Blue Star Donuts
Buttermilk Old Fashioned
Orange Olive Oil
Marionberry Black Pepper Jam with Peanut Butter Powder
Contreau Crème Brulee
Hard Apple Cider Fritter
Seemingly a logical extension of the brand following a successful Tokyo debut after starting strong in Portland, Blue Star Donuts has nonetheless seen a mixed response since opening its doors in trendy Venice, and although locally-born Sidecar may indeed offer the sort of competition none in the Pacific Northwest have yet provided there is little doubt that creativity and quality remain several steps above the vast majority, prices notwithstanding.
Proudly pronouncing it’s small-batch ethos, the 18-hour leavening of organic flour, hormone-free milk plus cage-free eggs just the start, visitors to Blue Star are greeted by several signatures plus an equal number of daily creations and ranging from $3.25 to $4.50 the only real question is where to cut-short an order…and whether the playlist will feature Alice in Chains or Soundgarden.
Having already investigated the PDX location four times in eight days mere weeks after they opened their doors, the Venice visit was largely focused on new options created over the two-years intervening and starting off with a simple old-fashioned the feeling was “love at first sight” all over again as light tangy notes peaked forth from melted butter and Brioche all beneath a smooth sugar glaze.
Arriving early, several fried treats still warm as bakers visibly mixed, folded and hand formed rings in back, tastes two and three took a look at citrus and using the small pipette to infuse liquor to crème beneath a crunchy sugar topping the flavor of “Contreau Crème Brulee” outperformed any previous custard donut by several degrees, the Orange Olive Oil not far behind as it ate like a grown up version of my childhood favorite Orange Hostess Cupcake with Olive Oil powder providing a smooth and mild finish.
Uncertain regarding richness of the last two, *Hard* Apple Cider and Marionberry-Black Pepper Jam each offering naturally-rooted creativity without going over the top with gimmicky stuff, fans of the West-Coast style of crispy fritter are likely to be impressed by both texture as well as the robust yeast flavor of the former while the jam-filled pocket was a “game-changing” sort of pastry that tasted more like a plated restaurant dessert than something from a seatless storefront, light spiciness licking the palate amidst the richness of peanut butter and jelly.
www.bluestardonuts.com
