Win Son Bakery: Black Sesame Mochi

Located right on the border of Williamsburg and Bushwick sits Win Son, a Taiwanese-American restaurant that since opening in 2016, has slowly been gaining notoriety as one of the borough’s (and probably the city’s) best new places to eat. Their exquisite selection of home-style cooked food is a must try for brunch and dinner a like and there isn’t a thing on the menu I wouldn’t recommend. So, when it was announced last summer that Win Son would be opening a bakery across the street from their restaurant, my mouth began to salivate. Fast forward to today. The bakery still hasn’t opened (originally it was scheduled for February 2019), but with the summer has come a “soft-opening” on Sunday mornings at 11:00 AM featuring their first samples: sweet potato soft serve and, you guessed it, donuts! Black sesame mochi donuts to be exact. They also have a full espresso bar serving up Variety Coffee.

As you may have gathered from reading this blog so far, mochi and savory donuts aren’t generally the treats that Jason and I tend to eye, but when your favorite neighborhood joint makes a donut, you’ll try it.

Last week, their selection sold out rather fast, so I made sure to get in line just before they opened as to not miss out on these sweet rounds. As the line stretched down the block, I made my way into the shop, which is clearly in its final stages of preparation (brown paper still covers many of the windows and the whole place still had that new smell mystique), and ordered my mochi donut (currently sold for $2). Served hot and fresh out of the oven, it tasted like the best fried dough I’ve ever had. Covered in powdered sugar, the mochi gives it some extra chew and the black sesame is barely present, only adding a slight, subtle flavor that gives the donut just a little boost. Unlike so many other donuts across the city, this was a perfect breakfast treat that still left me with an appetite. Paired perfectly with strong cold brew or some powerful espresso, it’s the perfect snack to pick up on the way to work or to hold you over while you wait for a seat across the street. When they officially open in a few weeks, you better believe I’ll be back in line to see what other magical pastries these chefs can whip-up and if the rest of their menu is anywhere near as good as this donut, they’ll be near impossible to resist.

Score: 8.5/10

Peter Pan: Red Velvet

Peter Pan Donuts and Pastry Shop is a Greenpoint, Brooklyn institution known for their classic aesthetics and old-time vibes.

Unlike so many other up and coming artisanal shops that you’ll read about on this blog, Peter Pan sticks with tradition and it’s apparent from the moment you walk in to the shop. Trays of hand-dipped donuts line the trays behind the counter and the entire staff wears matching diner-esque attire. In a shop where tradition is key, I keep things simple and at Peter Pan, that means the red velvet. Deep-fried and hand dipped in delicious glaze, it’s a classic that leaves no room for mistakes. On the inside, the dough is soft and moist, begging to be torn apart to eat in small bites or to be shared amongst friends. The chocolatey goodness is light and never intense, a classic donut in the truest sense of the term. It’s simple, basic, and totally delicious. A staple that should be in ever rotation.

Score: 9/10

Du’s Donuts: Chocolate Caramel Brownie

Chocolate Caramel Brownie from Du’s Donuts is a high-concept cake donut from the mastermind Wylie Dufresne.

A rather new player in the scene, Dufresne’s chic shop is a sleek, cash-only spot located in Williamsburg’s luxury William Vale Hotel and the donuts served up are not your averaged fried-up treat. Dufresne puts the same amount of hard work and science into these tasty treats as he does his other culinary creations and the passion comes through in each bite. The Chocolate Caramel Brownie is a rich experience, full of mouth-watering flavors in each bite. The dense cake is topped with crumbled brownie bits and drizzled in delectable caramel which results in an intense, but deeply satisfying treat. This is no light treat, but almost a full meal on its own.

Score: 8/10

Photo courtesy of Du’s Donuts

Doughnut Project: Black Gold

The Black Gold (aka Brownie Batter) is a classic yeast donut and one of the regulars from The Doughnut Project

Doughnut Project serves up some of the best yeast donuts in the city. Their particular brand is a light and airy mix that feels both satisfying, but not quite too overpowering like some others in this variety. Taking a basic vanilla flavor of dough and topping it with rich, delicious chocolate and sea slat makes for a perfect combination. In addition to the molten chocolatey goodness, the treat is also topped with dark chocolate cookie crumbs and a dash of sea salt which heightens the flavor and takes it a step beyond your classic chocolate frosted donut. Despite the rather large size, the donut is perfectly delightful and hits the spot without leaving you too full – a perfect start to the day or late afternoon snack.

Score: 9/10

Doughnut Plant: Carrot Cake

The Carrot Cake donut is a standard filled donut at Doughnut Plant.

Doughnut Plant has a wide range of classic cake and filled cake donuts which they’ve been churning out since the mid 90s. Carrot Cake, a rich, dense carrot cake donut with cream cheese filling, is not only a supreme example of such donut, but showcases their ability to combine remarkable texture with a delectable filling for an artisanal creation that is just as traditional as it is exploratory. The vanilla glaze, with bits of walnuts and carrots, pairs brilliantly with the slight spice of the cake which changes things up from the traditional vanilla or chocolate than tend to dominate the scene. It’s daring enough for one looking to expand their palette and still not a stretch beyond a modern classic.

Score: 10/10

Photo courtesy of Doughnut Plant NYC

Doughnut Plant: Strawberry Cake

The Strawberry Cake donut is the May 2019 Flavor of the Month at Doughnut Plant. 


Like Doughnut Plant’s signature cake donut, the Strawberry is dense and moist. A darker cake makes up the body and gives a subtle and delectable taste, but with just a hint of the fruit flavor. The icing was a bit crunchy and flaked off by the time I got it out of the wax paper wrapping, but I appreciated the lightness in flavor. Not at all overwhelming, it actually left me hoping for something a bit more intense. Unlike some of their other classics, I didn’t see any actual use of the fruit in the donut which may have led to the lack of total flavor. Still, the consistency and texture was fantastic and satiating.

 
Score: 7/10

Photo courtesy of Doughnut Plant NYC