Best kind of test. Hands down.
While in Portland, we were told by numerous people to check out Voodoo donuts. It’s quite popular and the birthplace of the bacon maple donut. Nick and I have already experienced multiple bacon maple donuts, but it behooved us to check out the original.
We hadn’t planned on stopping by Voodoo, the epically long lines didn’t really appeal to me. But I happened to pass by while on a “photo walk” (more on that next week) and the rest of my fellow photogs opted to stop. I’m not one to party-poop a donut stop, so I was in.
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that line? It actually double backs on itself. Yeah. And it took over an hour to get to the front of it. By the time we had our donuts in hand, the sun had gone down. I’m serious.
But that’s ok. It’s all about the experience, right? Now we can tell people that we stood in a crazy line for donuts – this is why America is fat.
We ordered 2 bacon maple bars, 1 cap ‘n crunch and 1 voodoo doll (their signature item).
Did I mention we hadn’t eaten dinner yet? I threw all of my good decision making skills out the window that night. You wouldn’t have recognized me at all.
Verdict? They were good. The bacon on the bacon maple bar was reallllly good. I think that’s the key to a good bacon maple bar for anyone trying a DIY version. The cap ‘n crunch was not worth it (Nick really wanted it, but decided it wasn’t that great). The voodoo doll is basically a chocolate bar with arms and raspberry filling in the “head” – I think it’s suppose to be blood? Also totally good. But the only one I’d get again would be the bacon maple. To be fair, we did not try the entire menu – that would have made us very very sick.
Ok, onto donut shop #2. My friend, Brooke, told me about a lesser known but arguable better donut shop in downtown Portland. Blue Star.
I showed up to the shop and walked straight up to the cash register. And guess what! They had my favorite donut – plain, raised, and dipped in granulated sugar. These ones were dipped in cinnamon and vanilla bean sugar, YUM! I also grabbed a dulce de leche, because everyone loves a little dulce in their lives.
To be fair, I wasn’t comparing apples to apples. Good thing this wasn’t a scientific taste test. Blue Star sells a version of the bacon maple but they didn’t have any while I was there.
Here were my thoughts:
- The bacon on the voodoo bacon maple was seriously amazing, 1 pt for voodoo
- Blue star carried a version of my favorite donut, 1 pt for blue star
- Blue star donuts are just a smidge lighter than voodoo, 1 pt for blue star (obviously personal preference)
- There was no line at blue star, 10 pts for blue star
So in the end, if you asked me my preference, I’d say Blue Star. If/when I go back to Portland, I won’t wait in line for another voodoo donut.
But I get it. It’s the tourist thing to do. I compare it to Seattle tourists hitting up the original starbucks and waiting in line for WAY too long (when there’s a perfectly empty starbucks 2 blocks away – I’m not joking). So go there. Once.
Have you tried both? What’s your preference?
A few tips:
1. There is a 2nd Voodoo donut shop not too far away, see below.
2. Take a look at the voodoo menu online while you are waiting in line. You can’t see the menu until you are inside the store and then you get all flustered when the goth-y checkout girl asks what you want. At least use the online menu to help you narrow it down.
3. The Blue Star folks told me their donuts stay good for up to 2 days as long as they are in the box and don’t go into the fridge. I didn’t have that kind of will power.
4. The original Voodoo is really close to the famous Portland sign – the one with the deer. So be sure to check it out while you’re in the area.
Blue Star
1237 SW Washington St
Portland, OR 97205
Voodoo (The original)22 SW 3rd Ave
Portland, OR 97204
Voodoo Too
1501 NE Davis St
Portland, OR 97232