sandwich at Gordough's. San Diegans enjoy Streetcar Merchants. It is spreading all across America and Federal Donuts in Philadelphia is my current #1 Chicken/Donut destination!
Federal Donuts reaches Philadelphia across multiple locations and the Ballpark location for the Phillies stadium is the perfect introduction to their style of delicousness. Y'know the Fanatatic himself must be gobbling down fried chicken and donuts for sustenance. Chicken can be eaten with a dry seasoning selection of Za'atar, Coconut Curry, or Buttermilk Ranch or you can opt for the Chili Garlic, Sweet Soy Garlic, or Honey Ginger glaze.
Luckily, I had my donut partner-in-crime by my side for all Federal Donut outings and a sampling of Buttermilk Ranch and Chili Garlic were obtained. The Buttermilk Ranch could have used a little stronger flavor, but the chicken is so delicious. Juicy inside and crispy outside making for a perfect baseball treat.
I was greatly impressed with the spicy level of the chili garlic. The heat really built over the course of the meal and satisfied my craving for some fire. The honey donut truly is a great companion to the chicken. It is light, fluffy, and a nice balance of sweet to the savory chicken meal. As my trusty colleague noted, it served almost like a piece of cornbread to compliment the dish. It was just a slightly sweet honey tinged cake donut that perfectly cut through and temporarily relieved the delightful burn on my tongue from the chicken.
Federal does all cake donuts and they have these completed "fancy" donuts in a few different interesting flavors such as Grapefruit Brulee and Strawberry Shortcake. I got a Lemon Ricotta and a special at the moment, "The Redhead and the DJ", which is one result of Federal's kickstarter for their charity, RoosterSoup, and a touching tribute.
Lemon Ricotta was nice on tartness with that sweet icing balancing very nicely with the density of the cake donut. A nice overall donut and one I'd be sure to get every once in a while to mix up my donut intake variety. Pretty fresh tasting, but the glaze on these fancy donuts feels more like a shell than I usually experience. Maybe it was the thickness of the icing, or the length of time it was dipped to being eaten, but it felt like a casing around the donut. It was still very good and just another reason I love to try so many different donuts at shops across the country!
"The Redhead and the DJ" also had a fruit component with raspberry icing around a chocolate cake donut and sprinkled with Rice Krispies. This was my one and only chocolate moment at Federal Donuts and it is a flavor I try to get a little bit of at any donut shop. How they do on chocolate is usually a good indicator of how they do on everything. Here the chocolate really gets a step up with the raspberry because it tastes like a donut version of a chocolate truffle utilizing raspberry flavoring. It doesn't take itself too seriously though with the playful Rice Krispies on top! A fabulous donut.
But here lies the point in my life where I almost made a fatal error and did not taste one of the hot fresh donuts they will serve you right off the machine with Brown Sugar Cinnamon, Vanilla Sugar, or Strawberry Sugar Lavender. I may have missed out on the most wonderful cake donuts in my life! I owe my donut companion, who had the hot cake donuts and made sure I did not pass up the experience.
These donuts are amazing! They feel like they are melting in your mouth! It is amazing how these yellow cake donuts have the most perfect warm fluffiness to them as you bite into and devour them. I cannot stress enough how important it is for every customer to make sure they eat the Hot Fresh Cake Donuts! This could be the kind of donut I would eat of the "Old Fashioned" variety it is so good on its own plain. Dip this hot donut into hot coffee? Yes, do that and double up on the goodness! But Federal takes it up another notch with these awesome sugar toppings. It is just too cool they have not only mixed cinnamon and sugar, but also the vanilla and strawberry with sugar. Those mixes do really hold that genuine flavor in them and are the perfect compliment to the donuts. I will never forget eating those donuts for the rest of my life.
Okay, so you know what to do now? Get your Hot Fresh Donut Experience @ Federal!
Multiple Locations in the City of Brotherly Love
Quick Score - 10 out of 10 - They already had a leg up in my book b/c it is a chicken and donuts establishment.
Donut Quality - 10 out of 10 - Hot fresh donuts are an 11, the Fancy donuts don't quite attain the same level, but that is a lofty mark.
