Destination Donuts | Columbus, OH

There’s a new donut game in town: Destination Donuts. Heather Morris has begun setting up regularly at North Market. Heather is serving homemade donuts in flavors and combinations that no one else is doing around town. When you really think of it, there isn’t a donut place at North Market, is there? This could be a good permanent addition!

I visited one of her first days setting up shop, and she had five different donut varieties: pumpkin pecan, PB&J (yes, you read right), thai peanut, chocolate insanity, and dueling vanilla. Her selection since then continues to rotate.

She gives you the opportunity to sample the goods before you buy them. Hint: sample them all, then buy one of each.

These are the chocolate insanity, made with chocolate ganache and crumbled Oreos.

And then there’s the Thai peanut, with a little bit of spice. Most of the donuts were served essentially like large donut holes.

The only full size donuts (and my favorite) she had that day were the dueling vanilla. They’re called dueling because she uses both Madagascar and Tahitian vanilla. It’s like a thick yeast donut. Very nice.

Heather – aka the “donut queen” – is typically there on weekends. Give her a follow on Facebook or on Twitter (@heatherdonut) to see when she’ll be at the market next!

Dough | Brooklyn, NY

Dough (Facebook / @doughbrooklyn)
305 Franklin Ave. (map it!)
Brooklyn, NY 11238
(347) 533-7544
Open daily, 7a-5p
Accepts cash only

Date of Visit: Sunday, October 21, 2012 at 9:00 a.m.

As we were saying good-bye to New York, we still managed to sneak in some delicious eats. Before we even hopped in the car, we walked with our friends down the street to Dough, a corner shop in the neighborhood serving big donuts to a steady line of regulars.

The shop seemed empty when we first arrived, but within seconds it was crowded with folks nabbing fresh donuts and coffee, then sneaking back out the door. The customer area is fairly small, with just a small counter and a couple seats if you want to stay. But the retail front is surrounded by big glass walls that let you see into the back and side rooms, where a small army of bakers is busy at work.

We managed to find some room to stand and nibble on donuts, and watch one baker roughly chopping chocolate.

Despite the small size, their output is clearly enormous, as evidenced by the loaded carts and vans parked out front.

Dough specializes in one type of donut: large yeast donuts with a variety of very creative toppings. There’s no simple sprinkles or vanilla icing here; they dowse these bad boys with chocolate, fruit, nuts, even flowers.

Let’s take a look in their display cases. Example one: a cafe au lait donut topped with strussel.

Example two: a pumpkin donut with a light glaze and pepitas.

We attacked our box of donuts with gusto. Our selection included (clockwise from upper right) coconut, hibiscus, chocolate with cocoa nibs, and blood orange. These donuts back a punch flavor, so these aren’t easy coffee-and-a-donut type donuts. These are “I’ll slice a small piece off each one” donuts. The chocolate was rich with a slight bitter edge, the coconut nice and toasty, the bloody orange very strong, citrusy, and a tad sour from the acid in the actual slices of orange. And the hibiscus? Well, I don’t know how else to describe it but sweet and floral. All four were really delicious and fascinating types of donuts – like nothing I’ve had before. I like that they seem to use a base recipe for the yeast donut, and then use the toppings to really distinguish them.

As we were headed out of town, we didn’t linger too long over the donuts, but I’d love to go back and try even more.

Spalding’s Bakery | Lexington, KY

Spalding’s Bakery
760 Winchester Rd. (map it!)
Lexington, KY 40505
(859) 252-3737
Open Wed-Sat, 6:30a-12p; Sun, 7a-12p
Accepts cash only
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Sunday, March 11, 2012 at 7:20 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: Early on a Sunday morning – earlier than normal, given that we had just sprung ahead into daylight saving – I convinced my youngest brother Greg to drive out to a little bakery he had told me about in Lexington, Kentucky. My two younger brothers and their families, all of whom live in Lexington, had had donuts from Spalding’s Bakery before. The best donuts become local legends in their own right. In Columbus people whisper, “Are those Der Dutchman donuts? Are those from DK Diner?” In Lexington, apparently, the equivalent is, “He brought a box from Spalding’s.” So it was that Greg and I trekked out to this tiny, nondescript little bakery, across an industrial road from the biggest peanut butter plant in the world.

