"Food Wars" hosts Harry Kersh and Joe Avella travel across Los Angeles to find the best doughnuts in the city. They'll be visiting five locations in just one day to see what the city has to offer. This is "Food Tours."
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00:00This is Dad's Donuts in Burbank, this is a Cambodian-owned family shop, classic L.A.
00:05donut shop.
00:06Obviously a lot of the places we're going to today have classic, I'm gonna take you
00:09here because this is the classic look, the classic setup.
00:11I'm excited about today man, I love donuts.
00:13Are there gonna be like a few donuts that we get at each spot today to kind of compare?
00:17Definitely gonna have the glaze, the sprinkle, the long johns, dude, when I was a kid I loved
00:21long johns.
00:22I don't know why, long johns were my favorite.
00:24Long johns?
00:25Yeah, long johns.
00:26Interesting.
00:27The long ones.
00:28Do you call them long johns there?
00:30Thermal trousers?
00:31Thermal pants?
00:32No, we call those, yeah we also call that too.
00:34Same thing, okay.
00:35Yeah, two names.
00:36When I go in there I'll make sure.
00:37Maybe that's just something that, I started calling them for some reason.
00:41It's unique to Jammabella.
00:43One thing I'm really looking forward to is having donut shop coffee.
00:47Okay, I feel like the diner coffee that we had slightly underwhelmed me.
00:52Donut shop coffee.
00:53No, no, no, no, donut shop coffee is what it's at.
00:54Is that where it's at?
00:55That's where it's at, yeah.
00:56Alright man, I think we should get some donuts and some coffee.
00:57Wanna get some donuts?
00:58Okay, let's do it.
00:59I'm losing man, this is gonna be so much fun.
01:04I'm psyched, yeah.
01:05This is gonna be so much fun.
01:06Okay, here we go.
01:07Let's go.
01:08Ba-ba-boo-ya.
01:09Ba-boo.
01:10Oh yeah.
01:11Beautiful.
01:12By the way, they call these chocolate butters.
01:13Not long johns.
01:14Yeah, but she said that some people do call them long johns.
01:15Okay.
01:16Let's get a glazed here, man.
01:17Start with the glazed.
01:18Straight in with the classics?
01:19First, I mean look.
01:20We're diving right in.
01:21These look beautiful.
01:22Look at this thing, right?
01:23Look at this thing, right?
01:24Look how pillowy and thick this is.
01:26By the way, six donuts, two coffees, $13.
01:29That's really not bad.
01:30That's a pretty good, that's a nice price.
01:31Yeah, that is.
01:32That really is.
01:33Just before we bite into it, I wanna say like usually in the UK, you don't get a ton of
01:37glazed donuts.
01:38Why not?
01:39Generally just go for more granulated sugar on top.
01:42Glazed donuts for me are more associated with like Krispy Kreme or like a fast food donut
01:45for example.
01:46Wait a second, so Krispy Kreme was the first time glazed donuts were really introduced
01:50to the UK?
01:51Yeah, maybe not.
01:52I don't know if it's the exact first, but like they definitely popularized it.
01:54You guys must have lost your minds.
01:56You must have been like, what is this?
01:57This is brilliant.
01:59Glazed donut's so good.
02:00I mean, it's the classic.
02:01It's the standard for a reason.
02:02So good.
02:03Let's take a bite.
02:04Yeah, let's do it.
02:05Mmm.
02:06Nope.
02:07I'm in trouble today, man.
02:08Slow down.
02:09Oh goodness.
02:10Mm-hmm.
02:11It looks like a big donut.
02:12Suck it into your mouth.
02:13Mmm.
02:14What?
02:15Do you wanna chew on that?
02:16No.
02:17No, I gotta talk.
02:22The glaze can be very sweet.
02:24Mm-hmm.
02:25Very delicious, but very sweet.
02:26Sure.
02:27It isn't too glazed, right?
02:28No.
02:29The pairing of the glaze and the dough, absolutely fantastic.
02:33Works so well together.
02:34I mean, you're biting into a sweet cloud.
02:36It's so delicious.
02:37If I was commuting to some soul-sucking job, I probably would get donuts and coffee on
02:42the way there.
02:43Just a little treat.
02:44Just something to like, okay, just like, all right, I need a moment to myself before I
02:48go into battle.
02:50And also, let's not forget we've got other donuts here, including my boy, the Long John.
02:55Now this one...
02:56The long donut.
02:57Yeah.
02:58Not glazed, but covered in chocolate frosting.
03:00Sure.
03:01Effectively just glazed?
03:02What's the difference between frosted and glazed?
03:05Frosted is frosting, and glazed is with a glaze.
03:08Okay.
03:09How do you like that?
03:10How do you like that inside?
03:11I got it.
03:12Is there chocolate inside here?
03:13Oh.
03:14All right.
03:15Whatever they're doing with the dough, it's so good.
03:18So light.
03:19So light.
03:20Deceptively light.
03:21That's what I love about places like this.
03:22You look at it like, yeah, donuts.
03:23I got it.
03:24Who hasn't had a donut?
03:25But then you have these, and you're like, wait a second.
03:26What's going on here?
03:27And in there, classic setup.
03:29Doesn't look like they're doing anything fancy or special.
03:31I think that's just, they're leaning in and have leaned into quality ingredients, great
03:35taste.
03:36I feel like with the glazed ones, the amount of sugar on there, I would be really productive
03:39for like an hour, and then just, pfft, out cold.
03:42But that's why you got the coffee.
03:43What do you think?
03:44Yeah.
03:45Good coffee.
03:46What I love about this coffee is there's some sort of quality, and everyone who's had it
03:50knows what I'm talking about.
03:52It's always really good, but you see they do it, they have like the big bags, and you're
03:57looking at it, and you're like, what's that brand?
03:58It's like some unknown brand that they're buying in bulk.
