sugar rush and carb binge all in one... oh yes. thanks to the glowing yep reviews of this new local donut shop, i had to take a detour on my day off to check it out, and i'm happy i did... 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for potential.
the small storefront is easy to miss- tucked into a small strip mall facing rt. 33 in hamilton, donuts time cafe is in the same strip as kenji fusion, across from the texas roudhouse, shoprite, acmoore shopping center. the parking lot is small, but you should have no problem finding a spot at most times. i visited around 2pm on a thursday and was the only customer in the store aside from a patron the owner was in the middle of a conversation with. i was greeted with a 'what can i get you?' and although i tried to engage with the owner, that was all i got other than my total cost at the end. far from the warm welcome i'd expect from a bakery. another customer who came in a few minutes after i did received the same :( i'm hoping it was just an off-day.
anyway, the display case had some creative donut options, with only 2 or 3 of each type of available. flavors ranged from filled black raspberry jam, boston cream and cannoli cream, to cool combos like maple bacon or fruit loops, and the staple flavors like strawberry frosted, cinnamon sugar, chocolate frosted, etc. the dough used for all of these seems to be the same (there are no cake-donuts or chocolate donuts. i ordered a half-dozen to share with my family: 2 boston cream, 2 cannoli, 1 maple walnut, 1 fruit loops for just under $9. prices vary for filled and non-filled varieties. bonus: they do take credit cards, with no minimum posted.
the base dough for all of the donuts was identical in both taste and texture. a bit tough and chewy, and not too sweet- which was a good contrast to the toppings/fillings. i was pleased that the treats were not overly oily. the glazes on the maple walnut and on the fruit loops donuts was thick and sweet, without the artificial aftertaste that's all-too-common in donuts from the bigger chains. the filled donuts aren't filled in the usual style- they're moreso donut-filling sandwiches. cute concept, though a bit messy to eat. the boston cream custard was yummy, as was the cannoli cream. the chocolate chips in the cannoli cream donut added a nice textural contrast as well.
i did notice the coffee and breakfast/lunch menu as well, though i did not get a chance to sample anything. there are a few tables for dining in, as well as a cooler with some bottled beverages. i look forward to giving this new local business another try! read more