West Coast Eating Extravaganza, Day 2

It was time, finally, to try Las Vegas’ famous Ronald’s Donuts. Finally.

Vegas is known for many things. But vegan donuts? Yes. Ronald’s Donuts, located in the city’s Chinatown area, has the most fantastic claim to fame: really fargin’ good vegan donuts. I’ve had plenty of vegan donuts in my day. None quite as perfectly executed as these. And I’ve had a lot of vegan donuts.

So why the heck are the best vegan donuts in the world at Ronald’s in Las Vegas? The scoop is that the owners are Buddhists. They stock the first two shelves of their unassuming, no frills display case with a wide selection of classic donuts: glazed, fritters, bear claws, cream-filled’s.. all the familiar nostalgic donuts of my yesteryears… but vegan. It was awesome that Ronald’s truly lived up to its reputation, fueled by vegan blog reporting. They got it right…

I got three beautiful fancy donuts and a small coffee for less than $6. The bear claw was a must. I am a very critical eater. I find room for improvement in most of what I eat. But these, these were perfect. In every way. Sweetness level, texture, feel, bite, and presentation… Boom!

I also got a pineapple turnover. The flaky layers of pastry: mind-blowing. More on that later.

And the true judge of any donut stand, in my book, is the chocolate-glazed. A grand-slam homerun.

The pastry layers of the turnover highlight how spot-on these donuts are. 

There were so many others I wanted to try but I’ll have to come back one day.

Until then, I will remember them and smile. All unkempt-like, just like the first time we met.

For lunch was Springs Cafe, the cafe of the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas, which offers a scrumptious vegan burger platter. Besides the healthful and flavorful option, the cafe offers a scenic retreat from the gaudy Vegas Strip. Located at the Springs Preserve, a gorgeous wildlife habitat honoring the diverse desert gardens, brush, and wetlands of the area, the airy, tranquil and family-filled dining room  showed us another side of Vegas. 

The Vegan Burger was a house-made soft patty of legumes and grains served with Ancho chili aioli and a side of kale salad with tabouleh and vegan Parmesan vinaigrette. How does that grab ya?

The lunch hit the spot and then it was time to leave Las Vegas, as the song goes.

Up next, L.A.’s finest vegan eats. But for now, my weary sun-drunk head needs some rest.