(Dined 02/18/15 W @ 3:30pm): No bearded fat jolly man in a red velvet suit, but a middle-aged woman more than filled the happy quotient!
I'd been hankering for an apple fritter and boba for awhile now, and the contractor I was to meet in the area was running late, so I decided to walk to Jolly Donuts to finally satiate my urges for these sweet treats. I usually had my go-to places for each, but not being familiar with the offerings in the neighborhood, I took a shot. So, here was how things went:
Apple Fritter ($1.75) - Not that I'm an apple fritter snob by any means, but there was a certain way I liked mine and sadly they didn't fulfill that. First off, I thought they didn't have any until the kind woman pointed them out to me; they looked like gigantic round glazed donuts. And, there were hardly any apple bits that warranted its name. I liked mine with plenty of apple pieces, an overall darker brown fried color and with crunchy odd corners, nooks and crannies that were easily broken off as small little morsels. Needless to say, this one realy disappointed me. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw
[BOBA ALERT - 3 of 5 STARS]
Mango Boba - Small ($3.25) - If this was a small (based on the price), I wondered what the large looked like! With that being said, there was obvious value. The drink was filled with an abundance of boba but not so much that it took over the container. But, the boba was a bit too chewy for me as if I were eating a Tootsie Roll. The mango flavoring appeared to have real tiny bits of fruit, but overall, the flavor was muted, weak and not very sweet at all. Not a deal-breaker but I simply wanted it to taste more like mango. I'd give them another shot with a different flavor.
Service - I was the only customer at the time, so as soon as I entered and tripped the door chime, poof, out from behind a wall a kind Hispanic woman appeared. She quickly took my order, immediately gave me my apple fritter in a bag, and deftly created my mango boba drink right before my eyes. Minutes later, my drink was done, I paid, and off I went to enjoy my snack at a nearby table. Easy-peasy.
Parking (Free) - They shared a small lot with a handful of other businesses in a rundown strip mall at the corner of Coldwater Canyon Ave. and Vanowen St. Otherwise, there was plenty of free parking on all surrounding streets (please be mindful of any posted signs).
Atmosphere, décor, ambience - Your typical donut/drinks/sandwich stand with the main feature the counter display of fried tasty pastries as you entered http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=k961Lkd1KM2n5L3YmIvZ8A, various packaged snacks placed on top of said counters, a refrigerator with cold drinks to your right and an old skool menu on top of it http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=AEWbN4WYa1iK-WSuN926bA, I think an ice cream cooler to your left, the kitchen directly behind the same counter http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=kLf11jymshqTMaGZTGhX_w, color drink menus up on the wall http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=bbratekM7KqULsijxO9P-g, and some random pages torn from a 2014 Asian women models calendar hung on the pastel green walls in the dining area. The dining area was quaint http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=PA0p7w9KnBTrWdlSLkuSvA while there was also an outdoor table, too. Natural lighting came through the large glass windows while fluorescent electric lighting hung from the ceiling. There were no TVs, but music played in the background.
Attire - Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops.
Overall, Jolly Donuts filled the required needs for sustenance, and if I needed some boba I'd consider this joint when I'm back in the area...but no on the apple fritters. The other standard donut offerings looked fine, and they also made simple sandwiches. I found good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (total bill was around $5.45 before tip). Cash only, so of course they didn't accepted my credit card of choice...AMEX! 3.0 STARS read more