Donut Selection - 8 out of 10 - The donut menu is kept small, here it fits with what they are doing and trying to accomplish. They just need to mix even more cool stuff together like they do with the vanilla and strawberry sugar toppings for even more choices on the hot fresh donuts.
Donut Freshness - 10 out of 10 - A perfect score on this one because of the inclusion of hot cake donuts.
Service - 10 out of 10- Good at both locations I visited.
Extras - 10 out of 10 - Coffee was pretty good but the chicken is the real extra that provides greatness.
Appeal - 10 out of 10 - Just a fun environment at the Center City locale. And picking up chicken and donuts on your way to the seats at the baseball stadium is just super cool.
Emotion - 10 out of 10 - The hot cake donuts are sublime and truly melt in your mouth and you leave you breathless.
Other's Rating - 10 out of 10 - Word gets around, it does have national recognition!
Price - 5 out of 5 - Especially good since the hot donuts are cheaper than the fancy ones and they are amazing.
Donut Dunkability - 5 out of 5 - Top mark b/c of the fact the hot yellow cake donuts taste amazing dunked in coffee. Get your coffee black and then see a little vanilla or cinnamon sugar fall off into it while dunking and enjoy the sweetness in your coffee!
Total - 98
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| I could make endless Federal Donuts art |
20 June 2015
Wonderous Pennsylvania Dutch Goodness @ Beiler's Bakery - 95/100
The city of Brother Love had not yet been represented on DonutJourney and Beiler's Bakery was the perfect first entry for the world of Philadelphia donuts. Just one of numerous food options inside the Reading Terminal, Beiler's cranks out many baked goods, of which the Donuts are truly impressive. Reading Terminal is really hopping these days where you can satisfy any ethnic food craving you have on a particular visit. It's all mixed in with some specialty stores to round out the perfect shopping and dining experience.
You will be blown away at the first sight of the Beiler's donut case. Where Bismarcks shimmer off Crullers that mix with Cream Filled that play off Fritters that shine off Icing Topped Donuts. There are easily over 30 flavors of donuts on just the regular menu, with a couple specials on the chalkboard to make the decision making process even tougher. The case is such as beaming aura of goodness, it's truly impossible to capture in a photo. Between the line here and the immense crowd milling throughout the terminal, you really can't back up and get an all-encompassing shot of this entire case. But at least I got a good down the line shot and some closeups.
Besides the major beaming attraction of the donut case, the next visual feast is to take a few minutes and check out the donut making process over on the other side behind the counter. The great part of the Reading Terminal is all the food stalls being like open kitchens you can see all your food cooked right in front of you. At Beiler's you can see dough being laid out on the counter and cut (with amazing donut cutting rollers), you can see some floating in the fryer, you can watch toppings applied after cooling, you can watch buckets of cream used to fill donuts, and you can just salivate over a giant tray of apple fritters just waiting to go to the next step and be placed inside the display case.
I got the opportunity to indulge with some fellow donut admirers so it was the chance to try pieces of 6 different kinds of donuts. The choices made were Glazed, Chocolate Cake Glazed, Apple Fritter, Strawberry Filled, Oreo Cream, and Peanut Butter & Jelly.
The Peanut Butter & Jelly was my personal favorite of the day. This had the strawberry jelly dollop inside and on top and the peanut butter icing on top was so light and smooth it was the perfect combination. This was a yeast donut that was also light and tasty making it a very easy donut to enjoy. In fact, all the yeast donuts are easy to wolf down and the traditional glazed is perfect.
The cream fillings behind the counter looked amazing and it was anticipated the Strawberry Filled would contain a strawberry cream to test. As it turned out, it was a strawberry "jelly' filled and a little redundant after the PB&J. It was okay but just something to watch out for next time.
The Oreo was really awesome with that same light, whipped consistency of the Peanut Butter icing. And the Apple Fitter was very tasty and a perfect easy-to-eat size, not ridiculously huge, it really fit in with their line of donuts.
