Nosh Pit

New Food Truck: Lucky Devil Doughnut Co.

These aren’t your typical fried cakes. Also: malasadas!

Posted by: Christopher Werner on May 08, 2012 at 09:30AM 0 Comments

Luck Devil Doughnut Co. spreads the malasada gospel. Photo via Facebook.

Doughnuts of all stripes are found in this city, but rarely does one encounter malasadas. Sweeter and eggier than your typical doughnut, malasadas are of Portuguese origin and when traditionally done, devoid of fillings. In Hawaii “they’re all over the place,” says Josh Goldman. “They’re incredibly popular.”

And so shall they be in Seattle. Today Goldman and his brother Gabe launch Lucky Devil Doughnut Co., a food truck devoted to the sugar-dusted orbs. They cost $1, are fried on the spot, and taste best when still hot, advises Josh, who has spent time in Rover’s, Ray’s Boathouse, and Tom Douglas kitchens. He’ll be the guy running the show; Gabe, a graphic designer, is more behind-the-scenes and the one responsible for the truck’s fetching look. Growing up the brothers spent considerable time in Hawaii, hence the focus on malasadas.

Traditionalists will find cake doughnuts as well as maple and chocolate bars. The Hole-y Rollers, or doughnut holes, are gussied up with some decidedly less traditional toppings, including nacho cheese, buttermilk ranch, and sour cream and onion. There are “special” offerings, too, that go for $4 (“they’re bigger,” notes Josh) and also lean toward the creative. Consider the Lucky Devil: chocolate cake dipped in a chocolate glaze made with ghost chili (supposedly the world’s hottest pepper) then finished with cherry drizzle. Or the Surfer’s Breakfast: scrambled egg and Spam between two doughnuts, either glazed or plain. And the orange-stuffed one with guava and passion frosting that the Goldmans call POG. Coffee drinkers will be delighted to learn the increasingly prevalent Lighthouse Roasters is providing the beans.

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays Lucky Devil is at California and Edmonds; Fridays find it in Wallingford at 45th and Corliss. And on Mondays it’s hitting the Starbucks headquarters. Hours are 7–3, according to Josh.

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Tags: Street Food, Doughnuts, Seattle Food Trucks, Lucky Devil Doughnut Co.

Top Pot Plans First Ballard Outpost

A cafe will open at the Ballard Blocks in June.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Apr 23, 2012 at 11:40AM 1 Comments

Come and get it, Ballard. Photo courtesy Top Pot

Ballard may boast its fair share of pastries, but the neighborhood is lacking a little when it comes to doughnuts. That’s soon to change.

Top Pot cofounder Mark Klebeck says he’s bringing his rings to the Ballard Blocks, an office and retail building located a stone’s throw from the Ballard Bridge. The cafe, slated to open in June, is the first in the northerly community (somewhat surprising, considering Klebeck is a resident). It’s also the second instance in which the local baker is striking new territory this summer. You may recall Klebeck and crew are in the process of opening their maiden outpost in the downtown Seattle core.

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Tags: Top Pot, Coming Soon, Doughnuts

Another Top Pot Is On the Way

It’ll open in the Pacific Building on Third Avenue.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Apr 06, 2012 at 05:05PM 0 Comments

Photo: Lucas Anderson

There you have it, downtown denizens. No more hightailing it to Fifth and Blanchard for some apple fritter action.

The latest addition to the Top Pot empire is going in downtown Seattle at the Pacific Building, according to co-founder Mark Klebeck. The Pacific Building is located in the 700 block of Third Avenue, near Columbia Street.

Klebeck says the cafe is slated to open in early- to mid-July, not long after the one at Bellevue Square. This new fried dough destination brings the total number of Top Pots to eight (plus those mobile operations) and marks the chainlet’s first in the downtown core. (The flagship on Fifth is technically Belltown).

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Tags: Top Pot, Coming Soon, Doughnuts

Top Pot to Open in Bellevue Square

Doughnuts to fuel your shopping spree, coming in May.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Mar 02, 2012 at 01:50PM 0 Comments

Photo: Lucas Anderson

Get glazed at Bellevue Square.

Having colonized grocery stores and dabbled in writing, the Klebeck brothers are directing their efforts on the Eastside.

The Top Pot gents announced today they are planting a cafe at Bellevue Square. Mark Klebeck expects it will open in May.

This is the second Bellevue location for the doughnut chain, and the second on the easterly shores of Lake Washington. Per a release, the cafe will “take on a modern streamline feel” and “incorporate a look found in early era aluminum Airstream travel trailers.”

So kind of like this.