04:01Sure.
04:02Right?
04:03They're just cooking, they're burning it.
04:04It's going 24-7.
04:05It's cooking the coffee.
04:06It's like that perpetual stew.
04:07You see when they make that?
04:08That's right.
04:09Yeah, yeah.
04:10That's perfect.
04:11That's exactly what I'm trying to say.
04:12This coffee, it's perpetual coffee.
04:13It's got the flavor of this coffee, and also the 40 coffees that came before it.
04:16It's so right.
04:17Perpetual stew.
04:18Perfect.
04:19Thank you.
04:20Yeah.
04:21And I have to say, it's great.
04:22Can I try something?
04:23Is this sacrilegious?
04:24No.
04:25This is encouraged?
04:26Do it.
04:27Do it.
04:28This is some Twin Peaks stuff you're doing right here, buddy.
04:29Get in there.
04:30Oh, yeah.
04:31Right?
04:32Not a bad idea.
04:33I just feel like...
04:34And then, if you like sweet coffee, your coffee is sweetened with the glaze.
04:39Mm-hmm.
04:40Mm.
04:41That's kind of the move.
04:42Welcome to America, baby.
04:43Oh, yeah.
04:44Right?
04:46So, we've got a donut in here.
04:47The pink sprinkled.
04:48The Homer Simpson.
04:49Now, this one might be a cakier one than you're used to.
04:50You see?
04:51Yeah.
04:52The dough looks very different to this one.
04:53Now, you know what an old-fashioned is, right?
04:54An old-fashioned donut?
04:55The cocktail, yes.
04:56Not the donut.
04:57Man, I'm realizing donuts are named after other things.
05:01Long Johns, old-fashioned.
05:02An old-fashioned is a donut that is a cakier donut.
05:06Right.
05:07Okay.
05:08Yeah.
05:09Mm-hmm.
05:10Definitely a dipping donut.
05:11Not for the first bite, but this is definitely a dipping donut.
05:12Okay.
05:13Want to do a bite?
05:14Yes, sir.
05:16Oh, yeah.
05:17Oh, yeah.
05:18Mm.
05:19The flavor of the icing.
05:20Really good.
05:21Yeah, really good.
05:22Strawberry?
05:23Yeah, the texture.
05:24Oh, shit.
05:25I think it's some kind of fruit or berry.
05:26Some berry.
05:27Mystery.
05:28Mystery berry.
05:29Panberry.
05:30Yeah.
05:31A panberry flavor.
05:32Maybe I'll boil Rudolph Boysen back again.
05:33Give it a little dip.
05:34We're really building a world across these episodes.
05:37One thing I'll point out.
05:38I'd say most of the donuts that you find in the UK, particularly these kind of like sugared
05:41donuts.
05:42Yeah.
05:43Will tend to be the yeasted bready dough.
05:44Yeah.
05:45But they tend to be quite chewy, which personally I quite like, actually, as a texture.
05:48Really?
05:49You prefer your donut to be more like a war ration?
05:51Pretty much, yeah.
05:52I just want something with some chew in it.
05:53Just give me a big ball of rubber and I'm happy.
05:56I mean, I understand.
05:58As someone who doesn't have donuts this light, what do you think?
06:02How does it land with you?
06:04I like it.
06:05I think it's not really like a case of one's better than the other.
06:07Yeah.
06:08I think for me, it's just like a slightly different style.
06:10I also think when they're this light and fluffy, easy to eat more of them.
06:14I could put this whole box away pretty easily, whereas in the UK, if I had six donuts, I'd
06:17be like, oh my God.
06:19Yeah, that's true.
06:20That's more like having six bagels.
06:21Yeah.
06:22There is a small chance my opinion will be changed during this, but either way, I'll
06:26still be able to appreciate these, I'm sure.
06:27All right, man.
06:28I'm glad to hear it.
06:29I could sit here all day and do a nice donut session here, but we have four LA donuts to
06:34try.
06:35Want to head out to the next spot?
06:36I very much do.
06:37Let's go.
06:38Let's do it.
06:39Oh, man.
06:40All right.
06:42Having a sugar high and a crash and a caffeine buzz all at the same time.
06:46This is definitely the quintessential American experience for you, right?
06:50It's like 9.30 AM.
06:51We're all like jacked off of sugar and kidney.
06:54All the food drugs just coursing through your system at once.
06:58USA, baby.
07:00All right, next stop.
07:02We're at Donut Man in Glendora, California.
07:04This place, fantastic donuts, but I want you to specifically try their strawberry donuts.
07:09They're absolutely incredible.
07:10They are bursting with giant pieces of delicious, fresh strawberries.
07:14So good.
07:15You have to have it.
07:16That sounds good.
07:17Fruit and donut.
07:18Particularly fresh fruit and donut.
07:19Not something I've had a lot of in the past.
07:20I'm excited to try these.
07:21All right.
07:22Let's go.
07:23Let's go.
07:24So can I have two of the strawberry donuts?
07:25Yep.
07:26Two glazed.
07:27And one of the chocolate long ones.
07:28Is that called a long john?
07:29It's a chocolate bar, but everyone calls them long johns.
07:33Thank you.
07:34Yeah, one long john.
07:35Helpful.
07:36Okay, thanks.
07:37Thanks.
07:38Thank you.
07:39Thank you.
07:40Yeah, let's go, sir.
07:43So they don't have any tables and chairs here, so I thought we would complete the full American
07:48experience by eating in the car.
07:50In the car.
07:51Perfect.
07:52My girlfriend always makes fun of me for waiting for my food and drinks to cool down before
07:54I eat them.
07:55Well, don't let it cool.
07:56What do you think of this temperature right here?
08:01What the hell is wrong with you?
08:04What are you doing?
08:05That's far too hot.
08:06No, it's perfect.
08:07I want to be able to taste these donuts.
08:08I need some taste buds left.
