Dave's Donut Blog: April 2009

Aloha! In February 2009 I had the great pleasure of visiting my relatives. I surfed, ate sushi, enjoyed family chill time... The only thing that was missing was a donut… So my cousin took me to a Honolulu specialty: Leonard’s Bakery. Now, Malasadas are not donuts and I know that this is a donut blog, but I believe that they are close cousins and equal in taste so here is my experience eating a Malasada.

Vibe of Shop: 2 Nadas
I was disappointed that there were no seats inside. There were a few seats outside, which, I guess makes sense since the weather in Hawaii is amazing. Also, things looked a little rundown inside but… it is over 55 years old!

Outside Appearance: 5+ Nadas
The décor of the outside was like a Las Vegas Casino, but when you go inside, instead of gambling your money, you win every time! The signs were amazing and old and had more style and flair than a flamboyant hair dresser.

Hours: 3 Nadas
It is not open 24 hours. ☹ I believe they close at 11pm.

Service: 3 Nadas
The service was a bit slow but I understand why. They take your order, walk back and fry the malasada, and then bring it to you. So fresh! Also, they have a uniform: cute 50’s style dresses. I like the vibe and professionalism they are portraying.

Taste of Glaze Donut (Malasada): 5 Nadas
Oh boy! Where do I start? They fry the malasadas right when you order them! This insures super freshness. The outside was warm and crispy and the inside was moist and delicious. I also order a chocolate-filled and a coconut-filled and they were all amazing! Doughy goodness! Mmmmmm….

Coffee: N/A
I was so distracted by my cousins, girlfriend, and the excitement that I had discovered “a new brand of donut,” that I forget to order a cup of coffee. Sorry.

Special: They sold everything you would need on a birthday cake. They had so many options of candles. I especially like that they sell balloons!

So my official verdict is: Go eat a Malasada!!! They are sooooo scrumptious... And thank you, Leonard, for starting this fine establishment.

It was the week before Easter and I was on my way to Mexico with my band, Kokua, my sister, and my girlfriend. We were going with The King’s Academy to build houses in Tecate for people less fortunate than us. The thought of 6 days without a donut was scary so we decided to grab one before we headed south and crossed the border into the land of tacos, burritos, and great guacamole.
As we were driving we came across a humble donut shop called Gladstone Donuts. Here is my critque.

Vibe of Shop: 3 ½ Nadas
The more I visit other donut shops through out California, the more I’m realizing that they all have a similar feel, some better and some worse. I think they must pass around interior design plans that say: 1. Use an ugly old fake tile floor. 2. Use yellow booth-like benches with table connected. 3. Paint your walls white, but a white that looks like it was painted 30 years ago. 4. Tape your walls with random posters and advertisements that create visual noise to distract from the ugly floor.

Hours: 5 Nadas
24 hours, always a plus.

Outside Appearance: 3 Nadas
Nothing special but they do have florescent light signs, which I think is another requirement upon opening a donut shop.

Service: 4 1/2 Nadas
I forget the guy’s name who served me but he was super friendly and helpful. I told him about my blog and he still didn’t offer me a free donut so I can only award him 4 ½ Nadas… I liked him though. Make sure to say hi and thank him for serving great donuts.

Taste of Glaze Donut: 4 1/4 Nadas
I thought the donut was fresh and tasty. Not the best ever, but really moist inside with a light crunch on the outside.

Coffee: 1 Nadas
I do not recommend the coffee. It tasted old, burned and watered down. After purchasing a donut here, go down the street to Starbucks or something.

Special: The selection of donut holes was AMAZING! They had: glaze, chocolate, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, and even blue berry! I’ve never before seen so many choices of donut holes. I was very impressed… and they tasted good.