The Fried Dough Ho

Last week was a sad one for me; I had to put down a beloved feline companion after 18 years together. To cheer me up, my Best Foodie Friend, Lisa, took me out for cocktails and to get my mind off the deed. We actually started off at 1300 Fillmore, so I already had some savory fried dough and a cocktail in me when we arrived at Gitane. Located in a secluded and atmospheric alley, getting to Gitane feels like traveling down an historic pathway in Europe with its speckled lights and al fresco setting.

We dined at Gitane’s bar and had a great time and a great meal with just their appetizers. Starting with sardines, moved on to the quail, and finished up with beignets. All served with fabulous cocktails which were innovative and paired well with the food. With the sardines, I had a Sin Nombre (Van Gogh gin, creme de gingembre, cucumber, lemon, egg white, and cracked pepper). With the quail, I had a Gypsy (right gin, green chartreuse, St. Germain, and lime juice).

But this is about their beignets, which we also paired with a cocktail, a Castillan cup (bierzo roble wine, Pimm’s no. 1, sliced cucumber & strawberry, ginger beer, mint). Their beignets are very light with no hint of grease, and served with three different sauces; honey, lemon curd, and a rich, creamy chocolate. Dusted with a bit of powdered sugar, the perfectly-formed pillows of puffed dough provide a not-too-heavy finish to a great meal. The pairing with the cocktail was surprisingly successful; a bright and fruity concoction balances well with the doughy goodness and was not too harsh against the powdered sugar or any of the dipping sauces.

I have been a crafts person for the bulk of my life. As a kid, I used to macrame licorice whips together, using gumdrops as beads, to make bracelets. I have worked in clay and textiles and metal (my somewhat chosen profession). Although now, in the 21st Century, it is no longer called a “crafts culture” but DIY, or Do It Yourself. And among the DIY culture, there are few doughnut-obsessed artists like myself. The photo above is by a knitter named Kat. I like the variable colors and the “jelly” that comes out of the filled doughnut. And she is provides the knitting instructions on how to knit some yourself.

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I was in Vancouver just before the Winter Olympics. I was very fortunate to have gorgeous walking weather and almost an entire day was spent exploring Granville Island, a must-visit destination spot for visitors. I walked for hours, exploring its art studios, boutique shops, waterfront restaurants, and a pretty fabulous fresh food market. And among all the fabulous gourmet goodies, there loomed above me a bright yellow sign which brought a huge smile to me face; Lee’s Donuts.

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Most cities boast a handful of all-night establishments. Usually they are relegated to Dennys or diners of similar ilk. And then there are doughnut shops. In San Francisco, the number of places one can go and hang-out in the middle of the night is few and far between — much fewer than other cities like New York or Los Angeles — but thank goodness there are few 24-hour doughnut establishments.

Allstar Donuts on the Chestnut Avenue of the Marina district is such a store. I was walking home last night from a concert at the Palace of Fine Arts. Most of the restaurants were close to shutting down and even on a Thursday, there was quite a crowd outside most of the bars; 20-something hotties still looking for a late-night hook-up. Allstar is located on a corner and still bedecks a circa-1950s sign with neon that sometimes works but mostly does not. Even when all of the other surrounding businesses are closed and dark, a bright light shines out from the Allstar storefront. Late in the evening, the racks are full of every variety; glazed and raised, cake and sprinkled, holes and sugared.

It is an extensive variety and this late in the evening, it is an easy bet that a majority of the offerings are warm from the oven. I’ve eaten Allstar Donuts a number of times. They are perfectly adequate — nay, even slightly better than so for providing a wide variety and always being available. There are no gourmet doughnuts here; no organic, vegan, dragonfruit or kumquat flavors. The sign is circa 1950 and so is the feeling one gets on the classic black-and-white checkered floor. This is nostalgia at its best. My personal favorites tend toward the cakes at Allstar, chocolate with frosting and cinnamon crumb. They are dense and rich and all so uniform in their soldier-like presentation.

Inasmuch, I would like to introduce you to Michael. Taking my photographs at Allstar around 10:30 at night, Michael and his friend walked in and with much determination, I heard Michael call out, “one chocolate doughnut, please.” I turned to see an elegantly lanky gentleman pull his single doughnut out of the bag and chomp into right there. I asked if I could take his picture. There was something comforting about the immediacy of the pleasure Michael was experiencing in buying and consuming his doughnut with such fervor. Michael’s friend was saving his doughnut for later and this was about the shared joy of watching Michael and sharing a moment among friends over a doughnut.

Here’s to you, Michael. And here’s to all the Allstar Donuts that exist around the country, offering up their sweet bites of comfort at all hours of the day and night.