Top Pot vs Voodoo, Boo to Both

[kirkj]

With all the hype that both get, I expected great donuts from each. What I got from each was slightly better than average with Voodoo having tastier cakes and raised (yeast) donuts. With Voodoo, their claim to fame is their creativity with coatings on the donuts.
Does either city have better donuts? As for the Greater Seattle Area, I prefer Krispy Kream's raised (yeast) - especially when they're hot. As for cake donuts, Red Apple Market in Bridle Trails makes pretty good ones for only 59cents.

[bourbongal]

In the really "greater" Seattle area, the best doughnuts are at Sluys Poulsbo Bakery in downtown Poulsbo. Worth a ferry ride. They have perfect yeast doughnuts that are about the size of a tractor tire. I grew up in the southeast on Krispy Kreme and love their plain glazed. I also think Top Pot is outstanding (esp the apple fritters). But Sluys is in a class by itself.

[JillO]

In Portland :

Moody's (Sat and Sun 9am-2pm only in back of Rocking Frog Cafe at 2511 SE Belmont St.) makes great little cake donuts TO ORDER while you wait. Plain, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar and chocolate dipped only. These are the best I have had here.

On the edge of Portland and Beaverton on Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy at Oleson Rd. is Sesame donuts. Their stuff is good (byo bacon and put it on top of one of their maple bars for a better bacon maple donut than VooDoo!) and they have a large selection. Their butternut cake donut is good, their seasonal pumpkin is really good and they make a good Portland Cream.

Annie's at NE 72nd at Sandy is bette rthan Voodoo too. Old school no frills shop with all the familiar favorites.

[kirkj]

Thanks JillO, these sound very tempting to a donut addict like me.

[terrier]

I can totally vouch for Moody's in PDX, but I'd add that you left off the best flavor: vanilla glaze. Was there with some friends recently and tried a couple of different flavors - vanilla glaze was acclaimed by all as the best.

[kirkj]

JillO, this morning, after reading your rec, I was in the neighborhood, so I stopped at Annie's Donuts. I got a raised glazed, plain cake and a glazed old-fashioned. My favorite was the raised. Comparing it to KK, I'd say that it was as light and the glaze was thinner and therefore less cloying. If both were cold, I'd say that its better but since KK's is usually available still warm, I still prefer Krispy Kream.
Thanks again for the tip.

[jaydeflix]

Mighty O donuts directly from Mighty O are my current donut preference.

As for Krispy Kreme, I have two rules:
1) Only the glazed. Everything else tends to be below average.
2) Only when it's hot.

[terrier]

Krispy Kreme is the only yeast doughnut worth eating. I know it's a chain, but really they are the apotheosis of this style.

I like Top Pot's maple old-fashioned and their cake doughnut with pink frosting + sprinkles.

The Daily Dozen in the market, if you can deal with the line (good luck on a summer weekend) is my favorite fresh cake doughnut.

[Simpatico]

I second Daily Dozen at Pike Place Market. (Terrier - you beat me to the punch. What are we doing up at this hour, dreaming about donuts?).

[kirkj]

If Daily Dozen is that stall that makes those tiny cake donuts, I found them to be quite ordinary.

[jaydeflix]

I'd agree about ordinary, but, that still puts them above Safeway brand. Served hot, they are tasty, tho again, I will agree they aren't something I'm going to drive out of the way to get. If I'm in the market and my blood sugar is low? sure.

[RandyB]

Ordinary? A perfectly cooked, just made, simple donut right out of not overly-used oil is unfortunately not ordinary these days. The small size is a plus, since the crust to middle ratio is much better than with full size donuts.

As a fan of simple cake donuts, with no more topping than sugar and cinnamon (if that), I don't know any place that has better ones than Daily Dozen at the Pike Place Market. Certainly not KK or Top Pot.

[boisenewbie]

I agree Randy!

I don't know what Kirk is looking for! ... He thinks DD is ordinary and TP and Voodoo slightly above average and prefers KK (which to me always tastes like the fund raiser doughnut it is! )

[Jeri L]

I'm also a fan of TP's maple old-fashioned. But you know another great place for donuts? Madison Park Bakery. http://www.madisonparkbakery.com/

[gmm]

I'm also a big fan of Krispy Kreme's original glazed. Every time I've had a Top Pot doughnut, it's given me a stomachache. Family Donut in Northgate has great maple bars, and if you're there early enough, you can get a warm crunchy apple fritter.