08:11I could bathe in this coffee.
08:12You're insane.
08:13All right.
08:14Teflon mouth.
08:15Okay, let's take a look at some donuts.
08:17This box looks wild.
08:18Yeah.
08:19Beautiful, right?
08:20We're going to get onto them in a second, but those strawberry donuts are very exciting
08:23to me.
08:24You can see why they're so famous.
08:25Now, this is glazed.
08:26It looks nice, though.
08:27It does.
08:28It's a good bite.
08:29Yeah.
08:30Not the thickest one, which is fine.
08:31I think sometimes, actually, if they've gone too thick, they can have over-proofed a little
08:33bit in the baking stage.
08:35You can end up with almost too fluffy and not enough texture to it.
08:38Also, not too heavy on the glaze, right?
08:41Good observation.
08:42I've got a half of that.
08:43Okay.
08:44Definitely doughier on the inside.
08:45A little bit.
08:46Maybe closer to what you like.
08:47Yeah, almost.
08:48We'll give it a try and find out.
08:49Yeah.
08:50Let's go.
08:51Mm-hmm.
08:52Mm.
08:53That's good.
08:54I think it definitely does have a bit more chew to it.
08:57Do you get that?
08:58I do.
08:59Not as pillowy.
09:00More of a bite to it.
09:01I don't know if I would consider it cakier, but it has a thickness to it that I like.
09:07Let's you know it's there.
09:08So, something that I don't think you've ever had would be these strawberry donuts?
09:12No, sir.
09:13I mean, look at that.
09:15This is technically a donut, but look at this.
09:17It's like a strawberry sandwich.
09:19This thing is ridiculous.
09:20This looks amazing.
09:21There's like a whole punnet of strawberries on here.
09:23A what?
09:24Punnets.
09:25Is that like a unit of strawberry?
09:26Like a bushel?
09:27No, it's just a container.
09:28Oh, okay.
09:29We're all learning.
09:30Regardless, though.
09:32So, if you're watching at home, this is a punnet version for those in the UK.
09:35Oh, no.
09:36Oh, crap.
09:37Straight on the jean.
09:38Yeah.
09:39Literally bursting with strawberries.
09:41There are a lot of strawberries on here, like all the kind of jam and stuff that comes with
09:46it as well.
09:47Look, there's a lot on the box.
09:48I like strawberry syrup.
09:49I'm going to just try one right now.
09:50We'll get this one because it's going to fall off otherwise.
09:53Oh, wow.
09:54That's so good.
09:55It's a good strawberry on its own.
09:58Let's try and get some with the donuts somehow.
10:08Mmm.
10:09Wow.
10:10Holy moly.
10:11That's really good.
10:12Wow.
10:15I feel like donuts, ideally, are like a convenience food you can kind of eat one-handed with a
10:21coffee.
10:22This one, I think you need to be sat down, maybe even a knife and fork.
10:25Yeah, this one's more of an event, but wow.
10:28This is so fantastic.
10:29You get a bite with everything in there?
10:30Mm-hmm.
10:32Wow.
10:33So I think, for me, they need the donuts here to be like on the chewier side.
10:38Yes.
10:39Because a lot of the donuts on the menu are full of stuff like this.
10:41Absolutely.
10:42It's like jam, fruits.
10:43The thickness of the dough here also has almost like a support donut, buttress-like use to
10:52make this thing so...
10:53I can barely talk.
10:54This is so good.
10:55To make this thing possible.
10:56Yeah.
10:58This is really good, though.
10:59Mm-hmm.
11:00This is so fantastic.
11:01Is this still a breakfast food?
11:02I mean, how do you even come up with the idea for like a strawberry donut with that much
11:05strawberry in it?
11:06Well, from what I hear, the owner actually had a friend who had a strawberry patch, and
11:09one year, the guy had more strawberries than he knew what to do with, so he designed the
11:12strawberry donut just to help him out, and then over the years, it's become their most
11:16popular item.
11:17I love that.
11:18Kind of by accident, ends up becoming iconic, and yeah, you can see why when it's that good.
11:21It's fantastic.
11:22Now, one of the secrets they say to making these donuts is they use potato flour and
11:27a soybean shortening.
11:28I don't know what they're taking out of what you normally use, but I think that probably
11:33is why it has that a little thicker consistency, but not too thick, right?
11:38Yeah.
11:39It's got like a starchiness to it.
11:40Yeah.
11:41Yeah.
11:42Yeah.
11:43Speaking of fruit, another fresh fruit they have here is an apple donut.
11:45The apple slice is a little more manageable than the size of these strawberries.
11:48A little bit.
11:49But I got this one, too, because from a distance, it looks like it's filled with beans, and I
11:53know you like your beans.
11:54You want it just to make me feel at home.
11:56I appreciate that.
11:59Mmm.
12:01Oh, yeah.
12:02Also fantastic.
12:03Mm-hmm.
12:06That filling is so good.
12:07It's like the cinnamon in there, the apple.
12:09But the fruit that they're doing here, man, the fruit, it's so fresh and flavorful.
12:13Mm-hmm.
12:14You know, people, I think, would forgive a lesser quality fruit in their donut because
12:21they're kind of coming for the sweetness, right?
12:24Mm-hmm.
12:25And you're like, uh-uh, now forget that.
12:26You're also getting the fresh fruit, too, which I really like.
12:28It's that attention to detail that I think is why this place stands out.
12:31You can taste the difference.
12:32Yeah.
12:33It's like still got that crunch to it, that fresh apple crunch.
12:35The textures are good.
12:36The flavor's great.
12:37So fantastic.
12:38Yeah, these fruity ones, man.
12:39Delicious.
12:41Look what I got.
12:42Huh?
12:43Another long john, and it is a long, long john.
12:45But they're calling them chocolate bars.
12:47Sure.
12:48So still no one has fully confirmed that it is a long john.
