i am not a lover of sweets, so it is a rare occurrence when i talk about bakeries, pastry shops and doughnut shops. maybe as an addendum to a meal, but a sweets place in their own right? not often. but when i do.... you can bet the place in question is epic.
suzyq is epic. these are doughnuts as they are supposed to be. as we, dulled and dumbed as we are by tim's and its ilk, forgot how doughnuts can and should be. these are doughnuts that live up to the reason people get excited about doughnuts.
a friend and frequent dining companion introduced me to this place. a tiny little building, set back a bit from the road on the north side of wellington street, you have to keep a a sharp eye out for the place. the building itself reads to me almost as a shack. this is not a criticism. successful food joints operating out of shacks have reliably great food because, in my opinion, they can't trick people into paying for where they're eating rather than what they're eating. at suzyq, floor space is tiny, there is a large glass case showcasing the doughnuts, and they serve coffee and a couple other non-alcoholic beverages. there is nothing to distract from the doughnuts. and really nothing to attract people other than the doughnuts. so the fact that the place is often lined up out the door is a promising tell.
the doughnuts themselves.... old fashioned yeast doughnuts. not too sweet. light. crispy exterior with a hint of saltiness. tender, pillowy interior. soft. yielding. with an impressive rise. these treasures are agood2 inches tall. the base doughnut is the same. a doughnut is a doughnut is a doughnut. the variation is in the topping. there are several mainstays that are always there: maple bacon, salty caramel, sugar munkki, dirty chocolate, and a couple of others. and then there are others that make an occasional appearance. hands down (very sticky hands), my favourite is the salty caramel. a medium-dark, salted caramel, on the thinner side, poured over the beautiful doughnut base, so every bit of doughnut not resting on the tray is appropriately,but not cloyingly, coated with caramel. it is glossy and glistening, and just looking at it inspires gluttony. my favourite part: the salt crystals. they add a surprising and subtle texture and crunch, not to mention the gorgeous little bursts of salty flavour beyond the background mild saltiness of the caramel.
seriously, every doughnut i have tried at suzyq has been a delight, but perhaps the best endorsement comes from my out-of-town 8 year old nephew. on a visit last summer, i took him and his twin brother to suzyq early one sunday morning, leaving their parents to sleep in. the boys were impressed. sister and brother-in-law were impressed with what made it back to the house. on a visit in march, the first thing out of my nephew's mouth was a request to get more of those doughnuts. obviously, they had been on his mind. as they should have been.
so, if you have the chance, check out suzyq!