Sunny Donuts, Kearny Mesa

Sunny day for donuts!

On the hottest weekend of the year, I took a trip to—most fittingly—Sunny Donuts in Kearny Mesa. From the looks of the place, with its racks behind the counter and orange lettering on the signs overhead, I remarked to Mama Maple that it must be a former Dunkin Donuts. The proprietor, a man named Meng, confirmed that it was. Meng is a graduate of the Dunkin Donuts corporate school, and has been running Sunny Donuts for 25 years now. He greeted the regulars (one lady we met said that she has been coming to Sunny Donuts for 20 years) with a warm, friendly smile, and was enthusiastic to meet two new customers.

The racks were loaded with all sorts of donuts that I have not encountered before, and I had a tough time making my selections. I let Mama Maple pick out a couple, and then I rounded off our order with a few choices of my own so that we had a balanced arrangement. And what an arrangement it was—Meng actually produced two ceramic plates (as you can see in the photos) for our meal, something that is not seen very often in any donut shop, anywhere. There would be no scrapping crumbs off makeshift “plates” made of pastry tissues or paper bags this day!

The vanilla crème was overflowing.

A few donuts were just average, such as the cinnamon crumb (which was a bit dry) and the chocolate twist (called a “cruller” but not a “French cruller”), although several varieties were the bomb. One such donut was the vanilla crème (a chocolate crème was also available), which was lightly powdered, fluffy, and absolutely bursting with cream. So much cream, in fact, that I had some extra on my plate for use as a topping for other donuts.

Diggin' inside the French special.

Yet the one variety that topped them all—and Mama Maple and I were in agreement on this point—was the “French special.” When I saw this on the rack, I asked Meng what was in it. He told me that it contained apples, and since I was seeking a way to boost my fruit intake for the day, I decided to give the French special a try. If you like apple pie, you will love the French special at Sunny Donuts. The apple filling was loaded with chunky pieces, and the donut itself was topped with a layer of vanilla icing and a powdering of cinnamon. All the flavors blended perfectly, and my only regret was that I did not get a second French special for the road.

Sunny Donuts landed in the number 2 spot on our list with a D-Meter score of 87.0. Top-notch customer service, a wide and innovative selection of donuts, and—my favorite feature—a sign proclaiming “Open 24 Hours” gave their score a boost. I will need to return someday to test some of their other varieties, and I encourage all my loyal readers to check out Meng’s fine establishment.

Top Ten Donut Meter Scores:

1. Peterson’s Donut Corner, Escondido — 94.0

2. Sunny Donuts, Kearny Mesa — 87.0

3. Donut Haven, Hillcrest — 82.7

4. Super Donuts, Carlsbad — 82.0

5. Danny’s Donuts, Vista — 81.0

6. Christy’s Donuts, Kearny Mesa — 80.0

6. Honey Donuts, Santee — 80.0

8. Golden Donut, University City — 79.3

9. OB Donuts — 78.7

10. K-Donuts, Oceanside — 78.0

10. Heavenly Donuts, Allied Gardens —78.0

10. Plaza Donuts, National City — 78.0

Golden Donut, University City

I know what you’re thinking: Didn’t I just take a trip to this place a few weeks ago with JB? No, I did not. The place we visited a while back was Fresh Golden Donuts in Tierrasanta, whereas this past weekend’s donut shop discovery was at plain old Golden Donut in University City. Note the lack of “Fresh” in the name, as well as the inexplicable singular “Donut” rather than “Donuts.” However, one should not take the place’s name as an indication that they serve only one kind of donut (or even a single donut a day!), stale and cracked and wholly unfresh. Far from it.

Maybe they ran out of room on the sign,
leaving no space for the "S"?

Lil’ C called these donuts “Yummy, yummy, yummy!” She was given free donut holes by the very nice lady behind the counter, and devoured one right away, before even setting foot outside the door. Golden Donut had a solid selection, including crullers and a wide variety of toppings for the cake donuts. The glazed old-fashioned was a favorite of Mrs. Newton; Sir Isaac was particular to the cake donut with sprinkles, although he declared that Golden Donut makes a pretty decent cruller. The apple fritter was a bit dense, however, and we had a difficult time figuring out whether the jelly donut contained strawberry or raspberry. I’m pretty sure it was strawberry, but if you have to ask yourself the question, that’s not a great sign.

