I fear my love affair with bacon is over.
To smell it first thing on the weekend still perks up my drowsy senses but I don’t crave it. So when I stopped for a quick bite at Nickel Diner, I wasn’t enamored with their infamous maple bacon donut — I was merely “eh.”
Maybe it was because we decided to travel up to Los Angeles during one of the worst storms of the year. Hello thunder and lightning. Or maybe because I was never one for having my bacon and pancakes touch, but it just didn’t float my boat. The donut was perfect in all respects. It’s a simple raised donut with a hint of maple glaze and perfectly tender. Even the bacon pieces that topped it were crispy. No soggy, sad pieces to be found on the sugary/salty confection. And everyone I saw in the diner that morning who ordered to donut ate it with a fork, just like me.
By comparison, the donut christened Clockwork Orange was all things wonderful — a glazed donut flavored with orange and topped with a chocolate drizzle. I regret not trying any other donuts on display, especially the Nutella and Red Velvet that caught my eye. It didn’t even bother me that each donut was a little over $2 each, which would be ridiculous for a plain cake donut.
Now I need to return to downtown L.A. to do a little exploring and try the other donuts. Or maybe even a slice of their salt peanut cake (made with peanut butter and potato chips)! But I’ll skip the bacon. At least for now.
My Burning Kitchen... on the road 
Blimey, they all sound lush! Must bookmark this so if I ever make it to the USA, I can make a beeline for this place! I'm still majorly in love with bacon, especially if you put maple syrup into the mix.Mmmmm.
Bacon topped donut…peanut butter potato chip cake. Sheer genius! Ahhhhhhhh.
hi there! i am delurking myself to comment…i like bacon but just not on donuts. my husband on the other hand loves bacon with anything. we'll have to try that place in your post oneday.one of my fave recipes is to bake bacon drizzled with maple syrup and freshly cracked black pepper.
Sarah–There is so much to eat and do in Los Angeles, I would definitely book a trip in the future.Diligent Diletante–I love potato chips and have resolved to return just to try that. You know, for experimentation!Canine Cologne–Thanks for delurking! I wonder, where else have you tried bacon on donuts? Have you made it yourself or is there is place in San DIego that has them? I will have to try bacon with maple syrup and black pepper.
hi – we had the maple bacon bar at voodoo doughnuts in portland. it was nothing special. the bacon was one strip cut in half. it would have been better if the bacon was crumbled on top of the icing. i don't know if there are places in sd that have their take on it, but maybe there's a place…there used to be a burger with PB at Corvettes (the Rory)…my husband used to get that all the time, along with a pb shake. pb overload.love your squirrels blog too! 🙂 so cute!