I was a little disappointed in the Chocolate Cake Glazed. It can be one of my favorite flavors and somehow this one just felt a little too dry to me. It felt like the glaze was cracked already in a lot of places and maybe just needed to have more coating all over the donut.
But overall, this was an amazing experience. I look at these pictures and think about what it would be like to live in Philly and get to come by here and get to try them all. And now that I can see my photos at home, I just salivate over all the flavors that look so tasty. I know for sure, no East Coast DonutJourney would ever be complete without another stop at Beiler's!
Beiler's makes more than just donuts, additional baked goods are also available at the Reading Terminal. A great insight into the Beiler's legacy can be had over at @ Bon Appetit; Generations of Baking Traditions at Beiler's Bakery in Reading Terminal Market
Beiler's Bakery
Reading Terminal Market
51 N 12th St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
South East Corner In the Market
Quick Score - 9 out of 10 - The sights, the smells, and the huge flavor selection make this a great choice for the donut shop you choose in Philly.
Donut Quality - 8 out of 10 - For many donuts here a 10, but maybe some dilution on my end from the varieties I did not like as much.
Donut Selection - 10 out of 10 - This is by far the best selection I have seen it some time.
Donut Freshness - 10 out of 10 - Super fresh for sure.
Service - 10 out of 10- This is really very good because the line on a Saturday was long and constant and the employees were lightning fast.
Extras - 8 out of 10 - Coffee was decent but nothing to write home about. A lot of the Extras could be considered the other baked goods at the other Beiler's counter there.
Appeal - 10 out of 10 - The Reading Market holds great appeal overall for all that is available there. Beiler's just is another reason the place is so enticing.
Emotion - 10 out of 10 - It was an all-original experience going into the Reading Market on a Saturday, building up the excitement, and seeing that awesome case full of donut delights.
Other's Rating - 10 out of 10 - High ratings by others really helped me decide to come here.
Price - 6 out of 5 - Donuts are cheap!!! I cannot stress that enough!!! Extra point for price
Donut Dunkability - 4 out of 5 - I did not see any donut holes available and they could definitely exist and I just missed them, and I definitely had enough, but Pennsylvania Dutch Donut Holes definitely need to be pushed.
Another note is that Beiler's is listed in some places as closed on both Sundays & Mondays. But they were definitely open on Monday during another visit to Reading Terminal Market.
Total - 95
The Peanut Butter & Jelly was my personal favorite of the day. This had the strawberry jelly dollop inside and on top and the peanut butter icing on top was so light and smooth it was the perfect combination. This was a yeast donut that was also light and tasty making it a very easy donut to enjoy. In fact, all the yeast donuts are easy to wolf down and the traditional glazed is perfect.
The cream fillings behind the counter looked amazing and it was anticipated the Strawberry Filled would contain a strawberry cream to test. As it turned out, it was a strawberry "jelly' filled and a little redundant after the PB&J. It was okay but just something to watch out for next time.
The Oreo was really awesome with that same light, whipped consistency of the Peanut Butter icing. And the Apple Fitter was very tasty and a perfect easy-to-eat size, not ridiculously huge, it really fit in with their line of donuts.
I was a little disappointed in the Chocolate Cake Glazed. It can be one of my favorite flavors and somehow this one just felt a little too dry to me. It felt like the glaze was cracked already in a lot of places and maybe just needed to have more coating all over the donut.
But overall, this was an amazing experience. I look at these pictures and think about what it would be like to live in Philly and get to come by here and get to try them all. And now that I can see my photos at home, I just salivate over all the flavors that look so tasty. I know for sure, no East Coast DonutJourney would ever be complete without another stop at Beiler's!
Beiler's makes more than just donuts, additional baked goods are also available at the Reading Terminal. A great insight into the Beiler's legacy can be had over at @ Bon Appetit; Generations of Baking Traditions at Beiler's Bakery in Reading Terminal Market
Beiler's Bakery
Reading Terminal Market
51 N 12th St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
South East Corner In the Market
Quick Score - 9 out of 10 - The sights, the smells, and the huge flavor selection make this a great choice for the donut shop you choose in Philly.
