La Dona Donuts
Praline Coffee
Plain Jane – Vanilla Glaze
Banana Split – Chocolate Glaze, Bananas, Whipped Cream, Sprinkles, Cherry
Fluffer Nutter – Peanut Butter Glaze, Marshmallows
Chocolate Potato Stix
Told that Sarasota had recently opened its first Artisan Donut Shop, the storefront tucked in a Strip Mall on Bee Ridge Road next to a beauty salon, it was just past ten o’clock that a stop was made at La Dona Donuts, the selection surprisingly a bit picked over despite the early hour, though each of the remaining Vanilla Cake rings was actually pretty good.
Named a “Best of SRO” winner for 2016, the competition not really anything to mention but La Dona’s “small batch” daily approach not to be overlooked, those entering the small shop are likely to be greeted by owner Chelsea Elliott and with décor that trends cutesy without trying ‘too hard’ the goods are laid out with tags bearing brief descriptions, a coffee cart along the back wall featuring three brews available for self-pour.
Not a doughnut maker by trade, the young owner only starting her journey a year and a half prior after finding inspiration out-of-state, La Dona Donuts features a handmade base with notes of vanilla perfuming a light crumbly texture, each ring subsequently treated to a wide range of elaborate toppings or glaze.
Using a Social Media Check-In to score free coffee, the “praline” flavor a bit cloying while a locally sourced regular brew was better paired to sweet treats to come, it was with bites of the simple “Plain Jane” that tasting got started, the aforementioned texture pleasant in an old-school fashion while the glaze trends natural with restrained sweetness, certainly not the sugar-bombs found at Krispy Cream, Dunkin’ or the local convenience store.
Sharing with another, she opting to taste the “Chocolate Potato Stix” next for a sweet meets savory twist, those fancying such novelty will be pleased to know that the combination actually works well as a result of the darkness of the cocoa while the Banana Split offers all the expected flavors with frosting, fruit and sprinkles inducing smiles beneath a chocolate drizzle, the smoothness of a Fluffer Nutter ring making one wonder why the flavor has never been seen at any Doughnuttery before.
http://www.ladonadonuts.com/