The Donut Man - Grand Central Market - Los Angeles

I would totally go to Glendora for something so special, but I sure am grateful they brought it to Grand Central. 

This legendary Strawberry Donut is surely the sweet soul of SoCal cuisine. Because SoCal cuisine is quite simple, but the devil's in the details. Those sunkissed strawberries are in season, and that's the only time they're used. The fluffy fried shell that holds them is this perfect fluffy yet substantial donut, covered in a single, smooth layer of glaze, just enough to make a thin skin, but not so much as to overshadow the dough in the doughnut. A smear of syrup gives those whole, fresh strawberries a bit of a boost as well and sticks them together to make the filling more cohesive. It tastes like a sweet, sunny SoCal day, stunning in its simplicity. 

They also do a nice Old Fashioned - the outside crust keeps its crunch, and the inside is firmly soft. A gentle glaze will give you the flavor of chocolate, but the donut still shines through. My favorite is their Tiger Tail, a brown baton of cinnamon stripes and glaze that's firm outside and plush within. 

We had our donuts mid-day, but I wish we'd come early. I loved every bite here, but hot and fresh out of the oven would have made something already super into something truly superb.

Oregon Trip - Day 10 - Voodoo Doughnut - Portland, OR

Well, that was unexpected. I was all worked up for Voodoo and wow, what a letdown. 

To start, the donuts were stale. Sat-out-for-more-than-a-day stale. We ordered them early in the morning so there’s no reason they shouldn't have a fresher batch. 

Sadly, the donuts had some potential, had they not been old. Not nearly as creative as Blue Star and very gimicky but could have at least tasted good. The Voodoo Doll was cute, the jelly filling was great, but even that pretzel stick was stale. Great cream in the Portland Cream and the Canolo, which reminds me of those cream horns I loved as a kid. Bacon Maple Butter was a would-be winner as well - gotta love the combo of sweet and salty. 

Meh on the Apple Fritter, especially compared to Blue Star’s masterpiece. Oh Captain, My Captain was a surprising favorite. Less stale than the others and the cereal crunch was key. 

I cared less about the creativity and more about the fact that every donut was really old. Freshness matters in all things fried, and these really missed the mark. 

Sidecar Doughnuts UPDATE - Torrance

 

When it’s your birthday, you can have your cake and eat it. 

Have your Celebration Cake...doughnut and eat it! It’s cake in a better way, glazed instead of iced, and it still has all the sprinkles. 

A few other flavors: the fruity Susie's Blueberry Pancake finish like a concentrated muffin, Vanilla Bean Glazed is OG greatness, and Salted Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough has all the things. 

Strawberries & Cream is fluffy but rich, full of icing-cream and fresh strawberries FTW.

Know anyone with an upcoming birthday? Let them eat doughnuts. 

Mochinut - El Segundo

Mochi. Fried. Glazed. Eat. Eat again. Can't stop eating.

Because sooooo good! Blueberry is fruity and sweet, Maple Bacon is a winner, and Fruity Pebbles are always fun. 

Strawberry Funnel Cake is my favorite, the Original Glazed are great, and I love the sweet simplicity of the Churro.

The texture is chewy but soft, and you'll go nuts for these balls of dough. You won't be bummed if they get a little old or cold, but they're best served hot and fresh. I prefer Del Amo's Modo, but I still wouldn't miss out on Mochinut. 

Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee - Torrance

I will have all the donuts. 

Starting with the Sidecar Classic 6-Pack to sample all their signatures. The basics are a sure bet; a classic Old Fashion topped with a sugary glaze, and a lighter Butter & Salt.

Every day is like a birthday if you grab a Birthday Cake.

But if it’s my birthday I’d rather have some savory bacon bits tapping into a glaze of sweet maple syrup. This Maple Bacon is my fave.

They pack a berry bright summer into the Huckleberry donut.

And the Saigon Cinnamon Crumb has a sweet and crumbly crust.

October brings a Trick or Treat Yo'self Sampler. They have Halloween Cake which is birthday cake with black and orange sprinkles. The Pumpkin Pie & Everything Spice is amazing, and I can't enough of this fluffy donut in pumpkin glaze. The mascarpone pumpkin mousse on top makes it taste like a pumpkin spice latte solid form. I LOVE that Spiced Apple Cider too. The donut itself is full of apple chunks, and the surrounding batter tastes like cider.

They also throw in a Maple Bacon because it's awesome. The Choc-A-Lot is heavy classic that looks and tastes like a moist and decadent bundt. There's also a Manila Vanilla Sweet Potato that's so simple yet so satisfying, just a buttery cake of comfort food.

Aside from Honda and Toyota, Sidecar may be the best thing that's ever come to Torrance. Serving Bernie Botts every flavor donuts, it's hard not to get hooked on their creative flavors and flawless execution!

Tai O Fishing Village - Lantau Island, Hong Kong

It’s $30 for a cab, and I regret nothing. Those winding mountain roads on a swaying bus...no thanks. 

Got out of the cab to see slightly haggard people stepping of the bus, and I regret nothing. Take the ferry back, skip the deep line for the bus, regret even less.

These old-school fishing boats,

this harbor.

These bridges that connect the canals,

these houses built on stilts.

Boats weave in and out and through the village, but I'm glad we decided to skip the tour.

This village was made for walking, though I try not to photograph private homes too much. 

This person, though, chose to display Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, and they deserve a picture.

Snacking at Tai O Bakery - they sell this fluffy, eggy Tai O Donut. Dusted with white sugar, it’s greasy, airy, and sulfury sweet, and it's everything I ever wanted from a donut.

We also snacked on some Fish Balls - I'm told they're a special of Tai O. 

AVOID. Avoidavoidavoid! I don't expect much since they're spheres of mystery sea-meat, but these make McDonald’s filet-o-fish seem like gourmet. With the texture a bit vulcanized, these gray blobs are full of the dishwater they boil in. The curry does not improve the minimal, dingy flavor, but this curry would not improve any flavor.

I wouldn't come here for the food, though the dried seafood makes a memorable gift to relatives. Just know that you'll never forget it either as your suitcase will never smell the same. That said, Tai O is still an idyllic destination, and I would consider renting a guesthouse room next time for a couple days of tranquility.