Oakland Donuts

I guess I had no idea what a donut was until I came to Memphis! Occasionally I am asked by friends or family, «What is one thing about Memphis that one wouldn’t know without living there?» My answer is always, «Donuts!»
Until coming to Memphis, I thought that Dunkin Donuts and donuts you find at the grocery store were the standard in the industry. Obviously, I was quite mistaken. When we moved to the Memphis area in 2013, we were living out in Oakland. Right down 64 next to a Chinese restaurant (now a Mexican one, I believe) was Oakland Donuts. One morning on our way home from grocery shopping, we decided to stop in and sample their offerings. We were blown-​away.
Food:
The Apple Fritter: Holy Crap. Yes, a capital ‘H’ AND a capital ‘C’. This is, by far, one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth. It is definitely sweet; but unlike some other apple fritters I have had in the area and beyond, this one is not overly-​greasy. I have had some apple fritters that left me feeling nauseous afterwards because of all of the grease, but this one is void of the excessive greasiness. The dough is always extremely tender, moist, flavorful, and packed with apples. The generous coating of icing tends to be just right. Lastly is the size. This fritter is a monster. Great taste and great value! (⁵⁄₅)
Cream Filled Long Johns: Again, absolutely delicious. The dough is extremely fresh, tender, and squishy — yet airy, at the same time (if you love donuts, you know what I mean). Then the cream filling! Perfect. It is definitely sweet, but it is exactly what I want in a filling. I wish it was a little thicker so that it wouldn’t ooze-​out all over as easily; but the flavor delivers. The best part about these ‘cream-​filled’ ones, is that Oakland Donuts has like 8 (or more) different cream fillings ranging from traditional, to other more exotic varieties. (⁵⁄₅)
Donut Holes: Whenever we went to Oakland Donuts, it was typically a special treat that would indulge in once per month. As such, I didn’t want to get my 3 year old daughter a whole donut, so we got her a half dozen donut holes, and rationed her three. Yep, you guessed it! I ate the other 3. As I should, gosh darn-​it. Either way, these were also perfect. That same squishy-​airiness described above? Check. Hot and fresh? Check. A delicious glaze that accents the donut perfectly? Check. 5 out of 5 stars? Check. (⁵⁄₅)
Kolaches: This is another food type that I had never really tried before, but tend to be popular around this area. I think they were really good, but not on-​par with the donuts. They have a spicy one, and a regular one — and both are definitely good if you want to mix in some savory/​salty breakfast foods with the sweet donuts; but they are not mind-​blowingly good. Either way though, they have great flavor. (⁴⁄₅)
Food: ⁵⁄₅
Service: I have always been treated with polite, respectful, albeit hurried service while at Oakland Donuts. They are always very busy, and if you wait to late in the day, they will be out of everything by the time you stop by. The apple fritters especially! They have also been un-​provokingly sweet before by giving my daughter a free donut hole. I appreciate small business owners who work hard and go the extra mile.
Service: ⁵⁄₅
Atmosphere: This is a small shop that you aren’t really going to dine-​in at, unless you just don’t feel like getting back in your vehicle. Despite that, the place always looks clean, and the kitchen always looks orderly (you can see into the back). Additionally, their cases all are clean and free of smudges, leftover crumbs at the bottom, and other signs of uncleanliness. I appreciate this. In addition, they have always been friendly and polite — exactly what I would expect from a business like this — and then some. I always feel like I am valued here.
Atmosphere: ⁴⁄₅
Price: For the quality of food and service that I get, I am more than pleased with the price I pay. It is significantly less than a chain-​restaurant (Tim Horton’s, Dunking Donuts, etc.), and the quality is far beyond that which you will get. I would probably pay more for these donuts.
Price: ⁵⁄₅
Final Thoughts: Before coming to Oakland Donuts, I honestly can say that I had no idea what a donut was. This is the standard against which I will judge every other donut from now-​on.