A person’s day can be swayed by what he or she has for breakfast.
For some, the same doughnut choice day in and day out does the trick. Others, though, will look for something unique to start their morning.
If you’re looking for a way to break the monotony of your cuisine routine, try any one of these deep-fried delicacies for a taste of something a little different.
Der Dutchman
Who says you can’t have dessert for breakfast? Plain City staple Der Dutchman Bakery offers a combination of doughnut and pie that cannot be passed up.
Its fried pies come in a handful of flavors, including peach, raspberry, cherry and the ever-popular strawberry and cream cheese.
“We start out with a small sweet dough, add the pie filling and crimp it together,” says Sheila Black, saleswoman at Der Dutchman. “We use our Danish cream and mix it with our strawberry filling. It’s my personal favorite.”
This crescent-shaped take on the doughnut is then covered in glaze and served.
“We offer quite a lot here, but this is something you have to try,” Black says.
DK Diner
Doughnuts are the bread and butter of DK Diner’s menu – DK stands for “Doughnut Kitchen” – and as such, the Grandview Heights
restaurant specializes in traditional doughnuts. Its biggest hit, though, is decidedly nontraditional, at least in size: the giant apple fritters.
This tremendous treat gets people talking. Some come into the diner simply for the novelty of it, says employee Sarah Starcky.
“They always talk about how massively large the apple fritter is,” she says. “It’s about the size of a baby’s head.”
The pastry has been a fan favorite since the diner opened more than 20 years ago, says Anthony Teny, diner manager.
“Some days, they will all be gone by 7:30 in the morning,” he says. “People absolutely love them.”
The preparation process for the fritter is a bit more strenuous than that for the average doughnut, causing the diner to only make a few dozen a day.
“These guys are a bit more time-consuming to make because we want to make sure it’s cooked perfectly throughout,” Teny says. “They’re so big that, even though they’re a favorite, it takes a conscious decision to choose something that big. However, they’re always gone.”
Schneider’s Bakery
A plethora of pastries are sold at Westerville-based Schneider’s each day, but none is more eye-catching than the Davy Crockett doughnut.
The name for this cinnamon twist smothered in maple icing dates back to the 1960s, says owner Jeff Hamler.
“The founder of our bakery hired this guy from Tennessee and he made this incredible doughnut,” Hamler says. “They gave him the nickname ‘Davy Crockett’ and named the doughnut after him.”
Getting a fresh Davy Crockett often means burning the midnight oil – most days, Schneider’s opens its doors at 1 or 1:30 a.m., and students at nearby Otterbein University are known to make doughnut runs at the behest of their friends or student organizations.
“Some nights, we get up to 300 kids in here,” Hamler says. “This is when the product is fresh. They taste even better when they are freshly baked.”
Buckeye Donuts
Many a graduate of The Ohio State University likely remembers a late-night run to Buckeye Donuts, which has operated on campus since 1969.
It’s open 24 hours a day, so anytime is a good time to stop by for one of the shop’s specialties, such as the Maple Bacon doughnut.
A fresh-baked maple bismarck is topped with two slices of bacon for a unique combination of salty and sweet.
“We had customers asking for it and we thought they were crazy at first,” says Jimmy Barouxis, third-generation owner of the shop. “We tested it and it was unanimous. This treat was just too good to not keep on the menu.”
The freshly-made, crispy bacon slices are added to the top of the doughnut, melting into the icing and creating a great breakfast combination.
“It just seemed like a natural fit,” Barouxis says. “We had it all in the shop and just put it all together.”
Destination Donuts
Ordering a mojito cocktail for breakfast might draw some cocked eyebrows from fellow restaurant patrons, but incorporate it into a doughnut and the only looks you get will be looks of jealousy.
Destination Donuts serves up a Mojito doughnut, a minty take on a fried classic that also incorporates lime juice, lime zest and a touch of rum.
“What better way to start the morning off with than having something so bright and fresh?” says owner Heather Morris. “There’s nothing else around like it.”
The inspiration for this tasty treat comes from her husband.
“My husband is a mixologist and he’s always mixing up new things,” Morris says. “People are a bit confused about all that in a doughnut, but they’re amazed once they taste it. I put a lot of love into the preparation.”
Destination Donuts is most frequently found at the North Market, popping up there periodically on weekends. The doughnuts are also carried at Global Gallery, Luck Bros’ Coffee House, the Angry Baker and both Hills Market locations.
Stephan Reed is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
