Doughnut Plant was on the itinerary for our spring 2007 New York City food tour, but due to its odd hours of business, The Astronomer and I left the city without doughnuts in our gullets. We were bummed out at the time, but not incredibly so because we managed to eat at seven different places in 36-hours during that short trip. We knew we’d be back at a later date, and hoped that Doughnut Plant would still be around for us to have a taste.
Two years later, Doughnut Plant sits largely unchanged on Grand Street in the growing-cooler-by-the-minute Lower East Side. The tiny shop has been given a fresh coat of paint and the once bare walls are now lined with blown-up press clippings.
What initially brought me to Doughnut Plant were its trans-fat free doughnuts. In the early days of the trans-fats are more evil than communism movement, it was widely believed that hydrogenated oils were absolutely essential to producing a light and airy doughnut. When I read about Doughnut Plant’s superior-tasting, trans-fat free products, I was curious to see how they measured up to their hydrogenated counterparts. While I’m not nearly as vigilant about trans-fats as I was two years ago, Doughnut Plant’s significant breakthroughs and creative innovations in the field of doughnut making merited a return visit.
After browsing the drool-inducing selection, The Astronomer chose a white peach doughnut ($2.25)—one of the seasonal offerings available. The doughnut looked ordinary on the outside, but its texture and flavor were extra special. The batter contained bits of actual fruit, which imparted a mild peachy undertone throughout the doughnut. The doughnut’s texture was so delicate that it nearly folded in half when The Astronomer went in for his first bite.
With so many delicious choices, it was difficult for me to pick just one. I eventually settled on the crème brûlée doughnut ($2.75) because cream-filled doughnuts are my favorite.
The palm-sized sweet was piped full of smooth vanilla cream and topped with caramelized sugar, blow-torched to perfection. Trans-fat free or not, crème brûlée in doughnut form is just plain brilliant.
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Doughnut Plant
379 Grand Street
New York, NY 10002
Phone: 212-505-3700
Oh, good gawd!!! I am so going here the next time I’m in NYC!!! :))
I absolutely Adore the doughnut plant! I took my best friend, Jenny, there during her bday food tour of the city. I think the only doughnuts I have had that compare are the malasadas I had in Hawaii. I think I might be having doughnuts for breakfast tomorrow…
damn these are devastating.
what is that giant fat square in the picture? i want that one!
What awesome flavors!
I think it’s past time i had a Doughnut…
I LOVE the Doughnut Plant. We went the last time we visited friends in NYC, (our idea, they hadn’t heard of it) and I have to say that the Coconut Cream is just….well, there are no words. The Coconut Cream haunts my dreams.
Amazing. I’ve been saving your last two posts for when my (stupid) (endless) (never again) conference was over. Guess what? It’s over!!!
So thanks for a nice Sunday morning donut to reinforce my joy that I’m FREE!
that white peach donut sounds really good. what are your favorite donut places here in ca?
though a paltry and inadequate replacement for my sudden lust for donuts, i want to head over to the local Mister Donut for a midnight fix. eh, biking 20 minutes just for a fried round thing doesn’t seem worth it, i’d rather fly over to the NYC for this one.
Sawyer – The Donut Man in Glendora, CA is pretty fantastic. The doughnut’s texture isn’t as delicate as Doughnut Plant’s, but the loads of fresh fruit in them is noteworthy.
Looks like I’ll have to make a trip out there the next time I’m in NY!
A carrot cake doughnut?!? Sold! I think I need to book a flight to New York…
drooling! and transfat free, imagine that… a torched creme brulee donut sounds too good to be true.
And I live in New York and pine for the doughnuts in Los Angeles. I find the texture of Doughnut Plant offerings to be substandard — too soft and gushy.
Great review. I’m not normally a doughnut person, but I live in Brooklyn and go into the city to the Doughnut Plant just for their tres leche doughnuts (by far the best). Sometimes I walk back home over the bridge so I don’t feel so guilty.
Aww…wish I would’ve known you were going to be in NYC. Next time you’re in town, I’d be happy to take you and the astronomer on a food factory tour in the LES.
PS – Doughnut Plant rocks!
Creme Brulee doughnut?? I’m so there!
I’ve wanted to go here for so long and still haven’t been able to!!!