Donut Quality - 8 out of 10 - For many donuts here a 10, but maybe some dilution on my end from the varieties I did not like as much.
Donut Selection - 10 out of 10 - This is by far the best selection I have seen it some time.
Donut Freshness - 10 out of 10 - Super fresh for sure.
Service - 10 out of 10- This is really very good because the line on a Saturday was long and constant and the employees were lightning fast.
Extras - 8 out of 10 - Coffee was decent but nothing to write home about. A lot of the Extras could be considered the other baked goods at the other Beiler's counter there.
Appeal - 10 out of 10 - The Reading Market holds great appeal overall for all that is available there. Beiler's just is another reason the place is so enticing.
Emotion - 10 out of 10 - It was an all-original experience going into the Reading Market on a Saturday, building up the excitement, and seeing that awesome case full of donut delights.
Other's Rating - 10 out of 10 - High ratings by others really helped me decide to come here.
Price - 6 out of 5 - Donuts are cheap!!! I cannot stress that enough!!! Extra point for price
Donut Dunkability - 4 out of 5 - I did not see any donut holes available and they could definitely exist and I just missed them, and I definitely had enough, but Pennsylvania Dutch Donut Holes definitely need to be pushed.
Another note is that Beiler's is listed in some places as closed on both Sundays & Mondays. But they were definitely open on Monday during another visit to Reading Terminal Market.
Total - 95
11 January 2015
I was the Spudnut @ The Spudnut Coffee Shop - 97/100
Ah, you spudnut, you are a delicious debutante!
I got an amazing introduction a couple years ago to the potato donut in Los Angeles at the Spudnuts Donuts on Venice Blvd. My return to the potato donut took place one wonderful Saturday in Charlottesville, VA at the Spudnut Coffee Shop.
Spudnuts in Charlottesville is a deservedly popular local donut shop with hours set to close at Noon on Saturdays so it was imperative to get there as early as humanly possible from a two hour road trip. Selling out of donuts by mid to late morning is a very common reality for this sweet donut shop and I was not going to miss my chance at a potato donut delight. Fortunately, I had a local insider standing by with purchased donuts just in case of any possible delay.
Arrival at the Spudnut Shop is a scene in great classic American donut shop ambiance. Old building. Classic signs. Small interior. Basic decor. Fast and friendly service. Simple donut menu. I got there in time to see the long line inside the door and the remainder of donuts in the case waiting to be picked for eating.
You can make potato donuts with potato flour, you can make them with an actual potato, mashed potato flakes, or there can be a mix of potato and wheat flour. The options for donut chefs are numerous but the end result is a lighter, fluffier, less dense donut. Potatoes are gluten free so you refrain from too much gluten development during the process, and you wind up with a nice pillowy core.
My donut experience was pure dynamite. Yeast raised donuts were melt in your mouth goodness. The style of cake donuts would have to be something you always expect to be dense but even these come across as less filling than many shops create. All flavors were great, the chocolate was tasty and the blueberry cake was well done. I did not try the coconut but it's a nice basic menu where you can just about try every single variety in one visit.
They did sell out by around 10:30 or so but I noticed a handwritten note taped to the front door, more donuts were being made. It is a nice sign they were trying to supply more potato donuts to the masses.
The spudnut lives on in America and a great reference list is over at Spudnut Info. I know for sure some homemade spudnuts will be created in the Donut Dogma kitchen.
Spudnut Coffee Shop
309 Avon Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Quick Score - 10 - This donut shop is a perfect iteration of the classic American donut.
Donut Quality - 10 - So tasty, so light, so wonderous.
Donut Selection - 8 - It's limited for a reason and they have the core types and that is great. I would love to have seen the potato recipe expanded to a long john style donut, maple bar, or a Boston creme.
Donut Freshness - 10 - There is no doubt these are the freshest possible, even a little warm.
Service - 10 - Friendly, fast, I'm not going to dock them anything for being cash-only, it would have broken the experience to see people paying with credit cards for donuts in there.
Extras - 10 - Breakfast sandwiches are available, coffee, hot chocolate, it is limited, but not a problem for me with the lack of non-donut extras since they are a spudnut purveyor.
