PASSIONATE RATIONS

I must have passed it hundreds of times, but it wasn’t until a Chowhound pointed out its merits that I dared to try it.  I mean, so many donut shops are disappointing.

Not this one.  Opening the door, I felt as if I had stepped back into the 1950s.  There were at least six people behind the store-length counter ready to serve.  And the signage bespoke an earlier age.   The counter itself was glass-fronted, displaying literally hundreds of donuts in varieties no mere Dunkin Donuts can match.  There must have been at least eight different types of crullers (which DD doesn’t even offer anymore, to my spouse’s and Get Fuzzy’s Satchel’s great lament).

Along the top of the counter rest even more goodies, among which we chose the raspberry squares.  Against my better judgment, I also chose a cinnamon bun.  My spouse actually got a donut-y fritter, which I suppose one should do in a donut shop.

The fritter was soft and apple-y, as fritters should be, but too rarely are.  The cinnamon bun had that fresh home-made taste that seems to be overcome so often by the chemical overlay found in the usual store-bought versions.  Both were, in my opinion, very satisfying.

But the crowning glory was the raspberry bar.  Too many people and places over-sweeten these, which decimates the raspberry flavor.  This bar, however, was only mildly sweet, with a tart and tangy raspberry filling.  We might very well have picked the berries ourselves that morning.

Needless to say, we will go back for a visit.  Maybe next time I’ll try one (or three) of those crullers….

Donut Dip
Exit 13A off of Interstate 91
West Springfield, Massachusetts
It’s on the right.  If you get to Balise Honda you’ve gone too far.