Donuts Factory
Strawberry
Kinder
Choco Lait Amande
Caramel Popcorn
Underwhelmed by donuts earlier in my visit, a surprise considering the overall quality of most of Lyon’s pastries and baked goods, it was with some skepticism that I entered the large space entitled “Donuts Factory” and unabashedly referencing New York City with a menu of fried dough alongside bagels and coffee the nonchalant service seemed oddly appropriate, a scene straight out of Brooklyn unfolding even if the all-French crowd of youths crowding the cafe seemed entirely unaware.
Admittedly found in a touristy area, and as such probably meant to target folks like myself in addition to locals curious about America’s most famous morning sweets, the selection at Donuts Factory took a similar path as that seen at Dorodi and with only yeast-risen options available the texture of the dough seemed borrowed from Dunkin, the subtle glazes and toppings helping to at least partially improve the product as a whole
Not particularly hungry after a full day of eating, but at least willing to give the products a fair chance to shine, it was with a boxed quartet that I made my exit from the building and sampling as I walked the first bite of Strawberry showed an unexpected degree of natural flavor, though the follow-up “Kinder,” based on a locally famous candy bar, suffered from a waxy mouthfeel that saw much of it left for the birds.
Having attempted to ask which donuts were most fresh, the Choco Lait Amande suggested after a brief conference between clerks, the flavors of milk chocolate were expectedly sugary despite subtlety lent by sliced almonds, and rounding out the sampling with an option called Caramel Popcorn the only real “issue” was the staleness of the kernels, a robust buttery note imbuing the glaze itself.