12:50Yeah.
12:51This one, I think you said, is a tiger tail.
12:52That's what he said, yeah.
12:53Which is enormous.
12:54Oh, cool.
12:55It's got a little twist to it.
12:56It's got tiger stripes to it.
12:57Yeah.
12:58Okay, let's go.
13:02Mm.
13:03There's chocolate inside there.
13:05It's like a babka donut.
13:07Oh, yeah?
13:08Mm-hmm.
13:09That's really good.
13:13Oh, yeah.
13:14Mm-hmm.
13:15Wow.
13:16Is this unique to this place?
13:17This is really good.
13:18He said it was one of their signatures, one that they're known for.
13:21So how do you like eating in a car?
13:24I mean, it wouldn't be my first choice.
13:27Oh, this is considered the boot?
13:29The boot of a car, yeah.
13:31Your car boot.
13:32It's eating gigantic donuts in the boot of a car in a parking lot.
13:36Mm-hmm.
13:37Somewhere on the side of a really busy road.
13:39Sipping my scalding hot coffee.
13:41All right.
13:42This was fantastic, but a couple more spots I want to take you to.
13:44So you want to head out to eat some more donuts?
13:45Absolutely.
13:46All right, more donuts.
13:47Let's go.
13:49And the next spot I'm taking you is the Donut Hall.
13:51This place is great because it's a drive-through
13:54and feels like you're driving through a giant donut.
13:57Amazing.
13:58Yeah.
13:59Not a lot of scones to drive through over there in the U.K., is there?
14:02Not enough holes in scones to get a car through, I'll tell you that much.
14:06I can't wait to see what it's going to be like.
14:08Yeah, this place is great, yeah.
14:09This, I think, is a pretty American thing,
14:11to the restaurant be shaped like the thing it sells.
14:13Yeah.
14:14Right?
14:15Hi, how are you?
14:16Great.
14:17Can I do two glazed donuts?
14:19Can I get two of the chocolate sprinkles?
14:24And let's also do two of the maple long johns.
14:28Thank you.
14:30Now, this is a good-looking box of donuts, Joe.
14:33Yeah, man.
14:34I took you here to the Donut Hall, parked right in front of the titular hole.
14:39What are you laughing at?
14:41Just the word hole.
14:42It's a donut hole.
14:43I could take this guy anywhere.
14:45Drive-through, cash only, give me the donuts, and go.
14:48Fantastic spot.
14:50Famous for its structure and donuts.
14:53Grab yourself a glaze.
14:54Start with glaze, yeah.
14:55Look at this guy.
14:56This is a pillowy donut.
14:57You know it's pillowy when you pick it up,
14:59and just from the act of picking it up, your fingers kind of squish it.
15:02Yeah, yeah, yeah.
15:03It's like feather-like.
15:04On the bulkier side of the glazed ones that we've had so far, I would say.
15:07Nice and fluffy.
15:09Makes me think it's going to be quite an airy bite when we bite into it.
15:12And also, great glazing coverage as well.
15:14Yeah, good glaze coverage.
15:16This donut's so pillowy.
15:18Now, I'm not going to, but I'm resisting the urge to completely just shove the whole thing in my mouth.
15:22I bet I could.
15:23I don't think I could chew it and swallow it.
15:24I feel like I can come back to this one.
15:26That's how pillowy this donut is.
15:27Now I feel like we should try that.
15:28We'll see.
15:29Now you've said it.
15:30We'll take a couple bites, we'll see.
15:31We'll have a donut-shoving-in-the-mouth contest in a minute here.
15:34But first, let's just do a regular bite, baseline comparison.
15:37Here we go.
15:39Mmm.
15:42Mmm.
15:43Yep.
15:44I'm actually getting more flavor from the dough maybe than some other places we've been to so far.
15:48Interesting.
15:49Getting like vanilla-y notes from that one.
15:51I think sometimes I actually do just want like a nice plain dough and let the toppings do the talking.
15:56But particularly with a glazed donut where there's so few ingredients and like no toppings on it other than the glaze,
16:00it's quite nice to have like a little bit of additional flavor coming through from the dough.
16:03Now, I feel like the way that the hot dog eating guys do, they dump it in water and then shove it in their mouth,
16:08think the coffee would make it.
16:09That might help.
16:10Yeah, that might help with the digestion.
16:11Okay.
16:12You going for it?
16:13Yeah.
16:24Actually, despite my face doing that, that was actually very satisfying.
16:27I'm really glad we did that.
16:28That was good.
16:29Yeah.
16:30I want to hit you with some donut facts slash history.
16:32Bring it on.
16:33Ready for donut history?
16:34So ready.
16:35All right.
16:36Who originally brought Oli cakes, a.k.a. oily cakes, to America in the early 18th century?
16:41How are we spelling Oli cakes there?
16:43O-L-Y-K-O-E-K.
16:45Kek.
16:46That's either German or Dutch.
16:47Dutch.
16:48You got it.
16:49Yeah, yeah.
16:50The Dutch brought it over here.
16:51So the recipe for dough nuts dates back to the 1750s, and it was actually more of a ball and not a ring donut.
16:58Sure.
16:59I guess like a nut shape, you know?
17:00Yeah, yeah, yeah.
17:01They say that the actual ring shape of the donut wasn't invented until around 1847.
17:05That's a specific year, which is strange.
17:07It really is.
17:08And I got that.
17:09I mean, how do they even record history back then?
17:10I don't know.
17:11History is recorded by the winners.
17:12Mm-hmm.
17:13So if there was any donut wars, this guy's like, yeah, I did it.
17:171847.
17:18Mark it.
17:19The only one in this village who can read or write, so I'm documenting it.
17:22So it's all, yeah, all up to me.
17:23Okay.
17:24So this is the—
17:25Next up is the long john.