Golden Donut received above-average scores on taste and variety, but just average on innovation, from all of us. Their customer experience, however, was rated divine—if you have kids in tow, they will be thrilled with a visit to Golden Donut. Just don’t expect your kids to be calm and collected afterward—Lil’ C was rather, shall we say, energetic not long after becoming familiar with the offerings of Golden Donut. Over and over she said, "Lil' C, calm yourself down! Lil' C, calm yourself down!" while giggling and running amok.

Golden Donut received a score of 79.3 on the D-Meter. That puts them in sole possession of the #7 spot on our top ten list. Not too shabby—if they could just get a little more innovative and give their jelly donuts some more oomph (and let’s admit it, jelly donuts are all about oomph), this place could easily make it into the top three.

Top Ten Donut Meter Scores:

1. Peterson’s Donut Corner, Escondido — 94.0

2. Donut Haven, Hillcrest — 82.7

3. Super Donuts, Carlsbad — 82.0

4. Danny’s Donuts, Vista — 81.0

5. Christy’s Donuts, Kearny Mesa — 80.0

5. Honey Donuts, Santee — 80.0

7. Golden Donut, University City — 79.3

8. OB Donuts — 78.7

9. K-Donuts, Oceanside — 78.0

9. Heavenly Donuts, Allied Gardens —78.0

9. Plaza Donuts, National City — 78.0

Donut Star, Hillcrest

My buddy the Beaneater is a busy guy, but last weekend he managed to find the time to make a donut delivery at my house, which was much appreciated. The Beaneater stopped by Donut Star in Hillcrest, which he had visited several times in the past.

Donut Star in Hillcrest on a sunny morning.

The Beaneater remembered Donut Star as a rather dirty and run-down place, but was pleased to see that the interior has recently been upgraded, and it is now one of the cleanest donut shops around. Inside, you’ll find a few small tables, tidy counters, and neat racks behind the register. It almost makes you feel like you are in a posh café with a menu entirely in Italian. Fortunately, that’s not the case at Donut Star, where they serve up all the basic donut varieties. On the other hand, a few jazzed-up donuts would give Donut Star’s racks a boost—very few innovative flavors were to be found by the Beaneater, and the most creative variety that he delivered was a cinnamon crumb cake.

The crumb cake could have used some more cinnamon—that was evident from the first bite. The vanilla cruller, on the other hand, was nicely done, with a strong flavor to the icing and a nice crispiness to the outer layer. Also sampled were a maple-iced raised donut, which had a strong flavor to the icing, and an apple fritter, which was crisp and crunchy but lacked a significant amount of apple chunks. The final variety was a Boston crème; although not my favorite type of donut, I found it to be a fine specimen, without an overwhelming amount of custard, as many places tend to produce.

Donut Star received a few average scores for taste, as well as a few above-averages, but nothing outstanding. The Beaneater said he wasn’t floored by the donuts, but he would go back. The lineup could use some improvement and a few creative tweaks to make it more appealing, but if you want a good old donut without any bells and whistles, this place could be worth the trip. When the math was done, Donut Star received a score of 70.0 on the D-Meter. Not good enough to crack the top ten, but then again, I’ve set my standards pretty high.

Top Ten Donut Meter Scores:

1. Peterson’s Donut Corner, Escondido — 94.0

2. Donut Haven, Hillcrest — 82.7

3. Super Donuts, Carlsbad — 82.0

4. Danny’s Donuts, Vista — 81.0

5. Christy’s Donuts, Kearny Mesa — 80.0

5. Honey Donuts, Santee — 80.0

7. OB Donuts — 78.7

8. K-Donuts, Oceanside — 78.0

8. Heavenly Donuts, Allied Gardens —78.0

8. Plaza Donuts, National City — 78.0

Honey Donuts, Santee

Easy to spot on Woodside Avenue . . . if you ever go out there.

Santee is a bit out of the way for most people in San Diego, as it is some ten miles east of I-15 on Route 52, but I was headed home in that (general) direction after my three-hour long run with Sir Isaac on Sunday morning, so I made a little detour to check out Honey Donuts on Woodside Avenue. Sir Isaac, however, was unable to make the trip, as he had to get home and attend to Mrs. Newton, who has a bun in the oven (or a donut in the fryer?) and is all but ready to introduce Lil’ R to the world (at which point Lil’ C will become Big C). I did, however, promise to make a donut delivery to the Newtons in the coming weeks, after things have settled down for them.

Honey Donuts is a really nice place to hang out, as there are several booths and counters for customers, ample parking, and a primo location right on the corner of Woodside and Magnolia. The staff was extremely nice and cheerful—which seems to be a common trait among employees of donut shops—and the place had a steady stream of customers coming through the door.