ATMOSPHERE: The space, while newer, is about as simple as can be. Cream-colored walls. A few pictures. A couple display cases loaded with donuts (clearly the focal point of the room). A low, white counter with an old cash register. When we visited, there were two people seated at a table off to the side, there as fundraisers for some local cause. It was a little funny and awkward, as they sat there silently, crammed behind the small table together at 7 a.m.

Just behind the main wooden case, many more donuts stay on trays, yet to put out for display. Other shelves were loaded with boxes, already filled and labeled, just waiting to be picked up.

FOOD: Oh, the donuts. If you look at their reviews on Yelp and UrbanSpoon, Spalding’s is clearly one of those places that’s beloved by locals, but suffers from the dual reviews of “these are the greatest things on earth!” / “everyone says they’re the greatest things on earth but they don’t live up to the hype!” This is typical of incredibly popular restaurants and bakeries, and hard to avoid when loyal customers are passionate and vocal. The key is to keep your expectations up, but not too high. (Besides, if you’re trusting everyone else’s opinion to judge the best ____ in the world, you need to think about judging things for yourself more often.)

All of this is to say that these are some delicious donuts, especially when they’re soft and warm in the morning (the benefit of braving the time change and visiting early). We nabbed a mixed dozen-and-a-half: blueberry, cinnamon roll, apple fritter, chocolate cake, creme-filled, chocolate glazed.

Their signature are the glazed donuts. Sweet, misshapen, and delicious. Krispy Kreme has nothing – NOTHING – on Spalding’s.

SERVICE: There was also the bonus of meeting the sweetest, most grandmotherly woman alive. If this place is run by the Spalding family (I’m guessing), then she must be Grandma Spalding. She was incredibly sweet, making jokes with us and suggesting donuts to try. She added up the order by hand on a notepad, then rang us up at the old register (they take cash only, btw). When I asked how early she arrived there that morning, she said about 3:30. “But I wasn’t the first one here,” she added, “Being a grandmother has it’s perks!”

OVERALL: I’m still learning the Lexington breakfast scene, but from what I’ve tasted, Spalding’s seems to be the top spot for donuts around town. The hours are limited – only until noon, Wednesday to Sunday – and we’ve heard multiple reports of donuts selling out quickly. But it’s worth the early morning trek for a box or two. These are donuts as they should be made, and by a business that’s over 100 years old. Worthy of your support!

OTHER LINKS:

Honey Dip Donuts | Columbus, OH

Honey Dip Donuts
4480 Kenny Rd. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43220
(614) 459-0812
Open everyday, 6 am – 4 pm
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 12:00 pm

IMPRESSIONS: Geographically, Columbus has itself pretty well covered, donutally. Grandview has DK Diner. Campus and the south side have Buckeye Donuts. Westerville has Schneider’s. The east side has Resch’s. And if you’re headed west, you’ve got Honey Dip Donuts.

ATMOSPHERE: The look and feel of Honey Dip Donuts is so decidedly old school, it’s almost painful. The half-lit signs that list the donut flavors. The pink shelves lined with trays of goodies.

That long, low counter that’s only wide enough for munching a custard-filled and sipping a cup of angry diner coffee.

But that’s the charm: they’re a simple, small, family-run donut shop that’s been going strong for decades. With their 30-40 varieties of glazed twists, buttermilks, cream-filleds, and powdered sugareds, why would they mess with a good thing?

FOOD: As expected, the main feature is donuts, and I haven’t had a bad one there so far. I’m a big fan of buttermilk donuts, and they do plenty of those, from chocolate or vanilla, iced or not, with a variety of flavors, too. The one thing I haven’t had yet is their pumpkin donut, which gets most of the attention at Honey Dip. I guess a return visit is in order.