17:26I'm going to ask this at every spot, but did they call it a long john here, or are you
17:29still the only person who says that?
17:30Well, I said long john.
17:31She got them, but—
17:32Okay, that's fine.
17:33This is a good long john.
17:36Mm.
17:38Great chocolate flavor from the icing.
17:40What is it that draws you to the long johns rather than regular donuts?
17:43I think because they're easier to eat.
17:45You just kind of go boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
17:47It's like Bugs Bunny eating a carrot.
17:48Yeah, yeah, yeah.
17:49Yeah.
17:50Yeah.
17:51Exactly.
17:52It's exactly what I was like as a kid.
17:53And then last but not least, when I got these chocolate donuts, I wanted to get something
17:57cakey-er so we could get a different version of the type of donut here.
18:01See, this is a smaller donut.
18:03This is denser.
18:04I feel like this is still more donut than any of the other two we've had before.
18:07Yeah, this would fill you up more than even like a very long long john.
18:10You're going straight in for the coffee.
18:11Gotta go for the dip.
18:12Can I get one bite dipless?
18:14Gotta loosen it up.
18:15Okay.
18:16All right, go for it.
18:19Mm.
18:20Yeah.
18:21This is the first time we've had like a chocolate or like a flavored dough today as well.
18:25Is it?
18:26Yeah.
18:27Oh.
18:28The others have just been all plain donuts, right?
18:29Yeah, good point.
18:30With the icing on top.
18:31But this one, the actual obviously dough is chocolate-flavored itself.
18:34I want you to notice that although it is a donut, by donut standards, the dough itself
18:38is not very sweet, right?
18:39Yeah, definitely not.
18:40But it's topped with the frosting and the sprinkles, which adds to the sweetness.
18:45So they know that you're going to get a lot of sweet on top.
18:47So don't go crazy with the sweetness in the dough.
18:49Don't want to overload it.
18:50Which is crucial, actually, because I think if the dough itself were really sweet here,
18:53it would be too much.
18:54But right now, it's actually kind of fine.
18:55Yeah.
18:56Figured it out.
18:57They cracked the code over here at the donut hall.
18:58They really did.
18:59That's why it's the quality.
19:00That's why it shapes like one of these.
19:01Well, I don't want to sit in the boot any longer.
19:03I want to go get some more donuts.
19:05All right, let's get out of this trunk.
19:06Let's go.
19:07Hey, trunk.
19:08You look more American.
19:09Primo's Donuts.
19:10Let's go.
19:11Oh, it's 6 a.m.
19:12I mean, you couldn't pay me to start work at 6 a.m.
19:17This is Primo's Donuts.
19:18We're kind of on the west side of L.A.
19:20I believe this town is Westdale.
19:21Fantastic place.
19:22Been here since 1956.
19:24Originally opened by Ralph Primo Sr.
19:26As the story goes, he was in the area looking to buy a house.
19:29After a day of looking for houses, he stopped in here to get some donuts.
19:32And after a few minutes, came up to the car and surprised his wife with the news
19:35that he, in fact, bought this donut shop.
19:37And we are here because these are some of the best donuts in L.A.
19:41Okay. High praise.
19:42Yeah.
19:43Also, if you bought a donut shop without asking your wife,
19:45how do you think that would go down?
19:47That'd be it for me.
19:48That's a wrap.
19:49That's it.
19:50Have fun in your donut.
19:51You're sleeping there, pal.
19:52And peel off of the car and the pets.
19:54One thing you definitely got to try here is the Buttermilk Bar.
19:56It was my favorite donut from a couple years ago.
19:58It's absolutely fantastic.
19:59And, of course, a glaze.
20:01I also do an apple fritter and the cinnamon twist.
20:03That's a lot of donuts, but they all sound very tasty.
20:05Oh, they're all fantastic.
20:06More fruit, seasonings involved.
20:08I'd love to see it.
20:09All right.
20:11First things first, of course, the glaze, which we've been trying all day.
20:14First impressions looking at it.
20:16They look beautiful.
20:17Very picturesque donut.
20:19Pretty much like 360-degree glaze coverage, which I like.
20:23Not seeing many bald spots there.
20:25Nice and warm, too.
20:26They're fresh.
20:28Smells good.
20:29Got a little bit of a weight to it, which I like.
20:30A bit hefty.
20:31Want to take a bite?
20:32I really do.
20:33Okay.
20:34Cheers.
20:39There are a few greater pleasures for me in life than biting into a still warm donut.
20:44All right.
20:45There's a thing in the UK, getting donuts by the seaside.
20:48You get these little huts right along the beachfront that would just be making and selling fresh donuts throughout the day.
20:54The way they do it is that they're really small, so they fry really quickly.
20:57They're almost made to order and you get them and they're still really hot.
21:00It's kind of evoking those memories for me.
21:02It reminds you of that?
21:03A nice, warm, fresh donut.
21:04That's so nice.
21:05With the sugar on there.
21:06That's all it needs.
21:07It doesn't need much more than that.
21:08That's really good.
21:09Taste-wise, how's this stacking up for you compared to some others?
21:11It has a nice thickness to it.
21:13It isn't as pillowy as other ones we've had today, but I really like how it's still incredibly soft just biting into it.
21:18Because it looks thicker, it's a bit deceitful.
21:21You think it's going to be a thicker donut, but when you bite into it, oh man, it just melts in your mouth.
21:25It's an interesting mix, actually, because like I say, sometimes it will be a bit chewier, sometimes a bit lighter.
21:29It's definitely got some chew to it, but you chew it once or twice and then it just kind of melts, which is really impressive.
21:35I don't know how they're achieving that texture, but that's a really fantastic glazed donut.
21:38Let's slow down there, man.
21:39We've got other donuts to try.
21:41Anything else jumping out at you we want to try next?
21:42I mean, you've been raving about this buttermilk bar.
21:44This is the one. This is the one.
