Doin' The Doughnut Thang: I Tore Through Tori

[DonRocks]

Well I went for a walk

And I walked around the block

And I walked into

The doughnut shop

I pulled two doughnuts

Out of the grease

And I gave the man

A five-cent piece

He looked at the nickel

And he looked at me

And he said this nickel’s

No good you see

It has a hole in the middle

And it’s all the way through

I said there’s a hole

In the doughnut too!

During a recent 48-hour binge, I blimped my way through the Hole-y Trinity of DC Doughnuts: Amernick, Komi and Colorado Kitchen.

Amernick offers raised versions, a cinnamon-sugar coated and a honey-glazed. These big, bad yeasty boys are a dollar each, and a well-balanced accompaniment to the outstanding, breathtaking rosemary and goat-cheese focaccia offered on weekends (the rosemary qualifies as a vegetable). Amernick’s olive-pizza focaccia is a medalist for best pizza in the city as well (don’t bother with the perfectly adequate slices from Vace next door when you can get this far superior item instead). But my last visit featured an extremely disappointing “cream cheese” focaccia instead of the sublime goat-cheese version. Don’t confuse one with the other: the former is not worth ordering; the latter is one of the single best food items in the city. P.S. don’t miss the caramels and the small almond cookies she calls “macaroons.” I’m not a big fan of the chocolate-chip cookies, but the “black and white” cookies are quite good, and are delicious even straight out of your freezer where they will keep indefinitely if wrapped well.

Komi was slammed last week as you might imagine after Tom’s review. I had never been before, and was surprised at just how much I liked it despite my horror at them not having valet parking. After twenty minutes, I bit the bullet and headed due east, parking on 14th and Q, before sprinting through an arctic wind back to the restaurant. I can see why people would consider Komi a poor-man’s Nectar: the portions are smallish (which helps keep the prices reasonable), the place is hip and young, and it’s a very real attempt at fine dining, basically an oasis in a culinary dessert (the only other restaurant I’ve tried in this strip is Sushi Taro which I found to be really bad). They feature homemade doughnuts as an item on the dessert menu, served with “Mexican cocoa.” It’s two fresh raised cinnamon-sugar doughnuts (like Amernick’s, but smaller and a bit denser), served piping hot with a little tureen of warm cocoa and freshly whipped cream for dunking. This is the ultimate cure for “I’ve had a bad day,” and even if you think you don’t want doughnuts for a dessert after a full meal, I advise you to try this anyway: I simply don’t see how I could have enjoyed this dessert any more than I did.

Colorado kitchen offers the only cake doughnuts of the three. A sampler platter will get you three small, hot, freshly made beauties, each with a different topping (only on the top part): one had almond bits (lending literal credence to the term “dough nuts”), one had a milk-chocolate glaze (perhaps a touch too subtle) and the third had powdered sugar. Can there be a better way to begin a weekend brunch? Well, yes: the coffee they serve is just plain bad, tasting like something you’d get at a hotel. But! Colorado Kitchen gets a big, positive recommendation from me, with so many good things to like about the cooking. Man, can this lady fry! The doughnuts? Killer. Fried chicken wings with a lemon sauce? Great (and a gutsy-but-dazzling use of zest, too). Fried catfish? As well as you could ever hope for. The catfish arrived, and my friend stuck her fork into my little tin of sauce, and immediately said, “this is the best tartar sauce I have ever had in my life.” This person’s last name has three letters, begins with a “C”, and rhymes with “ham,” so it goes without saying that she knows what she’s doing. Skeptical, I then tried it too just as the waitress was arriving, and I turned to her and said, “this is the best tartar sauce I’ve ever had in my life.” Shrimp and grits? Man, as good as it gets. How much did I like this place? I went back for dinner the next day. I could quibble about certain individual items, but I won’t; instead I’ll say that it qualifies as a legitimate crime against humanity that Colorado Kitchen doesn’t serve alcohol. Gillian Clark is one hell of a homestyle cook, but I also saw some glimpses of real refinement, and her food screams for a decent glass of wine.

[Malawry]

I've had most of those donuts, except Komi's.

I feel the need to offer two honorable mentions in the donut category:

1. Apple fritters from the Woodmoor Shopping Center bakery in Silver Spring, MD (Four Corners area). These are not the big-as-your-hand sort, they are sized like an average donut and have a lovely subtle apple and cinnamon yeasty flavor. Don't bother with the other donuts they sell.

2. Ten Penh normally has a fritter or donut of some sort on their dessert menu. The last time I ate there was about 6 months ago and I ordered coconut donuts with yuzu creme brulee. I got three little beauties dusted generously with toasty coconut and a little black teacup-looking container filled with the creme and topped with a glassy layer of sugar. I remember breaking the surface and eating the topping with a spoon, and then dunking the donuts into the creme before snarfing them. I have heard that the banana fritters that sometimes appear on this menu are especially worthwhile; last winter they came with salty peanut ice cream (droooool).

I admit to having a real fondness for the original Krispy Kreme. I'm fortunate that their only DC area store is located way the hell down in Alexandria. Being from North Carolina (like KK donuts are) I have an inherent addiction to the things.

