Urban Confections: Randy’s Donuts creates an iconic and delectable treat

Los Angeles is home to numerous dessert shops that feature a range of treats from cupcakes to doughnuts to shakes. Urban Confections will select dessert restaurants whose only West Coast location is Los Angeles, highlighting students’ opportunities to taste the city’s distinctive flavors. Follow columnist Lindsay Weinberg around Los Angeles as she samples local confections and suggests how students can take advantage of these iconic desserts.

A giant doughnut is perfectly placed at a direct vantage point from Interstate 405, beckoning hungry Angelenos in for a quick bite of fried dough.

The aforementioned giant doughnut is not edible, of course, but instead is the sign of Randy’s Donuts in Inglewood, near Los Angeles International Airport. It rests atop a retro-style building constructed in 1953, which serves fluffy creations all day long.

Randy’s Donuts, however, is not only iconic for its 32-foot, selfie-worthy sign, but also for its doughnuts – purchased via two drive-through windows or a walk-up counter. There is no physical shop interior where customers can sit and eat; the only view of the inside displays trays upon trays of warm doughnuts.

Its menu presents classic doughnuts to match the old-fashioned store, including glazed, chocolate-raised and fritters. I eagerly bought five doughnuts from the smiling worker for less than $5, one of which was the apple fritter – crunchy craters on the outside with a soft center containing real fruit, as indicated by the bits of caramelized apple skins.

For those seeking an uncommon flavor, I would recommend one of the most popular: the Buttermilk Bar, a long doughnut that looks plain yet tastes anything but. It embodies the indescribable taste of buttermilk, sweet like caramel yet almost salty too, as it gives off the smell of carnival funnel cake. The middle of the doughnut incorporates the most saccharine blend of butter and sugar, evocative of fried fair food, which may be overwhelming for some people. However, it’s a good choice if customers want to try a rare, new treat.

The glazed doughnut is the best example when comparing Randy’s Donuts to other well-known chains. Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts are so light and airy that they collapse in your mouth into massless sweetness, like cotton candy. Voodoo Doughnut in Oregon, and I’ve been told Dunkin’ Donuts as well, sells doughnuts that are denser, almost cake-like. Randy’s Donuts, in comparison, can only be described as a balanced combination of the two densities. Not as flimsy as Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts yet not thick and chunky either.

I grabbed my paper bag of doughnuts, soon to be stained with grease, and stood back in the parking lot to admire the renowned, enlarged doughnut sign, which has been featured in shows like “The Simpsons,” “2012,” “The Big Bang Theory” and “Wayne’s World.”

The building itself seems to match the surrounding Inglewood area – white, concrete buildings – but the vintage style suits Randy’s Donuts and adds authenticity to its reputation. A plastic yellow sign on the walk-up window reads “Shuttle Xing,” which cleverly made me imagine the shop as a foreign spaceship, with the flat overhanging roof as a space station launching the giant doughnut into the city.

The retro building is certainly part of Randy’s Donuts’ appeal as it seems to cater to a wide demographic. The location is only a few miles from Los Angeles International Airport, so tourists can stop by to snap a photo and eat a doughnut. The drive-through aspect means convenience for those in a rush to work, though the lines can get long. And the hours allow those with a late-night hankering for deep fried dough to access the shop 24/7.

While any take-out fried sugary treat will be delectable, it’s unlikely that Randy’s Donuts serves the best in Los Angeles. However, in terms of a quick, late-night experience at a famous 62-year-old store, I doubt other bakeries compare.

– Lindsay Weinberg

Which brands and types of donuts are your favorites? Email Weinberg at [email protected].