21:46Okay, you want to jump right into it?
21:47I think we should.
21:48Grab yours, buddy, which one do you want?
21:49While it's still fresh.
21:50Yeah.
21:51Also still just a little bit warm.
21:52Signature menu item right here.
21:54Talk me through what I can expect.
21:56Why did you like this so much last time?
21:57I don't know. I can't describe it.
21:58I mean, compared to other donuts, it just had a unique flavor that was fantastic.
22:02But with the glaze, you just got to taste it for yourself.
22:04All right.
22:05Want to go for a bite?
22:06Very much so.
22:12Mmm.
22:13Pairing that savoriness of the buttermilk donut with the glaze, it's so incredible.
22:20So this is more of the kind of cake-y style as well, right?
22:22Yeah.
22:26Chew your food.
22:27It has a heaviness to it that I really think is really good.
22:30I could just have one of these.
22:32Yeah, I think it's fantastic.
22:34I don't think we've had any other donuts that taste like this one today.
22:37And to be honest, I don't really have donuts like this very often.
22:40That's why I think it really stands out as being so special.
22:44To me, it's pushing the boundaries of what a donut is.
22:46Go on.
22:47But in terms of the textures, in terms of the shape,
22:50it's just kind of unique compared to a lot of other things that I've tried.
22:53I agree. It's incredibly unique, and it's really delicious.
22:55Very tasty.
22:56Okay.
22:57A few more to try.
22:58Starting to hit a wall here.
22:59Let's do this.
23:00Okay.
23:01Cinnamon.
23:02At one point, these were shaped like a butterfly,
23:04but now it looks like they've morphed into more of a swirl.
23:06Right.
23:07But still.
23:08Somewhere between a cinnamon roll and a pan au chocolat,
23:11which is kind of an impressive shape.
23:13Yeah.
23:14It's got the cinnamon inside, you said?
23:15I believe so, yes.
23:16It's like crumbled stuff on top.
23:17Yes.
23:18Okay.
23:19I agree.
23:20I'm also starting to get on the more full side of things,
23:22so measuring my bites a little bit more.
23:25Oh, man.
23:26A lot fluffier.
23:28Mmm.
23:30The amount of cinnamon sugar that's packed into that.
23:32Yeah.
23:33That's a lot.
23:34Mm-hmm.
23:35You do get a real cinnamon roll kind of vibe from that when you bite into it,
23:37especially with the icing.
23:38Yeah.
23:39It's like a Cinnabon that you don't have to eat with a knife and fork.
23:41Yeah, that's what I said.
23:42And then take a nap immediately after.
23:44Yeah, the Cinnabon's like dripping with their weird sauce
23:46that makes it impossible to eat.
23:47This tastes just as good as more of a manageable donut or roll
23:51to eat, whatever you want to call it, yeah.
23:53Cinnamon is great.
23:54Correct.
23:55And I feel like as good as cinnamon donuts or pastries are,
23:59I usually don't get cinnamon.
24:01I usually go chocolate, you know, something else.
24:03But whenever I have something cinnamon, I'm like, oh, yeah, cinnamon rules.
24:06Cinnamon's so good.
24:07Yes, dude.
24:08Cinnamon is so good.
24:09There's one thing to take away from this video.
24:11Cinnamon is awesome.
24:13Thumbs up from me.
24:14Oh, wow.
24:15We got one more.
24:16Yes.
24:17Apple baby.
24:18Still warm as well.
24:19That just fell apart.
24:20Yeah.
24:21Oh, that's so soft.
24:22Still so warm and soft.
24:23Oh, goodness.
24:29I was expecting this to be more of a cakey one, but again, it's more donut.
24:32It's more of that yeasted dough.
24:35This is so light.
24:36It's so fluffy.
24:37And with the amazing glaze, it melts perfectly in your mouth.
24:40It's so delicious.
24:41But it isn't overly sweet.
24:42No.
24:43I want to point out.
24:44You think something that's covered in glaze is going to be like too much,
24:46but it's not here.
24:47It's the perfect amount.
24:49I've actually been impressed by that throughout the course of today.
24:52I think particularly my perception of American food is that sometimes it can
24:56be a little bit in your face with the flavors.
24:58No.
24:59I know, right?
25:00Believe it or not.
25:01Yeah, I guess I could see that.
25:02I think I was expecting it to be really like hit.
25:04You know, sometimes you bite into something and your teeth hurt because
25:06there's so much sugar in it.
25:07Yeah.
25:08I do actually know what you mean, yeah.
25:09You just feel it in your gums.
25:10You feel your gums like receding.
25:12My teeth are getting bigger.
25:13Yeah, yeah, yeah.
25:14Yeah, there's some places that do that, yeah.
25:16Sometimes.
25:17But honestly, the places that we've been to today, including this one,
25:19the glaze itself isn't actually absurdly sweet.
25:21No.
25:22It's actually quite balanced.
25:23And again, when you've got other sweet ingredients in there,
25:25you've got the apple in here.
25:26You've got some cinnamon in there.
25:28Still not, somehow, still not overdoing it.
25:31Now, you had said something earlier that I think is funny.
25:33You said that the term doughnut is an insult?
25:35Yeah.
25:36I mean, it still means doughnut in the U.K.,
25:38but I've often heard doughnut used as an insult,
25:40often combined with a word like absolute.
25:43So, like, you absolute doughnut or something.
25:45Okay.
25:46Would be, you know, you're an idiot.
25:47I feel like that's the tone, too.
25:49Because if you were over here and someone was like,
25:50oh, you absolute scone, you'd be like,
25:53I'm going to go ahead and assume that wasn't a compliment.
25:55Yeah.
25:56Yeah, I don't think anyone's just being like,
25:58oh, you mean I'm like nice and sweet?
25:59Oh, cool.
26:00No, no, no, no, no, yeah.