The selection is wide enough that you’re bound to find something you like.

Here’s the half-dozen I brought home on this particular day. The two on the left are the signature honey dip donut, very light with a thin honey glaze. If you want something sweet, but not too sweet, this is your donut. The middle two are some very good buttermilk donuts. The bottom right corner is a chocolate buttermilk with, yes, chocolate frosting. The top right is a custard-filled bite of deliciousness.

SERVICE: Everyone at Honey Dip is very nice and helpful. The customers, too, are that breed of die-hards who will interrupt the server and start telling you which donuts are best. That’s when you know, for sure, they’ve got a good thing going.

OVERALL: In lieu of another trip to Tim Horton’s or Krispy Kreme, you need to find your way to Honey Dip. Let them show you what real donuts are like. Sidle up at the counter, strike up conversation with a regular, and enjoy another Columbus institution that deserves your support.

As a quick side note: Honey Dip Donuts will close on June 4, 2011 for 4-5 weeks of renovations. When they emerge, they’ll be re-christened the Honey Dip Donuts & Diner, with full breakfast and lunch offerings. Expect a report when their breakfast hits!

OTHER LINKS:

Voodoo Doughnut | Portland, OR

Voodoo Doughnut (Facebook / @VoodooDoughnut)
22 SW Third Ave. (map it!)
Portland, OR 27204
(503) 241-4704
Open 24 hours a day
Accepts cash only
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/Y/N

Date of Visit: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 6:00 pm

IMPRESSIONS: Voodoo Doughnuts is a Portland institution, and you’d better not mess with it. With two locations in town (and a third down in Eugene), Voodoo is synonymous with Portland’s downtown and nightlife. Their donuts, some of which trend toward the ridiculous, have landed the shop on the Food Network and other national stages. Taking the advice of our Portland friends and other trusted sources like reader and Twitter-friend John, we visited the original location downtown. I’m told the new locations are nice, but nothing compares to the “character” of the original. Such is true for many things in life.

ATMOSPHERE: Voodoo is to donut places what Yesterdog is to hot dog joints. It’s old, beaten up, a little dirty (in more way than one), they only take cash, the servers are kinda gruff, and there’s nothing you can do about any of it. For those who don’t know Yesterdog, it’s a hot dog place in my hometown of Grand Rapids. It’s cheap, beloved of native Grand Rapidians, the wooden booths are carved with graffiti, and the dirty tattooed guys behind the counter will yell at you if you order incorrectly. That was our experience at Voodoo.

The space is super small and cramped. Maybe ten customers can fit inside at once. Everything’s pink and a little dark. The only lighting is a giant chandelier hanging overhead.

They’re aggressively cash only, but provide an ATM for your convenience, whether that means getting some cash or carving a tribute to your one true love.

There’s a huge menu, which you can also peruse online. Donuts range from simple cake and custard varieties (at about .95/donut) to wacky specialties that cost $5-6.

Standing at the counter lets you see shelves and shelves of donuts.

There’s also a rotating glass display case with their more creative fare. A glimpse at this case is worth the visit alone. I ordered The Loop, covered in Fruit Loops.

Plenty of seasonally-themed donuts, too.

Many of these donuts feature funky designs or kooky add-ons like cereal, coconut, sprinkles, marshmallows, cookies, or candy.

Their signature Voodoo Doll: a man stabbed with a pretzel stick, filled with jelly.

There’s plenty of dirty bumper stickers and signs plastered around the space. Thank goodness our kids can’t read yet…

Read through their menu for some of the more scandalous names, too.

FOOD: Our group loaded some of their signature pink boxes with a variety and took them home. All in all: very good donuts. A couple of the toppings were a little dried out, but they certainly all tasted good.

The specialty donuts are big, so they’re great for sharing.

