Dynamo Donuts

Dynamo Donuts has been generating a good amount of buzz since it opened on a less-traveled stretch of 24th St. It's actually very near our old apartment, so it's a good thing we moved, or I would be putting on a good deal of weight before the holiday meals even start.

People seem to have one of two reactions to this place. One is of utter delight when consuming one of their expertly prepared donuts. The other is to wonder if a $2 or $3 donut can ever be justified. Of course, that is the difference between a gourmand and a, uh, non-gourmand. Is the donut that much better than your run-of-the-mill donut shop? Absolutely. Is it worth that much? Well that's a very subjective thing, isn't it?

I think it's absolutely worth it, but I don't know that I'll be going all the way down there on a regular basis. It's more of a special occasion thing, which is probably good for my health.

While Dynamo has been getting a lot of press for its bacon, maple and apple donut (not a first by any means, but a first in SF, from what I know), they had already run out when I biked there with Lauren and my friend Jason this past unbelievably warm Saturday. Instead, I settled for a pistachio and lemon donut ($3). I also got to try Jason's vanilla donut ($2) and Lauren's spiced chocolate donut ($2.50).

There are some factors much more tangible than plain deliciousness that elevate a mere donut/sausage/baguette/pizza/whatever to that higher level. In the case of these donuts, the first bite brings three things to mind. The first is that it is impossibly light, a sign that these are made by a trained baker who knows not to overwork the dough and to use impeccable ingredients. The second is that it isn't too greasy. Donuts are fried, of course, but careful frying means you don't have to end up with a very oily product. My guess is that big producers dump too many donuts in the oil at once, or use one of those assembly line fryers (where the oil is poured over the donut), which cools down the temperature of the oil too much and thus causes the oil to be absorbed. Finally, there are the little finesse touches: in the vanilla donut, for example, there was a slight hint of lemon, which gave it a somehow refreshing taste. The pistachio donut:

In terms of pure deliciousness, the lemon-pistachio and the vanilla donut were excellent. Not quite as good as The Donut Plant in New York City, which has the best donuts I've ever had, but close. Lauren's donut was more disappointing. It tasted like a bland cake donut. I didn't try their coffee, but I know they serve espresso drinks from the excellent Stumptown Coffee Roasters up in Portland.

If you really love to donuts and want the best of the best, I'd recommend a trip to Dynamo. The prices are more than at Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme, but the product is so far superior that it's worth it, whether or not you're into fine foods. Of course, you can always justify it by buying a cheap taco from the nearby taquerias like El Tonayense or El Metate and splurging on dessert.

Dynamo Donuts
2760 24th St (Mission)
San Francisco, CA