Pink Box Doughnuts
Raised and Glazed
Chocolate-frosted Raised
Sweet Potato
Samoa Raised
Maple-Bacon Bar
Orange-Pecan Croissant Doughnut
Frosting-filled Birthday Cake
Buttermilk Bar
Cinnamon Crumb Buttermilk Bar
Chocolate-dipped Cheesecake
Croissant Doughnut
Raspberry Jam-filled Sugar
Chocolate-dipped Custard
Cinnamon Churro Longjohn with Dulce de Leche
Triple Chocolate Cake Poomoji
At first an anomaly in Las Vegas, the 24/7 Doughnut shops on both coasts inexplicably never flourishing in this city of neon lights and three shifts, Pink Box Doughnuts on West Lake Mead Boulevard can now be said to have withstood the test of time while also expanding Westward, even as outside competition has continued to arrive.
Without argument Sin City’s first purveyor of Artisan Doughnuts, ideas like Figs & Blue Cheese, Peanut Butter, Bananas & Bacon or S’mores dating all the way back to 2013, owner Roberto Armanino has continued to innovate while spreading the word via Social Media of his latest creations as recently as the New Year, his humorous riff on the “Poop Emoji” sparking smiles and plenty of likes, persons attending early January’s CES placing large orders while business on Saturday prompted this local to do the same.
Still not the critical darling of Downtown’s import Donut Bar, even though Pink Box has continued to tweak its technique and produce a superior product at less-than-half the cost, it was just past 7:30am that I entered the Pink Box Doughnuts’ northwest location to collect a total of nineteen items – fifteen different tastes ranging from a classic glazed ring to three Cinnamon Churro Longjohns drizzled with Dulce de Leche.
Taking the Doughnuts elsewhere for indulgence, the small-shop a madhouse of boxed-orders and delivery drivers making their way to The Strip, it was over a course of several hours that tastes of all but a simple Chocolate-dipped ring were enjoyed, the yeasted-Doughnuts seeming a bit less ‘doughy’ than prior while Cake-based choices remain universally great.
Having visited various Pink Box outlets at least half-a-dozen times in the past, the soft Sweet Potato, Buttermilk Bars and Cheesecake filled pockets always done right, Saturday’s treats also included a Custard-piped round that held up well without becoming soggy like many Bismarcks while the Croissant-Doughnut hybrids have finally achieved a level on par with PRESS or Ace, the translucently sugared version picture perfect in its lamination while the Orange Glaze topped with Nuts should be considered by those looking for a more unique taste.
Taking inspiration from the world around them, a Raised Samoa with sticky Caramel, Chocolate-shell and Coconut Flakes enough to make any Girl Scout proud, the pink-Frosting-filled “Birthday” goes one step further by actually putting Cookies in the mix while the Cinnamon Crumble atop a Buttermilk Bar takes a classic to the realm of fried Coffee Cake – an idea whose time has definitely come.
Happy to see seeds in the Raspberry Jam-filled Sugar Doughnut, no goopy gel here, Pink Box’s Maple-Bacon Bar presents less greasy than others in the area while the grand-finale of a crispy, Churro-topped Longjohn and the Chocolate Cake beneath Mousse, Shell and Candy Eyes were each as tasty as they are photo-friendly, though the hybrid’s Dulce de Leche drizzle makes it one of the sweetest breakfast pastries around.
FIVE STARS: Judged on a different level than the Sidecars and Blue Stars of the world, prices at Pink Box Doughnuts typically less than half, Las Vegas remains fortunate to have Roberto and his crew leading the way in terms of fried novelties on both sides of the city even as the local Donut scene continues to blow up.
RECOMMENDED: Cinnamon Crumb Buttermilk Bar, Frosting-filled Birthday Raised, Sweet Potato Cake, Samoa Raised, Triple Chocolate Cake Poop Emoji.
AVOID: Cake options remain better than Raised, but the gap has narrowed greatly from earlier days.
TIP: 24/7 both in Summerlin and Henderson, eyes on Instagram for specials. Thin Mint reportedly coming soon…
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
www.pinkboxdoughnuts.com
