Rating / 3 out of 5 stars

Duffin’s Donuts is one of those local curiosities — one that makes you wonder the mysterious source of their longevity. We’ve been to the previous Main Street incarnation prior to the shut down and were only mildly impressed with their Vietnamese version of the torta sub. Yeah, yeah, we should have known better. This is the first time we’ve set foot at the 41st and Knight location.

Now, instincts tell you that an East side dive that serves hot torta subs, noodle soup, chinese fast food, fried chicken, breakfast and donuts — all of it, 24 hours a day — instincts tell you to run. Run far away. But the bright red and yellow awning beckoned us — drawing us in with the irresistible promise of greasy Chinese food and sugary donuts.

(1. Duffin’s derives its colour scheme from the holy trinity of the restaurant rainbow: red, yellow and white. 2. This coffee sucks.)

If Tim Horton’s is the blue collar version of Starbucks, then the regular patrons of Duffin’s Donuts are of the decidedly bluer than blue collar variety. The standard issue dress appears to be more wife beater, track pants and flip flops. Nevertheless, Case and I were seeking both a refuge and a brief mid-day coffee break.

Perhaps a classic Boston Cream and sugar-dusted (that is sugar, is it not?) Lemon Jelly donut and two cups of Joe will tide us over until dinner time. As we wait for our counter-person to gather our order, we notice the interior decor appears to be an unholy union between a 7-11 on one side of the restaurant and a food court on the other.

Surprisingly, the donuts were actually quite tasty. The Boston Cream was decadent, creamy and perfectly sweet. The dough itself was soft and tasted extremely fresh. Case’s Lemon Jelly was equally tasty, although the dusted sugar didn’t do a thing to add to the flavour. The coffees were unsurprisingly bland. At under $5 for two donuts and two coffees, you get about what you expect. Perhaps next time, we’ll attempt the Chinese food. Any double dares?

Perfect for: an authentic, East side alternative to Timmy Ho’s.

The Details

1391 East 41st Avenue, Vancouver
604.325.5544

Rating / 4 out of 5 stars :

I’ve never really been into donuts. That is, until we tried Lee’s. I didn’t understand the hype over donuts. They’re high in calories, heavy, dense and really not all that exciting. But then I realized, I just haven’t had a good donut. Ok, I have to admit Krispy Cremes are pretty good, but Lee’s donuts are better.

What’s great about Lee’s donuts is they don’t make you feel like you want to hurl after eating one, or feel like the sugar is eating away at your teeth. They don’t taste like preservatives, or chemicals have been added in order to maintain shelf life. The cake donuts are freshly made everyday with a wide range of flavours. Tre and I find it hard not to leave with a few during our Granville Island grocery excursions. There’s a lot of yummy flavours ranging from peanut, mango, pumpkin (seasonal), apple, chocolate, honey dip, glazed, unglazed… you get the picture.

There’s one downside to these yummy delights, they could add some extra pounds to your waist line if you eat too much. They’re a little thrifty on the fillings inside the donuts sometimes. Price wise: more expensive than the regular donut shops. But then again, you get what you pay for. And what you get at Lee’s Donuts is simply yummy!

The Details

#122 – 1689 Johnston St.
604.685.4021