Sidecar Doughnuts
270 E. 17th St. #18
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Yelp
It seems like today’s food trends are all about novel mashups. Take your classic ice cream sandwich and use churros or donuts as a base. Cookies and a glass of milk? Why not meld the two into a cookie shaped cup filled with milk. Put cheese and pepperonis on tater tots and call it a “pizza tot.” Nacho toppings on french fries are referred to as “stoner fries.” You must be living under a rock if you’ve never heard about cronuts. I see through all the exciting novelty as mostly gimmicks appealing to the xenophilia of millenials and hipsters that dominate today’s food world. They’re always looking for the Instagram-worthy still shot that can garner them as many likes as possible. I can’t say I am not guilty of such feelings or actions, but I won’t try something unless I know it’s going to be good, not just because it’s new.
Sidecar Doughtnuts makes donuts, just donuts. And while they do try to push the boundaries of your traditional fried cake or yeasty treasure, they stay within the realm of “this is good stuff,” not “this is crazy stuff.” Their recent expansion to LA is a testament to their success.
They have a selection of daily flavors and seasonal/monthly flavors all made fresh daily. I got a half dozen mix for a Saturday morning brunch with friends. On that day, their seasonal varieties included s’mores, midsummer garden cake, vanilla & chocolate, concord grape, and rose gernium & blackberry. Their standard daily offerings are huckleberry, butter & salt, Saigon cinnamon crumb, and maple bacon.
Texture is probably the most important thing when it comes to a donut. Overall, both the cake and yeast donuts at Sidecar hit the mark on this point. They are pleasingly moist. The yeast donuts have a nice amount of chewiness. The cake donuts are fluffy on the inside and bit crispy on the outside.
Concord Grape
The sweet fruity glaze was approaching candy-like territory, but still enjoyable.
Huckleberry
This is by far, their most popular and signature flavor. The beautiful cake donut is complemented by a delicate huckleberry glaze. YUMS!
Salted Caramel
Sticky, salty, and sweet.
Butter Salt
Buttery and salty. The name doesn’t sound appetizer but I quite enjoyed this one.
S’mores
Very chocolatey.
Saigon Cinnamon Crumb
Good if you like cinnamon. The most breakfast appropriate of them all.
Sidecar delivers delicious donuts that are inventive without being crazy. They think outside the box with the purpose of making something delicious, not just something that is going to attract a lot of attention and followers on social media. I’d take a donut here over any cookie stuffed inside a donut, topped with a cupcake, and decorated like a Pikachu any day. Sidecar is a bit of a drive for me, so it’s not a place I visit frequently. Plus, the donuts aren’t exactly cheap or great for the waistline. However, if you’re looking for something to kick up your breakfast, or a special treat for a gathering, I highly recommend Sidecar. All I heard were “Mmm’s” and “Yumm’s” from my friends so I knew the treats were enjoyed and appreciated.
10 – You NEED to eat here
9 – Awesome
8 – Very good
7 – Good
6 – OK
5 – Average
4 – Not bad
3 – Not good
2 – Terrible
1 – Do NOT eat here
Overworked. Underfed. 