This just might be the best picture
I have ever taken of a donut.

Variety was excellent, with all the main donut types represented, although there weren’t any truly creative flavors save for the lemon jelly donut, which I decided to try out even though I am no big fan of jelly donuts. This proved to be a wise choice, as the lemon jelly had a good tartness that one doesn’t usually find in a donut. The balance of lemon jelly and dough was just right. I even managed to not inhale any of the powdered sugar, which I have a tendency to do (don’t ask).

Most of the other varieties were about average—the cruller was well done but lacked substantial icing; the cake donut was crisp and crunchy without being overdone. The old-fashioned, however, was just a bit dense and the maple icing did not have a strong flavor. Not that the icing was thin; it simply didn’t have that distinctive maple flavor that I enjoy so much.

The apple fritter, on the other hand, was one of the better fritters I’ve had recently. Crisp and crunchy on the outside, soft and cinnamony on the inside, and a fair amount of apple chunks to boot. More apples means a moister, fruitier inside, and while this one was certainly fruity, I’d tell Honey to pour it on: double the apples and you’ll really wow your customers.

Honey Donuts did fairly well in the taste and variety department, and scored high in customer experience, but was held back a little by a lack of innovative flavors and a few underachievers. Their final Donut Meter score was 80.0, which put them in the top ten, quite a feat for a place well off the beaten path.

Top Ten Donut Meter Scores:

1. Peterson’s Donut Corner, Escondido — 94.0

2. Donut Haven, Hillcrest — 82.7

3. Super Donuts, Carlsbad — 82.0

4. Danny’s Donuts, Vista — 81.0

5. Christy’s Donuts, Kearny Mesa — 80.0

5. Honey Donuts, Santee — 80.0

7. OB Donuts — 78.7

8. K-Donuts, Oceanside — 78.0

8. Heavenly Donuts, Allied Gardens —78.0

8. Plaza Donuts, National City — 78.0

Fresh Golden Donuts, Tierrasanta

I like donut shops with creative or personal names, since they give the place a unique mark to set it apart from all the others. This weekend, my buddy JB and I hooked up at Fresh Golden Donuts in Tierrasanta. Not exactly the most distinctive name for a donut shop, eh? Nor does it have any sense of distinctiveness—no special donut art on the walls, no funky donut varieties that they can call their own, and no flashy sign out front to proclaim “Donuts!”

The sign says "Donuts" but not "Donuts!"

However, Fresh Golden Donuts is a great place to hang out and relax on a weekend morning (or whenever the urge strikes you), as there are several comfortable and clean tables inside, all next to the front windows, giving the place a nice atmosphere. It has the added benefit of being sandwiched between a Starbucks and a Baskin-Robbins, so if you want a little extra caffeine or a dollop of Quarterback Crunch on your donut, this is the place to be.

JB noticed that there was not a whole lot of color on the donut racks. He likes to see a wide variety of frosted donuts, just as I do, and FGD’s racks were noticeably devoid of bright colors. Chocolate, maple, vanilla, plain—check; but those flavors don’t make you ooh and aah when you walk into a donut shop.

This one wasn't skimpy.

We agreed that the donuts were decent, but not outstanding. JB and I both tried out the chocolate-iced twist, which was plump and loaded with plenty of chocolate icing. The rest of the donut varieties, however, were just average and, in fact, seemed somewhat undercooked. The cruller, while it had a nice flavor to it, was rather skimpy on the icing, and the cake varieties were spongy, rather than crisp. Unlike the cake variety, the old-fashioned had a nice crackly texture, which is always good on a cake or old-fashioned donut. The maple icing, however, was again skimpy. (Now why am I repeating the word “skimpy” so often? Hmm.)

JB and I both enjoyed hanging out at FGD, which helped their overall score, but not enough to boost them into the top ten, or anywhere near it. Taste was just average for the most part, and since that makes up 60 percent of the score, FGD suffered as a result, ending up with a Donut Meter score of 66.0. I’m not sure if the owner of the shop would be up for it, but perhaps the place should be renamed Fresh Yellowish Donuts until they learn how to make donuts that are just a tad crispier and cracklier. And don’t be skimpy with that icing!