26:01Stop it.
26:02Go on.
26:03Go on.
26:04Fresh.
26:05Yeah, I like that.
26:06So, this was absolutely fantastic.
26:08I would love nothing more than to stay here and finish these doughnuts
26:11and then roll ourselves back home.
26:13But I got one more place I want to take you to before we head out.
26:16We can do that.
26:17Let's go.
26:18So, what is your go-to, I guess, sweet breakfast in the morning?
26:24It's just not common in the U.K. to have that sweet a breakfast,
26:27especially not doughnut-level sweet.
26:29Maybe like a croissant, like a pain au chocolat or something like that.
26:33It's kind of in the acceptable sweet breakfast pastry realm in the U.K.
26:37So, you guys aren't getting doughnuts in the morning?
26:38No.
26:39So, Krispy Kreme is dead in the morning?
26:40Yes.
26:41Really?
26:42Pretty much, yeah.
26:43Weird.
26:44Is that like peak time in the U.S.?
26:45I would think so, yeah.
26:46All the doughnut chains, all the doughnut spots are just bumping in the morning.
26:50It's such a bizarre thing to say that you guys don't have it for breakfast.
26:53It's so ubiquitous here.
26:54If my mom had come home with a box of doughnuts for breakfast,
26:57I would have lost my mind when I was a child.
26:59Yeah.
27:00I would have been losing it.
27:01We all did.
27:02It was the best.
27:03Yeah, doughnuts are the best.
27:04And maybe doughnuts just don't go as well with tea.
27:06Maybe that's why they've never really taken off in the U.K.
27:08Oh, yeah, absolutely not.
27:09Doughnut and coffee versus doughnut and tea, I don't know, man.
27:12Yeah, but you guys would have scones instead, right?
27:14Even those aren't really a breakfast food.
27:16Afternoon tea, man.
27:18So bizarre.
27:20My man.
27:22More doughnuts, baby.
27:23There he is.
27:24There it is.
27:25Saved you a seat.
27:26Thank you.
27:27Thanks.
27:28All right, last spot, Randy's.
27:30You know the iconic doughnut.
27:32You've seen it in film and TV.
27:34I really have.
27:35Yeah.
27:36Been here since 1952.
27:3932 feet wide.
27:41And meters, what is that?
27:4529?
27:46Just over 10.
27:47Oh.
27:48Yeah.
27:49I refuse to ever get that right.
27:50You went way over.
27:51Yeah, that's pretty big, right?
27:52It's pretty big.
27:53Yeah, yeah.
27:54If this video falls in line with our theory when the building is somehow shaped with the
27:58food that they're selling, you know it's going to be great.
28:00This place is like a destination.
28:01We've got people pulling up pretty much just to take a photo of it.
28:04That's right.
28:05And hopefully buying some doughnuts while they're here.
28:06But we're not here to talk about wild architecture.
28:08We're here to talk about doughnuts.
28:10Doughnuts.
28:11What do you have for me here, Joe?
28:12All right.
28:13Definitely got the standard glaze.
28:14Of course.
28:15I feel like you couldn't leave my country without having a doughnut with meat on it,
28:18so I got a bacon maple glaze doughnut.
28:20And then something fun.
28:21This one has fruity pebbles on it.
28:23Are there fruity pebbles in the UK?
28:24We do not.
28:25We do not have any cereals this color in the UK.
28:27Oh, no?
28:28They're a lot more dull because they're made without using these petroleum-based dyes.
28:31Be prepared for your mind to be rewired by that.
28:34Yes.
28:35And bacon meets doughnuts are going to be great.
28:37I don't think I've ever had a meat doughnut before.
28:39Are these common?
28:40We are undisputed.
28:42Broken up bacon bits on top of a maple glazed long john.
28:46Sure.
28:47And it's fantastic.
28:48All right, man.
28:49The first things we've got to do, we've got to try a glazed doughnut.
28:51Glazy boys.
28:52Glazy boys.
28:53I'm going to grab this one.
28:54Why don't you grab that other one?
28:55Yeah, OK.
28:56Why did that one catch your eye there, Joe?
28:57I think it's more like the size inconsistency.
28:59Hold yours up next to mine.
29:01I've got a slightly wider one, I would say.
29:03Yeah, but the hole's the same size.
29:06Don't.
29:07Don't say anything.
29:09All right?
29:10We're almost out of here.
29:12Come on, man.
29:13But yours is a lot wider than mine.
29:15Look at your face.
29:21Our producer Charlie went home sick, and now we're just like, dad's gone.
29:25Put the cats away.
29:26The mice will play.
29:27All right.
29:28Anyway, let's try this doughnut.
29:29All right, man.
29:30Go.
29:36I like the glaze.
29:37Again, not in your face sweet.
29:39I actually think from this one, I maybe get a slightly more oily taste than I have from
29:43some of the other ones.
29:44I feel like it's maybe just soaked up a little bit more of that oil in the cooking process.
29:47Now, speaking of savory, we have meat, doughnuts, especially a long time.
29:54Oh, and it's warm.
29:56There is a lot of bacon on here.
29:57They've not skimped on the bacon.
29:58I don't think I hate the idea.
30:00I've had like bacon pancakes before, and those are good.
30:03With the maple glaze, I guess, taking the place of like a maple syrup that you might
30:06put on the pancakes.
30:07Yeah.
30:08I'm intrigued.
30:09Should we try?
30:10Yeah, let's do it.
30:11Okay.
30:12I'll get like an extra bacon-y bite.
30:13I'm going to go from this end.
30:15Mmm.
30:20It really is like biting into a stack of bacon pancakes with maple syrup.
30:25That's fascinating.
30:26Yeah.
30:27Keeping it American, I want you to definitely experience what's like that.
30:32What are these called?
30:33Sorry?
30:34Fruity Pebbles.
30:35Yeah, Fruity Pebbles.