Appeal - 10 - Great appeal from all the great experiences that come pouring back into me from all the different types of donut shops I've visited. They actually achieve a higher coolness factor for having no website.
Emotion - 10 - It was an amazing experience getting my first spudnuts in two years.
Other's Rating - 10 - It's a strong rating all over. Also long lines and selling out on a daily basis.
Price - 5 - Donuts are not pricey, very reasonable.
Donut Dunkability - 4 - These donuts are great for dunking, but I would have loved to have seen potato donut holes to make the experience complete for me.
Total - 97
I got an amazing introduction a couple years ago to the potato donut in Los Angeles at the Spudnuts Donuts on Venice Blvd. My return to the potato donut took place one wonderful Saturday in Charlottesville, VA at the Spudnut Coffee Shop.
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| The Spudnut Coffee Shop in Charlottesville Virginia |
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| View from the line |
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| Rack o' spudnuts |
You can make potato donuts with potato flour, you can make them with an actual potato, mashed potato flakes, or there can be a mix of potato and wheat flour. The options for donut chefs are numerous but the end result is a lighter, fluffier, less dense donut. Potatoes are gluten free so you refrain from too much gluten development during the process, and you wind up with a nice pillowy core.
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| Box o' spudnuts |
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| Bag o' spudnuts |
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| Got my picture taken w/Mr Spudnut! |
The spudnut lives on in America and a great reference list is over at Spudnut Info. I know for sure some homemade spudnuts will be created in the Donut Dogma kitchen.
Spudnut Coffee Shop
309 Avon Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Quick Score - 10 - This donut shop is a perfect iteration of the classic American donut.
Donut Quality - 10 - So tasty, so light, so wonderous.
Donut Selection - 8 - It's limited for a reason and they have the core types and that is great. I would love to have seen the potato recipe expanded to a long john style donut, maple bar, or a Boston creme.
Donut Freshness - 10 - There is no doubt these are the freshest possible, even a little warm.
Service - 10 - Friendly, fast, I'm not going to dock them anything for being cash-only, it would have broken the experience to see people paying with credit cards for donuts in there.
Extras - 10 - Breakfast sandwiches are available, coffee, hot chocolate, it is limited, but not a problem for me with the lack of non-donut extras since they are a spudnut purveyor.
Appeal - 10 - Great appeal from all the great experiences that come pouring back into me from all the different types of donut shops I've visited. They actually achieve a higher coolness factor for having no website.
Emotion - 10 - It was an amazing experience getting my first spudnuts in two years.
Other's Rating - 10 - It's a strong rating all over. Also long lines and selling out on a daily basis.
Price - 5 - Donuts are not pricey, very reasonable.
Donut Dunkability - 4 - These donuts are great for dunking, but I would have loved to have seen potato donut holes to make the experience complete for me.
Total - 97
06 December 2014
Magnificent Mini Donuts @ Eastern Market
Here's a special donut spotlight on a different kind of place: Migues Magnificent Mini Donuts!
The brick and mortar donut shop will always be my favorite, but mixing it up is a necessity so I have to jump into the arena of donut stands & trucks!
For the Washington DC metro area the Eastern Market in Capital Hill is a major weekend event. It has everything from a traditional farmer's market to local arts for sale to a nice gathering of food stands pushing out hot delicious meals. If you want some amazing shrimp 'n grits, Puddin' has an entry that you'll never forget when you want to re-imagine savory comfort food heaven. And then to get your fill of a whimsical and delicious breakfast dessert perfection, stop by the Migues Magnificent Mini Donuts. It is not by mistake it has been placed on "best of" donut lists of the city.
The major draw for me here is the Magnificent Mini Donuts being freshly made right in front of you on their super amazing industrial donut conveyor belt! Just watching is a joy for all ages. From the start the batter automatically sizes out portions to drop into the oil, it floats along its river of oil, the donuts get flipped automatically(!), and then climb on the belt out of the oil where it lingers on the precipice just briefly, before falling out and rolling onto the drying platform.
