Pink Box Doughnuts
Happy Birthday Donut Cake
Sweet Potato Donut
Apple Pie Fritter
Buttermilk Bar
Orange Pecan Cronut
Raspberry Jam
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin Cake
Chocolate Bar
Caramel Cheesecake
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Lemon Custard
Mocha
New York Cheesecake
Now a staple of Las Vegas, with twenty-four hour locations in Henderson as well as at the Summerlin original, Pink Box Doughnuts has continued to thrive in an environment of ever-evolving competition thanks to friendly customer service and a collection of fried dough that seems to offer something new each and every week.
Owned by Roberto Armanino, a man whose birthday just so happens to coincide with that of a close friend, it was after discussion of weekly options that a mixed dozen of novelties was created, several seasonal specials joining a pretty, pink “Happy Birthday” Doughnut Cake measuring just about one foot in width.
Originally crafted in Henderson, the bakery there much larger than that on Lake Meade to the Northwest, it was late evening when two pink boxes were delivered to their final destination and tucking into twelve choices consisting of both old and new favorites the results were every bit as good as remembered, the sticky Sweet Potato ring served in a small clamshell undoubtedly one of the most impressive Doughnuts in America thanks to the subtle spicing of moist dough that serves as a deft foil to the sweetness of the glaze.
Having dramatically improved their Cronut from its initial version, though still falling short of the “better-than-Ansel” layers of lamination at ACE Donuts on Tropicana at Fort Apache, more great bites were found in the Oldschool Buttermilk bar and Raspberry Jam filled pocket complete with seeds amidst the fluffy Brioche batter, the Lemon Custard tangy without being acidic while the Mocha was unfortunately marred by a filling that was pasty with an aftertaste that quickly saw the rest set aside.
Still thinking the fritter could use more time in the fryer, ACE and Friendly both better-fitting the West Coast style of a crackling shell overlying fluffy pockets of Cinnamon and Fruit, a Pumpkin Cake ring quickly righted the ship before sailing into several filled options, the Caramel Cheesecake a long-held personal favorite though the seasonal variety was itself pretty special with an overall effect that reminded me of my Grandfather’s Thanksgiving favorite Pumpkin Pie made with Dream Whip.
FOUR STARS: One of those places where the sheer variety of choices makes it almost impossible for every item to be great, Pink Box continues to show best when focusing on filled items including seasonal Custards and Cheesecake with pricing far less than imports like Donut Bar where ownership attempts to substitute size and marketing for texture and taste.
RECOMMENDED: Sweet Potato, Buttermilk Bar, Raspberry Filled, Caramel Cheesecake, Pumpkin Cheesecake.
AVOID: Mocha, Chocolate Bar.
TIP: Now delivering by Modern Donut, see www.moderndonut.com for more.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