30:36So you don't know what Fruity Pebbles are.
30:37I've never had Fruity Pebbles in my life.
30:38Judging from the looks and the color, I would be shocked if there was much actual fruit in
30:40here, but let's give it a go.
30:42All right.
30:44Are they cool?
30:48Fruity Pebbles with chocolate is a weird mix.
30:50Somewhat controversially, this might actually be my favorite one of these three.
30:53Oh, wow.
30:54I don't love the Fruity Pebbles on their own because there's not a lot of real fruit flavor
30:58going on there.
30:59Okay.
31:00To me, it just tastes like I'm eating like a cleaning wipe.
31:02Okay.
31:03But I actually think with the chocolate icing, it kind of mellows that out.
31:07Oh, okay.
31:08Plus with, obviously, this lovely spongy donut.
31:12I don't know.
31:13Oh, wow.
31:14I think for me, this actually works quite well.
31:15Great.
31:16Did I mean?
31:17All right.
31:18So, now is the time to make a decision.
31:21We went to five fantastic places today.
31:23All of them were delicious, but we got to choose our favorites.
31:26Let's start at the top.
31:27Went to Dad's Classic Donut Shop.
31:29Classic Donuts.
31:30Great coffee.
31:31I think as far as the standards, the classics, they're doing it fantastically well.
31:35I loved their glazed donut.
31:37I thought it was just so pillowy and soft.
31:38And the other donuts we had there were also fantastic.
31:40Yeah, I agree.
31:41I thought they did the basics very well there.
31:43Probably my favorite coffee that we had today.
31:45I'm not much of a coffee guy, so I might not be the best person to comment on that,
31:48but I just thought that one went down really smooth.
31:50Dipping the donut in the coffee, sensational experience.
31:53Can't recommend.
31:54Nice.
31:55Okay.
31:56After that, we went to the Donut Man.
31:58The big strawberry donuts.
32:00What they're known for.
32:01Those strawberries, oh my goodness, were so delicious, so savory and fresh.
32:05Everything there just, I think it was like the syrup or the sauce, I don't know what to call it,
32:09that was dripping with it.
32:10Absolutely fantastic.
32:11Such a great donut.
32:12They were doing things that I don't think anyone else today has done with a donut.
32:15Sure.
32:16In terms of, yeah, the fillings that they're using, the quality, the fresh ingredients.
32:19Really loved that.
32:20Strawberries were amazing.
32:21Messy.
32:22Not an eaten-on-the-go donut, but a very tasty donut.
32:25Really loved the apple as well.
32:26And also the glazed, still doing a great job.
32:28Then we took a quick trip through the donut hall.
32:30I mean, that was a fun experience, right?
32:32It was.
32:33The only place that we truly drove through.
32:35Yeah, literally a drive-through, which I appreciated.
32:38Yeah.
32:39Cool visuals, but also some really good donuts.
32:41Yeah, we really liked those donuts.
32:42I think the glaze was particularly really nice.
32:44Yes, I think that might have been the best glaze I had today, actually.
32:47Oh, okay, okay.
32:48I just had to isolate the glaze.
32:49Gotcha.
32:50Donut hall's your favorite.
32:51All right, all right.
32:52Then off to Primo's.
32:53One of my favorite spots.
32:54Absolutely loved their unique buttermilk glazed bar.
32:57Haven't had anything like that today, possibly any other donut I've ever had.
33:01But the other ones they did, also absolutely fantastic.
33:04Loved that place.
33:05Yeah, that buttermilk bar, like you say, unique, I think.
33:08Yeah.
33:09No real other basis of comparison for that, because it was kind of cakey,
33:12but also had the elements of a glaze.
33:14That buttermilk was giving it that sour flavor that I really, really loved.
33:17And also the vibe in there.
33:18I like the family run.
33:19Yeah.
33:20Old school.
33:21Yeah.
33:22It's good fun.
33:23Yeah.
33:24And lastly, Randy's Donuts.
33:25Yes.
33:26Iconic institution of a giant donut, but actually the donuts, pretty incredible.
33:29Yeah, we had to come here.
33:30Just driving down the road and seeing this enormous donut,
33:33it just draws people in, man.
33:34It's like a beacon of flavor.
33:35Yeah.
33:36I thought the donuts were good.
33:37I will say maybe just with the glazed donut,
33:38had slightly more of an oily taste to it, which I didn't massively appreciate.
33:42But glaze was really good.
33:44Texture was good.
33:45The maple bacon donut, interesting.
33:47Don't know if it would be my first choice coming back here as a Brit
33:50with my weak palate.
33:52But those fruity pebble donuts kind of surprised me, actually.
33:54I know you weren't as much of a fan, but that might be my top choice here.
33:57All right, so we got a pick.
33:58Go for it.
33:59What was your favorite?
34:00For me, it's a race between Primo's and Dad's.
34:03Whoa.
34:04All right.
34:05It's a 50-50.
34:06There's not a lot to separate them.
34:08But I think I might lean slightly more towards Primo's.
34:11I had to choose one.
34:13I think it was your favorite back in the day.
34:16And coming here, I think I'm inclined to agree with you.
34:18But I want to know if your opinion has changed or is Primo's still number one.
34:21You know, it's tough because the other places we went to,
34:23they were also so fantastic.
34:25I had Randy's before.
34:26Donut Man, that strawberry donut was just absolutely incredible.
34:30I really thought it was fantastic.
34:31I loved it.
34:32It's something I would love to go back and get,
34:34something I would tell people to go get if they came and visit.
34:37But after all these years, I think Primo's is still my number one.
34:42There you go.
34:43I mean, everything they did was the best.
34:45It was Primo.
34:46Yeah, it was Primo.
34:48But I want to point out real quick,
34:50looks like I'm not so crazy after all.
34:53How long, John?
34:54Vindication.
34:55Yeah.