On my recent trip to Japan, I stopped by Kyoto and stayed with some friends I knew from Fukushima. Before I got on the train back to Tokyo, I picked up some doughnuts at the new Doughnut Plant in the Yodobashi Camera a few blocks from Kyoto Station.
As you may or may not know, I’m a big fan of Doughnut Plant in Japan. This time I managed to pick up the super rare 限定 Houji-cha doughnut that is only available in Kyoto.
Unfortunately it was very disappointing, especially after I had a fantastic Houji-cha latte at Starbucks (also only available in Kyoto). The doughnut had very little Houji-cha flavor. I really couldn’t taste the difference between it an a regular glazed doughnut. The carrot cake doughnut, however, was amazing.
Although this feels a little unfair, no? Is it legal to shape carrot cake into a doughnut and call it a doughnut? I guess so. Doughnut Plant shows off their expertise by threading cream cheese icing through the middle. Very nice touch.
And to top everything off, the weather was clear enough to see Mt. Fuji from the train.
Don’t eat a lot of donuts myself, but that carrot cake one looks delicious.
My first encounter with Manhattan Doughnut Plant was the Shinjuku Station kiosk. My friend and I both agreed that out green tea doughnuts could be well described as “wet.” This made them significantly different from any doughnut I had had in Manhattan.
About a year later, another friend sent me on a quest to a place about a mile away from where I work in Manhattan that had rose petal doughnuts on Mother’s Day. I recognized the logo immediately — and the doughnuts were similar enough in character.
As of the past couple of months, their carrot cake doughnuts were available (and yummy) in Tokyo and Manhattan.
The service is friendlier in Japan, though…