The famous Bacon Maple Bar. A great blend of flavors. Sweet and salty all in one. Our sample was a little dry, but I liked it. Even more so if it was filled with cream.

Another signature, the Old Dirty Bastard, covered with peanut butter and crumbled Oreo cookies. A ridiculous wallop of sugar. My favorite of the mix.

SERVICE: Don’t expect any smiles from the Voodoo crew. They’ll take your money and serve you great donuts, but don’t expect them to like it. If being coddled by a customer service representative is your thing, don’t come here. If you don’t care, you’ll be fine.

OVERALL: Later in our visit to Portland, after a fancy Peruvian diner at Andina, we stopped by Voodoo Doughnut for a second dessert. It’s a fun, guilty pleasure. While Voodoo isn’t the most magnificent donut shop I’ve ever visited, there really is something to all the hype. The whole experience is fun, and you can’t argue with a big box of crazy donuts. If you’re ever in Portland, go hang out downtown and pick some up.

FUN NOTE: If you love Voodoo Doughnuts that much, why don’t you get married there? You can.

OTHER LINKS:
-> Gimme Doughnut, short documentary on Voodoo Doughnut

Buckeye Donuts | Columbus, OH

Buckeye Donuts (Facebook)
1998 N. High St. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 291-3923
Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
Accepts cash and credit cards
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? N/N/N

Date of Visit: Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: I’m a terrible member of the Ohio State University community. Why? Because after 8+ years of teaching and studying at the University, I’ve never once been to Buckeye Donuts. I’m surprised they gave me my degree. Buckeye Donuts has been maintaining tradition for a scant 42 years, and it was my duty as an Ohio State student and Columbus resident to patronize the establishment.

Fortunately, I have remedied my misdeeds and paid them the first of hopefully many visits. Buckeye Donuts is located, as you would expect, right across from Ohio State’s campus on the main drag of High Street.

It’s a small family business that’s been running since 1969. Jimmy Barouxis followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, and took over the business in 2001.

Aside from their pastries, Buckeye Donuts has a small menu of sandwiches, French toast, and the standard sides. Note two things in the picture above: the spelling of “Breakfast Spesial,” and tater tots on the menu.

Buckeye Donuts is a good stop on any Columbus diner tour as well. Check out the curving counter and the tiny red stools.

FOOD: But of course, the real stars are the donuts. Students past, present, and future visit Buckeye Donuts for a taste of their apple fritters, Bismarks, Buckeyes (choc + peanut butter), longjohns, sprinkled, cake, glazed, and more. A donut is a cheap snack; perfect for the college student budget.

I ordered a mixed half dozen. Each one of these donuts was delicious. My personal favorites were the longjohns. These always bring back memories of getting donuts from a local grocery store growing up. To this day, whenever someone mentions getting donuts, this is the first thing that comes to mind. Always custard-filled.

They generally make two big batches each day. One early in the morning around 5:00 a.m., and a second smaller one roundabouts 7:00 or 8:00 p.m.

SERVICE: Service is very quick and friendly. They can pack up donuts to go for you, or you can have a seat and enjoy a pastry or a hot breakfast. While I visited, Jimmy let me poke around in the back, too.

Two guys were running the small kitchen, making egg sandwiches and French toast on the flattop.

Jimmy asked this gentleman – in Greek – how long he’s been making donuts there. The reply, in Greek: 34 years.

He was working on a batch of cinnamon rolls.

Lots of donuts ready to go…

…ready for some glazing!

The best way to become someone’s hero is to show up with a box of donuts. Buckeye Donuts can help you achieve that.

OVERALL: As I said, I think Buckeye Donuts is a must-stop for donuts in Columbus. They aren’t my top favorite, and they certainly keep mostly to traditional styles. But it’s got a unique Columbus flair to it, it’s part of a long tradition at Ohio State, and it’s always good to support a family business!

NOTE: There is another Buckeye Donuts on Columbus’ south side, but it is only loosely connected with this one. This store is the original; the south side location is run by another part of the family.

