LaMar's Donuts

I had the chance to swing by LaMar's this afternoon to see what the hype is all about. They have been around since 1933 and have a wide selection to choose from. Unfortunately, everyone else had the same idea so I was left with a rather limited selection. With that being said, I was able to sample a maple bar as well as a maple glazed round donut.

I had forgotten my phone so I was unable to get an actual picture of the donuts but the one I copied from yelp is an accurate picture of what mine looked like. Upon first glance, the donuts are huge, almost double the size of a typical donut. The donut itself is soft, moist but more dense then rival donuts. With the density they have a tendency to become dry quickly so a fresh one is a must. The icing has a solid maple flavor that goes well with the donut portion. I tend to like my donuts lighter but this one was still very good. They do make a maple bacon donut that I will have to go back to try. I would recommend LaMar's Donuts to anyone because of the wide variety and great tasting donuts. Plus the sizes are massive so you will never walk away hungry. However, I am still in search of that one donut that I cannot live without. My search continues...

Phoenix, Arizona

Winco Foods

During my travels I like to explore the grocery stores around town to see if I can find any hidden gems.  Today I visited WinCo Foods in downtown Phoenix to see what they had to offer.  WinCo originated in the 1960's as a family owned and operated grocery store.  You Idahoans may remember it as Waremart.  The name was changed to WinCo in the 90s.   WinCo prides itself as a warehouse-style grocery store with extremely low prices.  I would agree that the prices are hard to beat.

 

As far as the donuts, they are similar to every other grocery store.  They had a wide selection and many maple bars to choose from.   In first looking at the donut, one would notice the extra thick icing that is running down the sides (although not seen in this poor quality photo).  The donut itself is thick and dense but not too dry.  It has good flavor but doesn't have that light fluffy texture as other donuts.  This is the type of donut that will fill you up and sit in your stomach for days.  The icing as mentioned above is thick and very sweet.  The flavor lacked the true maple "kick" that I was looking for.  I could taste the powdered sugar in the icing which was a little overpowering.  I would say overall the donut was average.  I would eat one again but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy one.  I will say that if you want cheap groceries, then WinCo is the way to go.

Phoenix, Arizona

BoSa Donuts

BoSa has been in the valley for many years and they have multiple locations throughout the greater Phoenix area. They are very reasonably priced and come with the claim of "Arizona's best donut".  They tend to stay open later then most donut shops so if you are in the mood for a late night snack then you can usually find one open. They carry a wide variety of donuts and are best known for their apple fritters (which are very good).

As far as their maple donuts, they come in long john and round style.  You can also add bacon on the maple bar.  If you have never tried a maple bacon donut I highly recommend it.  The sweet maple icing mixed with the thick salty bacon make it a perfect combination.  If you have ever dipped your bacon in maple syrup then you know what I am talking about. The donut itself is very light, soft and has good texture.  The maple icing is flavorful but does not overpower the donut.  They are moist and melt in your mouth.  They do leave a slight film on the roof of your mouth which some people actually enjoy.  I, however, do not like that reminder that I just ate my days total calories in one bite.

Overall, I enjoy BoSa donuts and go there often.  It is not my favorite maple donut in the Phoenix area but it is worth a try.  Plus, the buttermilk donuts and apple fritters are amazing.

Love at first bite.

This is one man's quest to find the world's tastiest maple donut (or doughnut, I use them interchangeably). My journey began at age 6 when I vividly recall visiting our local Albertson's grocery store and seeing the many shelves of doughnuts behind that clear plastic barrier. The long donut covered with a goldish tan frosting caught my eye. I reached for that waxy paper square and picked up my first maple bar.  From that point on I was hooked.

For those of you who are new to the maple bar it is also known as a caramel donut (not sure why) or a long john with maple frosting instead of chocolate. Some are topped with bacon, while others have cream filling. Some even come as a round glazed doughnut. With all of the different variations the idea remains the same: to find the world's greatest maple doughnut.

If you are a seasoned veteran in the profession of donut consuming or a rookie to the maple bar or just want to join in my journey I invite your comments, suggestions and opinions. Remember this blog is my opinion so you may not necessarily agree and that's ok, I welcome differing opinions.

I will start my adventure in the city of Phoenix, Arizona where I currently live. I will be visiting as many donut shops as possible and posting about what I find. So stay tuned....