Questions that often haunt my thoughts when visiting Los Angeles are whether the glittery, moist people in Beverly Hills put their pants one leg at a time? Or lose socks in the dryer? Or have bad hair days? Or even, do they eat donuts?
I don’t have answers for the first three questions, although I question whether they even do their own laundry. But as for the donuts, I’m almost certain they do eat them, especially after a visit to Frittelli’s Gourmet Donuts and Coffee.
What sets Fritelli’s apart almost immediately from other donut shops is the use of quality ingredients. Their Web site cites the use of chocolates from France and Switzerland, real fruit fillings, high quality flour, imported butter, vanilla from Tahiti and Madagascar and no absolutely transfats.
Admittedly I was skeptical. Isn’t a donut just a donut regardless of the ingredients? Does it even make a difference?
All doubt was erased when I bit into the cake donut topped with strawberry glaze. My tongue confirmed that real strawberries were used in the glaze. None of the pink crap artificially sweetened to taste like strawberries — you know what I mean. As for the donut, it was melt in your mouth tender. Together, I have never tasted a better strawberry glazed cake donut. And this is from a person that only eats cake donuts, preferably plain to avoid the overly sweet toppings.
The tasting didn’t stop at one donut. Also tried were the mocha latte honey wheat (taste of real coffee and expresso incorporated into the vanilla glaze), blueberry cake (echos the strawberry glaze but with blueberries) and the outstanding peanut butter and jelly filled which in itself deserves its own sentence. It wasn’t the fact that the concept alone was simple but the execution of the donut surpassed my expectations. The peanut butter with strawberry filling was held together by a simple sweetened dough. It wasn’t overwhelming but comforting.
Other donuts offered include french crullers, donut holes, buttermilk, fritters, churros and flavors that incorporate Ceylon tea, Meyers lemons, and Callebaut chocolate. The only downside? Too many choices and not enough time. I hear their coffee is pretty good as well.
Of course, with the shop being located in Beverly Hills, the de rigueur pink donut boxes were replaced with chic blue ones with the Frittelli logo in script. And of course, the scene wouldn’t be complete without a slightly aloof person behind the counter that was no help at all in identifying donuts. I think I even saw a cringe from her at the snapping camera. Surely I was not a B.H. native especially in my wrinkled sundress.
If Frittelli’s was anything less than fantastic, the shop would have been kicked out on its hiney down Rodeo Drive a long time ago. Maybe that’s what happened to those Krispy Kreme shops.
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Frittelli’s is located on 350 N. Canon Dr. #6 in Beverly Hills.
www.frittelli.com
My Burning Kitchen 
Oh mah gawd! Excuse me while I remove myself from this pool of drool!
uh…ummm…speechless.:)
Darlene – how divine! A peanut butter and jelly donut?!? What a concept. I agree – BH couldn't even try to have a donut shop without some sceniness, but no matter, when those look as delish as they do. Great post!
I think you've created a doughnut feeding frenzy. You should be wearing one of those steel mesh wet suits (they use when feeding sharks) when writing this, lest one loses a limb from a dazed doughnut fan. Not that it would matter, but what are the prices like? Oh, there is just something priceless about being snubbed or looked down on by a doughnut shop clerk — only in America. SA
Blueberry cake donut? With REAL bluebs? Strawberry donut with actual strawbs? No trans fats?And did i read this correctly: Peanut butter and jelly filled donuts??!! What a great idea! Why didn't i think of that? i am not even a donut fan but i would so go for all of the above. Next time i head up that way (and not to name drop but my cousin, who is probably not a stranger to donuts with two teen-age sons, is a hairdresser on Rodeo Drive in Bev Hills) i'm SO there. With my bad hair & everything.Fritelli's, i think i love you. Thanks, Darlene, for the head's (mouth?'s) up!
Man, I was just there on Canon Dr. and didn't see this place! I know I bullied you into posting, but now I will bully you into hanging out with me and Nanette when you are up here. We like donuts. Oh and you. Ha.
Hey D… it's 2:28am. I'm in full insomnia mode and now I won't be able to sleep for sure… how can I with this post. YUM! They all sound so wonderful. I'd love to have you compare it to the only place in SD county I've been satisfied with in the donut department: VG Donut & Bakery (http://www.vgbakery.com/). Jo and I used to treat ourselves to it after mass on Sunday's about once a month when we lived in Encinitas. While you're there, check out Pipes Cafe. (http://www.pipescafe.com/).. lots of food, good prices, outdoors and ocean air. They serve breakfast and lunch. So jumbo breakfast burrito here and dessert on the other side of the block at VG's… 🙂 Sounds like a decent Saturday outing for you and CJ! 🙂
[drooling] well, i guess i know where i'm headed saturday morning. 🙂
Lovely post! I *finally* found a donut shop here in Monterey; not that I was looking too hard. But I like to occasionally get the boys a cake donut with sprinkles. For a while we had to make do with the supermarket bakery section. But lo and behold, I found one called, surprisingly: Monterey Donuts. (duh!) And it's operated by a Vietnamese couple. They make bagels too. Yummy Yummy…but not very good for my tummy or behind. =)
Thank God calories cannot be transmitted by the internet! Beautiful post, but I have to quickly wipe the drool off my laptop!
Great Pics!!!ok, now….I seriously have a Donut craving! And, I can't get it satisfied b/c I don't like driving into BH very often.Nothing beats real strawberries and blueberries in a donut! I'll have to try to make my way there…Thanks for the great post!
Fritelli's pb&j donut was the first donut I was ever blessed by the food gods to have touched upon my palate. Isn't it just the most charming conception?! Ah, now I must have another before I fly back off to the Fritelli's-less Bay Area 😦
Hi Nanette–Hope the drool didn't kill your keyboard!Hi MaryE–Speechless was what I was going for. Accomplished!Hi Foodette–What would a BH establishment have without some sceniness!Hi Steve–I'll check on eBay for a steel mesh wet suit. I hope it's available with a steel mouth trap so I avoid eating so much sugar. Prices for the donuts run about $1, $2 at the max if I recall correctly. Nothing too extravagent.Hi Kleopatra–Yup no transfats. That's a winning combo for me.Hi JustJenn–Frittelli's is easy to miss. When I was over there, there was some construction going on next door.Hi Photogirl–I'll try that donut place VG Donut & Bakery. Thanks for the recommendation and sorry for the insomnia!Hi Amber–I would love to hear what you think about Fritelli's!Hi Mrs. Wong–Finding a neighborhood donut shop when moving into a new place is always priority for me. Glad you found one!Hi Deborah Dowd–I agree about calories being transmitted via internet but sometimes I do wish it transmitted smell.Hi Henry Chan–Thanks! And get thee to Beverly Hills and have a donut.Hi Krizia–Glad you felt the same way about the PB&J filled donut. I'm craving that right now!