OTHER LINKS:
-> my (614) Magazine write-up on donuts (including Buckeye Donuts)

Resch’s Bakery | Columbus, OH

Resch’s Bakery (Facebook / @Reschs_Bakery)
4061 E. Livingston Ave. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43227
(614) 237-7421
Open Mon-Fri, 7 am – 7 pm; Sat, 6:30 am – 6 pm
Accepts cash and check
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? N/N/N

Date of Visit: Friday, September 24, 2010 at 9:45 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: Resch’s. Resch’s. Resch’s. I’ve heard the name for so long. Any time I used the words “Columbus” and “donuts” in the same sentence, someone would utter the word, “Resch’s.” So there I found myself, on the road for the (614) November edition, writing about family-run donut joints in Columbus, with Resch’s at the top of my list. Out of Livingston Avenue, on Columbus’ east side, sits their little red brick building with a glowing red neon sign. At first, my son and I accidentally drove by the tiny strip, which Resch’s shares with a Wendy’s and a pharmacy. Once we turned ourselves, we nabbed a spot in the parking lot out front, and headed in…

…and found ourselves at the back of a hungry crowd, hovering near the counter, with numbers in hand.

And there was reason to hover, what with case upon case of donuts staring at us.

Resch’s Bakery has been around since 1912. That’s nearly 100 years of serving baked goods to the masses. Despite the city changing dramatically over the years, Resch’s still makes their wares the same way, and if their lines are anything to go by, they won’t be slowing down any time soon.

Remember that Resch’s is a full-service bakery. Donuts and breakfast pastries = yes. Cakes, bread, cookies, and more = also yes.

ATMOSPHERE: Aside from the hum of hungry customers and a kitchen in full swing, Resch’s is a quiet place. The decor is a little bland: basic creams and browns, with all dark wooden display cases. There are a couple tables, each with 2-3 chairs, near the big front windows, although they’re clearly intended more for those who are waiting in line than for those eating there.

The biggest splash of color is a wall mural of Miltenberg, Germany, Mr. Resch’s mother’s hometown.

But I won’t complain about the view. While you’re waiting in line, you get to stare at racks…

…and racks…

…and racks of donuts, cookies, and bread.

FOOD: Now let’s get down to the business of breakfast pastries. Quick alert: gratuitous amounts of donut pictures ahead.

Resch’s loyal fans trek down East Livingston for the donuts. In case you couldn’t tell from the rows of shelves above, Resch’s has all the donut bases covered.

I ordered a box of a mixed dozen (poor me). It’s the best way to get a good cross section. You’ll see, in the pictures below, the variety. Chocolate, glazed, cake, cinnamon, twisted, swirled.

I have a soft spot – right around my waistline – for glazed donuts covered with chocolate.

This is one of Resch’s most popular pastries. Well, a version of it. This is a cinnamon roll covered with nuts. When drizzled with white icing, they call it a granny roll. This is the non-iced version: I only wanted one, and the granny rolls come in groups of six.

More donuts: some chocolate, some dusted with cinnamon and sugar.

Lots of the soft gazed donuts.

Covered with powdered sugar, filled with jelly.

I forget the name of this one, but it was delicious. In fact, I probably need to brush up on my donut nomenclature overall.

I’m also a big fan of custard-filled long johns.

Another one of my favorites, and one of Resch’s signatures: the twisted glaze donut.

More donuts…

…and more. My poor son – he had to help me try all of these. Then we went to the airport to watch the planes. All around, a pretty rough day.

SERVICE: I love the old-school style of service. Reminds me of the grocery store we went to growing up. It’s not super easy to spot, but when you enter the bakery, look for the red dispenser hooked on one of the metal shelves. Take a number, then sit back and enjoy the smells. During our visit, there was a consistent line of 10 people. But don’t let this intimidate you. When we arrived, they were serving 99. Ours was number 6. After about twenty minutes, they were serving customers in the 40s. That’s nearly 50 customers in twenty minutes! (Note: this was misprinted as 15 customers in (614).) With a small army of old German ladies at the counter, plus another crew in back actually making everything, Resch’s is more than capable of handling their steady stream of customers. Everyone I spoke to was very friendly, too, and loved to share about the store. There’s a reason they’ve been in business for 100 years.

