I went to Seattle for work, and had a chance to visit Tom Douglas' Dahlia Bakery. After longingly admiring the various breads and coconut cream pies and gigantic fig bars and cookies (later that afternoon I had a chance to also enjoy but not photograph the chewy soft Peanut Butter sandwich cookie and Chocolate Pecan Buttercream Cookie) , I ordered the Famous Donuts.
These six little bites are fried fresh as they are made to order, and come with Vanilla Marscarpone and seasonal (Strawberry in this case) Jam. They are fresh pillowy and warm, almost like beignets, but dusted more lightly with brown sugar and cinnamon. They are sized for dipping into the fruity and sweet of strawberry and creamy of cheese. It's the perfect ratio of puffy doughy inside to a bit of firm crispness outside.
These aren't too sweet (which is why I don't like most doughnuts and can usually muster only eating half a doughnut with milk or coffee along with), though I admit I did get cinnamon and sugar all over my black pants so they are a bit messy. The dips mean you can control how much topping you get and is better than any icing- the jam is bright sticky juicy with strawberry while the marscapone is vanilla and the texture between whipped cream with a bit of cream cheese. The fluffiness makes these seem to disappear in your mouth instead of being heavy and rich and cakey like regular doughnuts and the six little doughnuts went down way too easily, in just mere minutes.
So I totally understand why these are endorsed by Giada as "the best fried item I can think of… ever". These doughnuts are offered at Lola's as well as Dahlia, as both are owned by Tom Douglas. Dahlia Bakery is more take and go counter service despite their lack of good coffee besides Starbucks drip and no seating except for small tables and chairs outside, while Lola across the street is more sit-down with a full breakfast menu and table service.
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