Crunch Donut Factory
Halle Strawberry – Yeast Ring, Strawberry Glaze
Adoughl – Vanilla Cake, Chocolate Icing, Butterfinger
Nutshell Doughbama – Yeast Square, Chocolate Icing, Nuts
Katy Cherry – Yeast Square, Cream Cheese Icing, Cherry Topping
BBKing – Blueberry Cake, Cheesecake Filling, Blueberry Topping
Mike’s Cinnful Apple Crumb Roll – Cinnamon Roll, Apples, Streusel
Strawberry Fritter – Fried Dough, Strawberries, Strawberry Jam
Expanding out of Arlington Texas in late 2016, the first Sin City location on Harmon Avenue directly across Maryland Parkway from the UNLV Student Union, Crunch Donut Factory recently made the move to an underserved area on Simmons Street in North Las Vegas, the corner slot next to Roberto’s Tacos and a popular nail salon generating plenty of foot traffic for a store similar in style to the first, complete with ‘Crunchie’ the Donut Man awaiting his photo-op.
Open 24/7 just like its sister store, the space a bit tighter on the inside but offering an outdoor patio with metal tables and chairs for those wishing to indulge al fresco, Crunch Donut Factory North Las Vegas sees the locally operated venture expand its selection from fried rings and stuffed pockets to a collection of freshly made Waffles and Shakes with Donuts blended in, the prices competitive to those of Pink Box, Donut Mania or the recently opened Fractured Prune with several pre-set choices plus the choice to build one’s own by way of the “Crunch Creation Station.”
Staffed by two youngsters at the late-morning hour of eleven on a Saturday, the Grand-Opening paraphernalia still hung with flags flapping in the breeze and roadside signage alerting passers-by to a store that is not particularly visible at first glance, it was with a few other patrons making their selections that a case of thirty varieties was perused along with a small box of Fritters and Cronuts, the poster on the wall listing additional made-to-order options, plus cheaper-by-the-dozen, or half-dozen bargains.
In no way purporting to be an ‘artisan’ doughnuttery like many others, the majority of the choices made from a mix with square or circular bases offered in either Cake or Raised varieties, those unfamiliar with the brand will likely get a quick chuckle from names based on Pop Culture stars like Beyonce Knowles or Leonardo DiCaprio, some of them admittedly a bit of a stretch such as “Adoughl” which requires one to go Rolling in the Deep to establish a connection between the British musician and Vanilla Cake topped in rich Chocolate Frosting and crumbled Butterfinger pieces.
Freshly making new Donuts throughout the day, popular choices replaced as needed with most others able to be made fresh on request, it was with an $11 half-dozen of Specials plus the $1 “Halle Strawberry” boxed that choices were taken outside to enjoy during one of the Valley’s last 70°F days, the Strawberry flavor similar to that of the classic Pink Doughnut served at Dunkin’ but more natural and less sweet, a similar attribute noted in the pillowy square topped in Chocolate and chopped Nuts, though one is left a bit perplexed as to how such a pairing relates to the seemingly unflappable former First Lady.
Impressed by most of the Fruit flavors during a visit to the Harmon location, and thus investing the majority of this tasting in similar, additional picks included the “Katy Cherry” which placed the same base as the one before it beneath tangy Cream Cheese Frosting and a dollop of Pie filling, the typically cloying sweetness actually not so bad in this context and similarly mellowed in the case of Blueberries by the combination of a soft Cake Ring with a center piped full of Cream Cheese named after the Mississippi-born Blues legend.
Taking a look at two ‘occasional’ specials to round out the tasting, both fairly sizable but not charged extra like other Donut shops in town, “Mike’s Cinnful Apple Crumb Roll” took the idea of a Cinnamon Roll and married it to that of a Fritter by placing Apples both in the Dough as well as amidst the Streusel, the lone remaining Fritter a best-of-the-best contender thanks to the crispy exterior and soft layers of Strawberries and Dough within, a virtually greaseless creation with a sugary shellac and a spoonful of Jam adding even more flavor.
FOUR STARS: Store number two of what could very well be an ongoing trend, Crunch Donut Factory ups the quality of North Las Vegas fried breakfast treats in a similar way to how it did so at UNLV, the 24/7 hours probably less relevant on Simmons Street but the quality and prices exactly the same and a worthwhile place to visit for those in the area or Doughnut fans looking for something different.
RECOMMENDED: Strawberry Fritter, Mikes’ Cinnful Apple Crumb Roll, BBKing, Halle Strawberry.
AVOID: Adoughl as the Vanilla Cake was a bit dry.
TIP: Classics are $5 for Six, $9 for a Dozen while “Specialty & Premiums” excluding Kronuts and Maple Bacon are $11 for Six and $20 for a Dozen.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
https://www.crunchdonutfactory.com/