[hillvalley]

I guess you didn't hear about the new KK in Rocville

[Malawry]

Huh? No?

*claps hands over ears* I probably shouldn't hear this...

EDIT: Whaddaya know, 14919 Shady Grove Road.

Edited January 26, 2004 by Malawry (log)

[bilrus]

To a list of good donuts at restaurants in the area I would need to add the refillable basket of goodies brought to your table at 2941's brunch.

I could (and very nearly did) make a whole meal of those.

It was last summer and I don't remember the details, but I think I remember them being raised sugar coated donut holes. Tender but crisp and not at all greasy on the outside and steamy on the inside.

Edited January 26, 2004 by bilrus (log)

[Emily Kaiser]

Don't forget Bread Line, and Heller's in Mt. Pleasant. And an RIP to Montgomery Donuts. :(

Thanks for bringing back the donut song!

[Malawry]

Welcome, Emily. I've enjoyed your articles in the Post.

I thought BreadLine's donuts were too chewy, personally. What are Heller's donuts like?

[maureen]

Don, try the cinnamon sugar doughnuts on the Sunday brunch menu at the Tabard Inn - terrific doughnuts and the coffee is good, too!

But did you ask Ms "rhymes with ham" how many different tartar sauces she's had? To me, she does not strike one as a person with much tartar sauce experience. Nonetheless, I believe she knows food - and I believe that the tartar sauce at Colorado Kitchen is excellent - because you say so.

[Emily Kaiser]

Thanks, Malawry!

Heller's are my favorite straight-up yeasted glazeds, after Amernick's, of course. KK's are so rich and sweet I feel like my teeth are about to fall straight off, and I can only handle that about once every couple of months. Personally I like to imagine KK invented their own brand of extra-high fructose corn syrup to ice theirs. But that's just imagination, no grounding in fact.

[hillvalley]

Does Amernick sell their donughts all day or just at certain times?

What about the donught place on the Hill?

[Miguelito]

Amernick doughnuts are available only on weekends, and only after 11:30 a.m. (I go on Saturdays so I can't say for sure that the place is open or that the 'nuts are available on Sundays.) Don't count on them being available right at 11:30, though -- most of the time it's more like noon. It is a damn good deep-fried pastry product, though, so even if you have to wait it's well worth it.

[laniloa]

I think the phrase good things come to those who wait was coined by someone waiting for Amernick's doughnuts!

[butterfly]

Nice thread--I think I need to go on some kind of organized food quest to get over my cabin fever.

Heller's are nice and yeasty--definitely of the old school variety, nothing trendy.

I also love the doughnuts at Colorado Kitchen--though I just can't stop thinking about her biscuits.

Not doughnuts, but the churros at Churreria Madrid definitely fall into the "fried and good" category.

KK is also opening up a store in Dupont Circle (right by the movie theater--in the space where the old Bennetton used to be). Eating more than one makes me horribly ill, but I have to admit I like them hot and gooey off the conveyor belt.

[hillvalley]

Butterfly, it is great to see you over here!

KK is coming to Dupont. Do you know when? I wonder if it will be open as late as the one in VA.

[morela]

KK is also opening up a store in Dupont Circle (right by the movie theater--in the space where the old Bennetton used to be). Eating more than one makes me horribly ill, but I have to admit I like them hot and gooey off the conveyor belt.

That's so American. We're too big for Benetton's European sizes...so let's eat fuckin' donuts!

just felt like being wanky.

[bilrus]

Eating more than one makes me horribly ill, but I have to admit I like them hot and gooey off the conveyor belt.

I know what you mean. Anytime I eat more than nine or ten Kripy Kreams I start to feel a little queasy.

[JRage]

As if it wasn't bad enough, that I lived near a Ben & Jerry's, they had to put in an Krispy Kreme... I am so done for.

[Roger Troutman]

R.I.P. Heller's

[eunny jang]

R.I.P. Heller's

←

Oh, no

Although, doughnuts = the devil's bellybutton

especially anything with chocolate

or cream or kreme or creme

don't get me started on eclairs.

[DonRocks]

R.I.P. Heller's

←

Although, doughnuts = the devil's bellybutton

←

I had the doughnuts again at Komi a few weeks ago - if these are the devil's bellybutton, then Satan practices omphaloskepsis.

[eunny jang]

I had the doughnuts again at Komi a few weeks ago - if these are the devil's bellybutton, then Satan practices omphaloskepsis.

←

So Satan thinks about doughnuts, too.

Re: Komi - if I liked any doughnuts, I would like those. But the hot chocolate only makes it worse

[Nadya]

I did like Komi doughnuts that one time I had them...my only gripe is that it's way, way, way too much food. We had them as "something to munch on while you wait for your brunch entree" once, and by the time our orders came out, we were plenty full on 'nuts. That's nitpicking, though.

[Al_Dente]

R.I.P. Heller's

←

Although, doughnuts = the devil's bellybutton

←

I had the doughnuts again at Komi a few weeks ago - if these are the devil's bellybutton, then Satan practices omphaloskepsis.

←

Funny, and food related.

Hungry Bellybutton