Remember the holidays?

I know we’re nineteen days into 2017, but the holidays only happened a few weeks ago. If it were May and I was talking about Christmas, then maybe you could roll your eyes at me. Since it’s not, allow me to continue. For the most part, the holidays were great. The seasonal cheer that was prevalent throughout the world was positively infectious and only a stone cold Grinch couldn’t be penetrated. As much as I enjoyed those special days, family time, and gifts, one of the things I loved the most was the food. You may have noticed that through my holiday eats posts or you could have figured that because you know I have an obsession with food. Looking back on the days of merriment, one of the many Christmas-themed items I truly enjoyed came from Sidecar Doughnuts in Santa Monica.

Visiting the popular donut shop that creates hand-crafted donuts obsessively throughout the day is like walking into Santa’s village. Just being in the space during that time of the year instilled a bit of joy that has lasted with me to the middle of January; maybe to February if I’m lucky. If you’re unsure how that could happen since your holiday bliss has almost completely evaporated, allow me to present Exhibit A, B, C: their donuts.
For this visit, I tried three donuts. The first was the Eggnog ($4). The gluten free donut took Alta Dena eggnog, rum extract, and freshly grated nutmeg. I liked this donut because it was simple yet exuded the holidays. Having a nice glass of eggnog is a traditional way to embrace the Christmas season, having it in a donut is a bit more modern and creative. Being able to walk around with a donut instead of a glass of eggnog is also a lot less messy. The addition of the nutmeg gives the donut a welcome kick making it really feel like you’re sitting by the fireplace—even if it is January.

The second donut, Exhibit B, was Gingerbread ($3.25). Made of molasses, fresh ginger cake and a cane syrup glaze, the donut carried a noticeable level of ginger that would be impossible to miss. It had such a great amount of ginger that the spice hit me the moment it connected with my tongue. I wouldn’t suggest this one if you lean away from dishes that have a zest of ginger, but if you almost run to it like a kid runs to Santa Claus, then this one should be a favorite!

As my holiday exploration through donuts came to a close, the Pear Charlotte ($4) donut was the best way to end it. Bosch pear compote, vanilla cream, and a handful of pomegranate seeds made a beautiful donut. Biting into it, my mouth was given a kaleidoscope of flavors from the juicy pomegranate seeds, the smooth vanilla, the pillow-like dough, and then to the warm pears that sat in the center of the pastry. But as I ate it, there was a component that I didn’t read in the description. It was sweet, salty, and sticky. It took only milliseconds for me to realize there was a sea-salt caramel glaze coating the donut. It was perfection. Even as the donut cooled while I tried more of the other two donuts, the caramel turned into a glass. Not literally of course. The caramel was delicious and ultimately turned the Pear Charlotte into my favorite of the day.

I understand that the holidays are over. Decorations no longer dress homes, commercials aren’t themed around gifts, and people aren’t walking the street caroling. I might be a little glad that last one is done actually. Although the season isn’t as merry as it used to be, thinking about how delightful these three donuts were makes me feel like the holidays weren’t too far away. Thanks to the warm and donuts from Sidecar, I can still hold on to that gingerbread feeling in January.

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Address: 631 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: (310) 587-0022
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