Updated Donut Meter Scores:

1. Peterson’s Donut Corner, Escondido — 94.0

2. Donut Haven, Hillcrest — 82.7

3. Super Donuts, Carlsbad — 82.0

4. Danny’s Donuts, Vista — 81.0

5. Christy’s Donuts, Kearny Mesa — 80.0

6. OB Donuts — 78.7

7. K-Donuts, Oceanside — 78.0

7. Heavenly Donuts, Del Cerro —78.0

7. Plaza Donuts, National City — 78.0

10. Donut Touch, Mira Mesa — 76.8

11. Linda’s Donuts, Pacific Beach — 76.0

12. Donutopia, Poway — 75.0

13. TK Donuts, Bay Park — 71.0

14. Marte’s Donuts, Escondido — 70.0

15. Foster’s Family Donuts, San Marcos — 68.0

16. Fresh Golden Donuts, Tierrasanta — 66.0

16. Pam’s Donuts and Chinese Food, Temecula — 66.0

16. KD’s Donuts, Ramona — 66.0

19. Solana Donuts, Solana Beach — 63.0

20. Leucadia Donut Shoppe — 62.5

Donutopia, Poway

Out in the boondocks of the “City in the Country” is a nice little donut shop tucked away in the corner of a strip mall at the end of Twin Peaks Road. As you can see from the picture here, the sign proclaims that the establishment’s name is “Fresh Donuts & Coffee,” but it is actually called Donutopia. When I was in high school (go Titans!), we just called it “that donut place down on Twin Peaks.” Whatever you call it, there’s one reason why you go there, and it’s not for the bags of Chinese sunflower seeds.

No one really knows what this place
is called.

I am a great admirer of fine art, especially donut art. I’ve seen it at various places here and there—perhaps I should write an essay devoted solely to the subject of donut art? At Donutopia is one of the best examples I’ve seen, a full wall mural depicting an old-time donut shop out in the country, warmly welcoming anyone who might stop by.

Awesome. At least IMHO.

 Donutopia’s selection is a bit above average, with all the varieties represented, although I have to say that there were no creative donut varieties to be seen. Just the basics: cake, old-fashioned, raised, cruller, buttermilk bar, fritter, and a few pastries and muffins. In fact, the most “creative” donut I could find was a cake donut with strawberry icing and sprinkles. It also turned out to be the best one I tried, as the outside was just slightly crispy, with the inside soft and moist, not dry and crumbly as some others I’ve tried lately. The strawberry flavor was lacking in the icing, though.

Creative? Eh.

Donutopia’s strength lies in its cake and old-fashioned donuts, which had that great crackly crunch on the first bite, followed by a soft follow-through inside. Their raised varieties, however, were rather bland, with thinnish icing that did not do much to massage my taste buds. The apple fritter was also crisp, but completely lacked a soft, juicy inside filled with apples and cinnamon, and was also a bit dry.

This disparity between the cake and raised donuts at Donutopia makes me wonder if they are perhaps frying everything at the same temperature. As any skilled donuteer knows, raised and cake donuts need to fry at different temperatures in order to bring out their best qualities.

Donutopia could also use some work on their icings, which tasted somewhat watered-down. A rich and flavorful icing can go a long way toward rescuing what would otherwise be just an ordinary donut.

Although the donuts were a bit inconsistent and nowhere near the best I’ve had, Donutopia’s great cake and old-fashioned donuts rescued their score a bit and prevented them from dropping too far down the ranks. Nevertheless, the Donut Meter score of 75.0 was not good enough to crack the top ten, although it came close. Would I go there again? Probably not, but if you are a fan of cake and old-fashioned donuts, the place is worth a try.

Updated Donut Meter Scores:

1. Peterson’s Donut Corner, Escondido — 94.0

2. Donut Haven, Hillcrest — 82.7

3. Super Donuts, Carlsbad — 82.0

4. Danny’s Donuts, Vista — 81.0

5. Christy’s Donuts, Kearny Mesa — 80.0

6. OB Donuts — 78.7

7. K-Donuts, Oceanside — 78.0

7. Heavenly Donuts, Del Cerro —78.0

7. Plaza Donuts, National City — 78.0

10. Donut Touch, Mira Mesa — 76.8

11. Linda’s Donuts, Pacific Beach — 76.0

12. Donutopia, Poway — 75.0

13. TK Donuts, Bay Park — 71.0

14. Marte’s Donuts, Escondido — 70.0

15. Foster’s Family Donuts, San Marcos — 68.0

16. Pam’s Donuts and Chinese Food, Temecula — 66.0

16. KD’s Donuts, Ramona — 66.0

18. Solana Donuts, Solana Beach — 63.0

19. Leucadia Donut Shoppe — 62.5