OVERALL: I can see why Resch’s is synonymous with donuts and Columbus for many. It’s a little out-of-the-way the for me, and their donuts are not my favorite in town (the honor still goes to DK Diner), but with their years of experience, wide variety of baked goods, and just high general quality, Resch’s is a must-stop on any Columbus donut tour. On October 1, 2010, the bakery’s owner, Frank Resch, passed away at age 76. You can read about his passing and some history of the bakery in the Dispatch, and his obituary mentions the bakery’s founding. I hope that the bakery gets another 100 years of business to honor his family’s legacy.

OTHER LINKS:
-> my (614) Magazine write-up on donut joints (including Resch’s) (article offline)

Photos: donuts at DK Diner

On the path of Columbus’ best locally-made donuts for my November 2010 (614) Magazine column, I had the opportunity to revisit the DK Diner in Grandview.

We picked up a box of a mixed dozen ($6.90) in order to properly sample their fare. Aw, poor us.

DK is owned by the Teny family; I chatted with Anthony, general manager and son of the owner. Anthony says the diner – originally just called the Donut Kitchen – has been in their family for 19 years. At first they just served donuts, but over the years they added lunch, and finally breakfast.

Their donuts are made in small batches every morning starting around 3:30 to 4:30 a.m.

Friday and Saturday are clearly the best-selling days for donuts. Once in a while they sell out by 8 a.m.

They make only about 15 types of donuts (another case of doing something but small reaaaaally well).

And they cover all the standards: cake, glazed, blueberry, chocolate, apple fritters…

…longjohns, Bismarcks.

The clear stand-out, and winner of the Best Donut in Columbus, in my opinion, are the glazed sour cream donuts. They’re misshapen, moist and cakey on the inside, with a thin, crackly glazed shell.

If you’ve never been to the DK Diner, seek it out. Their food is great and the atmosphere is super casual. You seat yourself. You get your own drinks: you pick one of the mismatched mugs from the shelf and help yourself to the small fridge for cream in your coffee). When you go to pay at the register, you tell the waitstaff what you had. The walls are plastered with a mish-mash of Grandview gear. Five TVs blare various sports. And you’ll have to fight all the families for a shot at the donuts.

My wife and I just HAD to have breakfast while I did my research. I revisited the DK All the Way: eggs, ham, and sausage gravy on biscuits and home fries. Yup.

(Side note: the phrase “Double Rainbow All the Way” has become popular because of this viral YouTube video. You’ll see people on Twitter declare something is really cool by typing “DRATW.” One thought, Columbusites: could we get “DK All the Way” to be our phrase of superlative praise? Think about it… DKATW.)

My wife gave their Mess a try: it’s corned beef hash with two eggs, onions & peppers, and a side of bread; she chose a biscuit. Also good and plenty filling.

If you want these donuts and/or their breakfast:
DK Diner
1715 West Third Ave.
Columbus, OH
Open Mon-Fri 6:30 am – 2 pm
Sat 7:30 am – 1 pm
Sun 8:30 am – 1 pm
Get there early!

Van’s Pastry Shoppe | Grand Rapids, MI

Van’s Pastry Shoppe (Facebook)
955 E. Fulton St. (map it!)
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616) 458-1637
Open Mon-Fri 6:30 am – 5:15 pm; Sat 6:00 am – 2:15 pm; closed Sunday
Accepts cash and credit cards

Date of Visit: Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 3:00 p.m.

