Randy's Donuts and Kindle's Do-nuts
805 W. Manchester Blvd. · Inglewood, CA | 10003 S. Normandie Ave. · Los Angeles, CA
"Subtlety" is one word that has never been used in conjunction with Los Angeles. Riots, earthquakes, 90-foot Gap ads featuring Heather Locklear. If it's not conspicuous, it's not L.A.
And "tasteful" is another word that can be used with rarity. Here more than anywhere else, kitsch reigns. But, that's the only reason I had ever put up with the place.
After all, there aren't many towns you would find a donut big enough to drive a train through, let alone two of them. (Sigmund Freud would love this place.)
First, there's Randy's Donuts, arguably the more famous of the two jumbo pastries. Randy's has appeared in magazine ads, in television commercials, on postcards, in TV specials and in numerous L.A. film montages. If you haven't noticed Randy's famous toroid up till now, you certainly will from now on.
Now, despite the fact that I didn't know who this mysterious Randy was, I felt obligated to sample his delectables while I was there all the same. I had certainly read enough L.A. tourism books to know that his donuts were widely regarded as the best, and apparently far better than the disreputable Kindle's (donut number two). Service was prompt, but the cinnamon roll I was handed was no substitute for the apple fritter I had ordered. Still, it wasn't a bad cinnamon roll. The minuscule carton of milk I purchased, however, was a bit disappointing.
Having quickly consumed the sugary delights that Randy's had provided me, I was anxious to have a taste of what Kindle's offered. Again, I had read that Kindle's was the lesser of the two walk-up donut shops, but I had to confirm the reports for myself. Luckily, Kindle's was only a short distance away and Randy's was still on my tongue, which ensured a more reliable comparison.
They served the same diminutive milk, unfortunately, but their apple fritter was surprisingly good. Much better than Randy's. All right, for a truly scientific comparison I should have ordered another cinnamon roll, but dammit, I was craving an apple fritter.
Besides, Kindle's gets extra points for offering what they call the Texas Donut — well, the Texas Donut, the Texas Glazed, the Texas-Sized Glazed Donut — it was something along those lines. The point is it was big. A donut to rival the enormous ring adorning their rooftop. And being from Texas, myself, I felt I should validate their claim.
Yes, indeed, it was a big, honkin' donut. Unfortunately, after the two tasty treats I had already consumed, it probably would have been a better idea to have something a little more nutritious. (OK, so just a little more.)
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