Once those minis are yours you get to move on over to the toppings bar and add to your heart's desire. Now some places allow you to personalize your donut with toppings by giving you the power to make the choices but then immediately take that power away by having the donut shop employees do the actual work before giving you the creation. They ration out your toppings and you can nicely press them for more, believe me, I've done the "how 'bout a little more chocolate on that...", but ultimately they are always in control of what you're going to consume.
I got to be in complete control of my finished product at the Magnificent Mini donut stand. There are choices of chocolate, caramel, or vanilla glaze sauces along with additions of granulated sugar, cinnamon, sprinkles, or powdered sugar.
I got to decide what I wanted, add it myself, and go as wild as my heart desired. If I want to dump so much powdered sugar on top the donuts so the bag starts spilling it onto my pants when I sit down, that is my prerogative! Maybe I want sugar there for a treat later when I'm ready for another sugar fix and I need it! Maybe next time I'll pour all the glazes and toppings in the bag and then shake the whole thing up!
Since Migues is a totally different kind of donut experience, I'm not gong to run them through my traditional donut rating system. I'm just going to give them an honorable mention as a great place to get some amazing donuts! Go find them at one of the local DC markets and tell 'em Memphis sent ya!
The brick and mortar donut shop will always be my favorite, but mixing it up is a necessity so I have to jump into the arena of donut stands & trucks!
For the Washington DC metro area the Eastern Market in Capital Hill is a major weekend event. It has everything from a traditional farmer's market to local arts for sale to a nice gathering of food stands pushing out hot delicious meals. If you want some amazing shrimp 'n grits, Puddin' has an entry that you'll never forget when you want to re-imagine savory comfort food heaven. And then to get your fill of a whimsical and delicious breakfast dessert perfection, stop by the Migues Magnificent Mini Donuts. It is not by mistake it has been placed on "best of" donut lists of the city.
The major draw for me here is the Magnificent Mini Donuts being freshly made right in front of you on their super amazing industrial donut conveyor belt! Just watching is a joy for all ages. From the start the batter automatically sizes out portions to drop into the oil, it floats along its river of oil, the donuts get flipped automatically(!), and then climb on the belt out of the oil where it lingers on the precipice just briefly, before falling out and rolling onto the drying platform.
Once those minis are yours you get to move on over to the toppings bar and add to your heart's desire. Now some places allow you to personalize your donut with toppings by giving you the power to make the choices but then immediately take that power away by having the donut shop employees do the actual work before giving you the creation. They ration out your toppings and you can nicely press them for more, believe me, I've done the "how 'bout a little more chocolate on that...", but ultimately they are always in control of what you're going to consume.
I got to be in complete control of my finished product at the Magnificent Mini donut stand. There are choices of chocolate, caramel, or vanilla glaze sauces along with additions of granulated sugar, cinnamon, sprinkles, or powdered sugar.
I got to decide what I wanted, add it myself, and go as wild as my heart desired. If I want to dump so much powdered sugar on top the donuts so the bag starts spilling it onto my pants when I sit down, that is my prerogative! Maybe I want sugar there for a treat later when I'm ready for another sugar fix and I need it! Maybe next time I'll pour all the glazes and toppings in the bag and then shake the whole thing up!
Now what you're getting when you bite into these creations is pure, hot off the press, mini donut heaven. These little beauties are soft and scrumptious. It's great how well some toppings stick, the cinnamon and sugar donuts were really perfect. The chocolate and powdered sugar made for a very good combination that was a very satisfying donut experience.
In addition to the minis, Migues makes some whole donuts and those are on display in the case. I really wanted to try the "Blackout" donut with a dark chocolate donut, Oreo cookie crumbles, and white chocolate ganache. All the more impressive was the fact no "Blackouts" were in the case, and when I quizzed the donut chefs, I was informed they were probably just a temporary thing. But passing by later, they had appeared and I was able to buy one!
The only issue there was I couldn't eat it right away and the white chocolate ganache did some weird melting and smearing! But it still tasted really good. I think the white chocolate really puts it over the top, adding even more creamy chocolateness to the creation. I bet this one would go really well with the excellent local coffee from Zeke's they offer.
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