IMPRESSIONS: Van’s Pastry Shoppe is a small pastry place in an easy-to-forget location on a busy strip of East Fulton Street in Grand Rapids. I say easy-to-forget because my wife and I have been frequenting an Ethiopian restaurant (the AH-mazing Little Africa) across the street for years, and yet have never stopped into Van’s. I think I realized only recently that it was a pastry shop – all the ceramic knick-knacks made me think it was another one of the antique shops that dot the strip. This is all a little sad, because I finally go to Van’s today, order some pastries, and read that the shop has been a family business for, oh, four generations and has been serving Dutch goodies since, oh, the 1920′s. Sheesh, Nick. Shame on you. These little neighborhood gems are the breakfast nooks I pine for.

ATMOSPHERE: Our visit to Van’s was a quick one, but even the ten minutes we spent there showed us a busy crew of four or five handling a constant stream of customers. The shop is small, with maybe ten small tables crammed together, facing the long counter. Van’s does some sandwiches, hot dogs, bread, coffee, cider, and other goods, but the pastries are clearly the featured item. The women behind the counter were all quick to take orders (kudos to them for keeping up with the customers) and get them out the door. I asked one of the girls if they were keeping busy, and she said it had been that way since they opened. Good to hear!

Oh, and don’t let the decor get to you. Van’s is absolutely packed with ceramic sculptures: all the shelves along the walls, all the shelves in the windows. Filled. Fortunately, there are some great retro items in there, so it’s fun to look through them. But don’t let the sheer amount of chotchky overwhelm the history of the place.

FOOD: We tried just two of fifty-odd pastries Van’s offered. Beth ordered a Shakespeare Curl – the standard curled puffed pastry filled with a light cream. I chose a traditional Cream Puff. As far as pastries go, they were delicious. It took us seconds to wolf them down. And I really trusted that they were baked earlier that day. Any place that’s that busy has to keep things fresh in order to feed their customers.

Beth said her Shakespeare Curl was great. I loved my Cream Puff, although it was a little crumbly. It split in the middle, where the two halves were joined around the cream. But the oozing sweet cream and the amazing chocolate on top made up for the loose construction.

SERVICE: Snappy and friendly. I wavered a bit while ordering, and let a couple people go ahead of me, but the girl behind the counter who originally asked what I wanted kept her eye on me. So when I finally did make up my mind, she stepped right in. Impressive. I would have totally forgotten in all the rush.

You can tell, too, that Van’s has its regulars, like any good breakfast or snack place that has been around for over 75 years. One customer came in, sat at a table, and lounged with his coffee. After a while he caught one of the server’s eyes and shouted a hello. She shouted right back and the two joined in conversation like old friends. “Sometimes you wanna go…”

OVERALL: I wish I had a little pastry shop like this around the corner from my house. Or maybe I don’t. Because just the smell alone – much less the good service, freakin’ delicious food, and the wide variety of hand-made pastries – would keep me returning every morning. And then I’d be fat.

OTHER LINKS:
-> a better picture of Van’s on Flickr

DK Diner | Columbus, OH

DK Diner (Facebook / @DKDiner)
1715 West Third Ave. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43212
(614) 488-5160
Accepts cash and credit cards
Breakfast served M-F 6:30-10:30 a.m., lunch from 10:30-2
Breakfast served exclusively Sat (7:30-1) and Sun (8:30-1)

Date of Visit: Tuesday, February 26 (my birthday!), 2008 at 9:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: Years ago, some friends of ours mentioned a tiny, cheap diner off the beaten path in Grandview. They raved about it’s cozy atmosphere, the inexpensive food, and the local flavor. I made a mental note of it, as it seemed right up my alley. But then I forgot about it. Until a couple months ago, when brother- and sister-in-law Chip and Marcia told me about a small diner on Third Ave. My appetite – mental and physical – was whetted. And, thus, when Chip said “Let’s go to breakfast” on my birthday, I voted for this place.

I didn’t even know the name until we got there. I only knew of it as “that tiny place in Grandview with cheap food.” So I was quickly educated in the ways of the DK.