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Tags: Top Pot, Coming Soon, Doughnuts, March Nosh News

Top Pot Prepares to Roll Out New Trailer

The doughnut mobile should be ready by the end of the month.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Dec 05, 2011 at 02:00PM 0 Comments

Top Pot’s new Airstream Vagabond. Photo courtesy the establishment.

Somewhere between releasing a book and touting the tome all over town, the Klebeck brothers procured the latest mobile unit for the Top Pot enterprise: a 1947 Airstream Vagabond trailer.

The vintage coach marks the second curb cafe for the doughnut kingpins: in August they bestowed upon Renton a 1962 Airstream Bambi serving dozens of cakes, espresso drinks, and drip coffee. That one is still there today, but cofounder Mark Klebeck says the newer four-wheeler—bigger, and decidedly more badass—may take its place.

“This would allow us to expand our current offering of doughnuts,” says Klebeck, noting the Vagabond will stock up to 40 varieties of fried dough. “The Bambi would be used for various promotional events until we find a permanent home for it.”

The goal is to have the Vagabond in place by the end of December. And then? “We are always looking at vintage Airstreams or trailers for future use,” hints Klebeck. “We feel they complement all that we are trying to build with our brand.”

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Tags: Street Food, Top Pot, Doughnuts, Seattle Food Trucks

Halloween Treats from Seattle’s Favorite Bakeries

Sugary (and spooky!) sweets for your Halloween hurrah.

Posted by: Stephanie Rubesh on Oct 25, 2011 at 10:06AM 0 Comments

Ghoulish goodies from Grand Central Bakery. Photo courtesy Grand Central Bakery.

View Slideshow » Illustration:

Ghoulish goodies from Grand Central Bakery. Photo courtesy Grand Central Bakery.

View Slideshow » Illustration:

A coffin cake from Dahlia Bakery.

Columbia City Bakery is bringing fall flair to classic cookies and cakes: glazed pumpkin- and leaf-shaped shortbreads are $2.50; chocolate, vanilla, lemon, and carrot cupcakes ($3) are frosted in chocolate, vanilla butter cream, or cream cheese, then topped with a tasty spider web.

Dahlia Bakery is all about the gourd: find pumpkin whoopee pies for $2.50 and mini pumpkin pies for $4.95. Also on offer are bat, ghost, witch, or pumpkin sugar cookies ($2.50); a rotating selection of themed cupcakes; and six-inch Snickers coffin cakes. The stack of chocolate, nougat, caramel, candied nut, and caramel buttercream is $39 and serves eight people (click through the slideshow to see a pic). To get your goodies in time, order two days in advance.

Grand Central Bakery is dressing its shortbreads as jack-o-lanterns or ghouls. They run $2.65 each and are available between October 26th and October 31 (but heads up: they typically sell out).

Cupcake Royale is touting a pumpkin-cardamom cake decorated with cream cheese and leafy sprinkles. One costs $3.50. Also on hand are cakes baked as spiders, pumpkins, and mummies at $4. For the kiddies there’s ghoulish mini treats for $1.75. Get a dozen regulars for $33 (price may vary with specialty cupcakes) or a dozen babycakes for $15—and be sure to order by noon the day before you want ’em.

Also find festive ones at Trophy Cupcakes, where the holiday confections run $3.50 to $5. Best to give the bakery a two-day notice before placing big orders; also available in store through the 31st. (Psst: On Monday all three storefronts are hosting a costume contest.)

At fried cake sensation Frost Doughnuts, try the rotten caramel apple (apple cinnamon cake topped with caramel and gummy worms) or the dead velvet (red velvet with black and orange cream cheese frosting) for $1.89 each. Traditionalists might opt for the themed doughnuts—vanilla and chocolate with orange and black sprinkles—or “moldy” maple bars (fear not, the green frosting is deceivingly delicious). Those are $1.49 each.

Now through the 31st get your hands on ghoulish vegan treats at Wallingford’s Mighty-O Donuts.

Roving kitchen Where Ya At Matt has been enticing Twitter followers with promises of pumpkin beignets.

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Tags: Halloween, Cupcakes, Doughnuts, Seattle Bakeries

Street Donuts Feeds a Pumpkin Patch

A Fall trip to the farm just got better.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Oct 04, 2011 at 03:18PM 0 Comments

Street Donuts brings the goods to Snohomish. Photo courtesy Street Donuts facebook.

Speaking of restaurants playing hopscotch, if you’ve wondered where Street Donuts resides these days, you’ll find the purveyor of Nerd- and curry-topped dough balls in… Snohomish.

Like Tuscan Stone Pizza, the vendor’s stint in downtown Seattle was a summer thing so it, too, has flown the coop for pastures yonder. Yi-Chun Lin says the cake wagon is at Stocker Farms on Friday, Saturday, and Sundays for the rest of the month.