DK stands for “Donut Kitchen,” l learned. Our server told us that the place has been around for years, and that the current owners have been running it for the past six. She said that it was originally a donut and coffee shop that also served breakfast and lunch. They added the “Diner” to the name, because visitors didn’t realize they served more than just snacks.

DK Diner is easy to drive by. It’s situated on the corner of West Third Avenue (a significant residential thoroughfare in Grandview (see, Beth! I used the word! It’s first time I’ve used it in months!)) and Elmwood Avenue. It has a small parking lot out front that’s capable of serving a full crowd.

ATMOSPHERE: Chip and I hit up the place on a Tuesday morning. We found a booth easily. The DK Diner is bigger on the inside that it looks on the outside – always a pleasant surprise. The Diner sports 5 tables, 3 booths, and 4 tall stools at the counter. Sometimes you just have to be in the mood, or be a dedicated regular, for a crowded diner, where you’re sitting on top of the locals and trading stories with them while you dine. Sometimes you’re just not in that mood, which I kinda wasn’t that morning. So the wide spaces and big booths made me happy.

The decor combines standard diner posters and pictures with Ohio State paraphernalia and Grandview High School sports gear. Pro-Ohio State/anti-University of Michigan posters dot the walls. A TV above the counter plays the news. In the back you can see a guy slicing the lunch meat himself. In one corner is some sort of on-going school fundraiser. I think there were candy bars or somesuch for sale.

The Diner lets you get your own drinks, which makes you feel like you’re at home. Want some coffee? Grab one of the mis-matched mugs from the shelf and pour yourself some. Do you take cream with it? Open up the mini-fridge and grab the carton. It’s all there: fountain drinks, water, and tea. Help yourself!

FOOD: DK Dinner serves straight-up diner food. Nothing fancy, nothing over-the-top, but good, reliable comfort food. Chip and I both sampled (ha! sampled!) the DK All the Way. This magnificent conglomeration consists of 2 eggs cooked to order, Canadian Bacon, potatoes, and 2 biscuits, all smothered (I don’t use that word jokingly) in sausage gravy.

Exhibit A: The DK All the Way.

Here’s Chip digging into his DKATW. We both found it to be delicious and filling. I like the Canadian bacon in there, and the gravy was nice and peppery and full of meat. I prefer a sausage gravy that’s full of flavor and texture. I figure, if you’re gonna go for the calories, go all the way! (Oh, I’m just getting the name now…) The dish was piping hot, too! I dug right into the potatoes and practically burned my mouth.

SERVICE: Our server was very friendly and helpful. We definitely felt like we were taken care of, and she gladly answered my questions while we were paying. She seemed to enjoy what she was doing, and having a constant flow of regulars.

A note about the regulars… Chip and I have found a new aspiration for our retirement: to become these guys. Our server told us that this group of guys has been coming to DK Diner for longer than she can remember. They hang out with their coffee, read newspapers, and generally gab about whatever. When one of their crew entered the restaurant, they greeted him like Norm from Cheers. How can you not want that kind of community? “Sometimes you wanna go…”

I couldn’t get any direct shots of them, because Chip and I were sitting too close, and I didn’t want it to be too obvious I was playing paparazzi. But these guys laughed and talked all throughout our meal. They were there when we arrived, and I’m sure they stayed long after we left.

OVERALL: The next morning I took Beth here for breakfast… so what does that tell you? I had bated her with one of DK Diner’s cremed-filled longjohns. Remember that the DK stands for “Donut Kitchen?” Well, yes, the DK Diner cranks out some pretty tasty donuts. We tried a couple, and agreed that they are some of the best in Columbus. So even if you’re not in the mood for breakfast, you could stop by for coffee and a delicious pastry!

Overall, the DK Diner is a very nice place. I probably won’t go back there very frequently, simply because they’re not in my neighborhood, but they offer a good hearty breakfast, excellent donuts, and – if the old guys in the corner are anything to go by – great conversation. This diner exemplifies the importance and delight of neighborhood joints.

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