Think the trailer’s treats aren’t worth the 30-mile jaunt (they totally are)? Three more things to consider: Pumpkin patch, corn maze, haunted corn maze.

And maybe pumpkin doughnuts?

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Tags: Street Food, Doughnuts, Street Donuts

QFC Now Carries Top Pot Doughnuts

Two local heavyweights team up.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Oct 03, 2011 at 02:34PM 0 Comments

Your grocery list just got a little longer.

Top Pot brand expanding motors on: the local doughnut kingpin has partnered with QFC to retail 15 kinds of cake at the ubiquitous grocery chain.

Perhaps you’ve noticed? Shiny pastry cases displaying rows and rows of fritters and crullers and old fashioneds now are in every one of the grocer’s Seattle locations plus five in Portland, says Top Pot co-founder Mark Klebeck. (That’s 68 total, FYI.)

This isn’t the first time Top Pot has gone grocery; you can also buy the hand-forged goodies at Whole Foods, he added.

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Tags: Top Pot, Doughnuts

Watch the Klebeck Brothers Discuss the History of Top Pot

The video is a promo for forthcoming cookbook Hand-Forged Doughnuts.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Aug 23, 2011 at 01:11PM 0 Comments

Mark Klebeck is no stranger to flashing pearly whites for the camera. Here his joins his brother and Top Pot co-founder Mike in plugging Hand-Forged Doughnuts, their first publication due out September 21. Also present is Seattle Met recipe extraordinaire Jess Thomson; she helped write the tome. Also: doughnut porn, lots of it.

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Tags: Cookbooks, Top Pot, Doughnuts

Top Pot Parks Airstream in Renton

This marks the company’s southernmost venture yet.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Aug 08, 2011 at 12:08PM 0 Comments

Photo courtesy Mark Klebeck, Top Pot.

Top Pot, the local doughnut chain with six cafes (and one arena outpost), is bringing its brand to South Seattle. Last week TP’s mobile unit, a vintage coach launched in August of ’09 as a means to cater special events, pulled into the lot of Renton McLendon Hardware. There it is offering up 30 kinds of cakes, espresso drinks, and drip coffee daily 7–4.

Top Pot co-founder Mark Klebeck says the plan is to stay put indefinitely at 440 Rainier Avenue South—“the patrons are wonderful,” he explained, “and this is our most south representation to date.” Also in the works is a second, possibly larger, trailer. “There definitely are more plans for additional Airstreams in the future,” Klebeck confirmed.

Speaking of doughnut brand expansion, anybody know what’s happening with Frost’s foray into Seattle city limits? [UPDATE: Jess Voelker got in touch with Frost; still no updates on the new location(s).]

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Tags: Street Food, Top Pot, Doughnuts

It’s National Doughnut Day!

Here’s where to get freebies.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Jun 03, 2011 at 08:28AM 0 Comments

Photo: Lucas Anderson

Krispy Kreme is free today.

Krispy Kreme is celebrating this holiest of occasions by giving each customer uno doughnut for free (of any variety), while Dunkin’ Donuts is… oh wait, no such thing in these parts (what’s up with that?)

If you’d rather show some love to the locals, Mighty-O in Wallingford, recent Food Network Challenge victor, is pouring gratis cups of coffee. Top Pot is hosting a food drive for Northwest Harvest. Bring a donation or non-perishable item to any Pot spot by noon and you’ll be entered to win a dozen doughnuts per month for one year. That’s a lot of maple bars.

Finally, we’d be remiss not to point you to our three favorite doughnuts in Seattle.

Keep tabs on more food and restaurant news. Friend Nosh Pit on Facebook.

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Tags: Quirky Holidays, Free Food, Doughnuts

Street Donuts Now Serving Doughnuts on the Streets of Downtown Seattle

Find the new cart on Pike and Second seven days a week.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on May 27, 2011 at 02:34PM 3 Comments

Second Avenue is like, blowing up with street food.

The latest vendor to pull over there is Street Donuts, in the same lot that claims Maximus Minimus and Dog Japon. You’ll recall this quad is just one block south of another bundle of curb slingers set to open on June 1.

Street Donuts’ specialty is freshly made mini fried guys that come piled high with toppings (like Nerds!) of your choice. The cart just kicked off business last weekend, but employees say they’ve seen a steady flow of customers and are already fielding requests for large boxes of to-go orders.

Have a look-see at the menu below (Nerds!), or stop by weekdays 8am-5pm or 10am-5pm on weekends.

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Tags: Street Food, Doughnuts, Street Donuts