DOUGHNUTS TO DETOUR FOR

Doughnuts have been a beloved part of American life since Colonial times. And with the current vogue for American regional cuisine, the little cakes with the holes in the middle are becoming increasingly popular.

There are basically two types of doughnuts. The raised kind are made with yeast, and are therefore fluffier than their cake counterparts. Raised doughnuts are sometimes iced and sometimes filled with jelly while cake doughnuts are never filled but are sometimes plain. Both types, however, are fried, which means that they don’t last very long.

Chances are that sooner or later you’re going to eat a doughnut. So you might as well know where the best doughnuts are found.

Farmers Market has Bob’s, notable for rich toppings and fillings. Their jelly doughnuts (50 cents) are sturdy, with the most and the best raspberry filling of any I tried. The raised doughnuts (40 cents) are very substantial, to say the least. And if you get there at the right time, the plain cake (40 cents) doughnuts will be warm and still crunchy on the outside.

Bob’s Coffee & Donuts, Farmers Market, Fairfax & West 3rd St., Los Angeles. (213) 933-8929. Open at 6 a.m. every day.

Carl’s Bakery in Santa Monica produces a slightly lighter but still hefty raised doughnut (40 cents), freshly old-fashioned. The raised filled ones I had were merely sliced in half and spread with a custard cream (55 cents); unfortunately, they were out of jelly doughnuts both times I asked.

Carl’s Bakery, 708 Montana Blvd., Santa Monica. (213) 395-5813. Open at 7 a.m. Tues.-Fri.; 7:30 a.m. Sat.

At the Donut Station in Sherman Oaks, both cake-type (30 cents) and raised doughnuts (30 cents; 40 cents for jelly) are light in texture. The plain doughnuts really are plain and not overly sweetened. For the choicest selection, this is a place worth visiting very early in the morning; they run out of many kinds before 9 a.m.

The Donut Station, 4366 Woodman, Sherman Oaks, (818) 501-9361. Open at 5 a.m. Mon.-Fri.; 5:30 a.m. Sat. & Sun.

Legend has it that Randy’s highly-visible doughnut “sculpture,” was Salvador Dali’s favorite L.A. landmark. You’ve probably passed it countless times on the way to the airport. Stop in next time you pass, and you will find the best cake-type doughnut around (30 cents): an unpretentious “plainness” of flavor as you chew, with a hint of sweetness only at the end of each bite. Randy’s raised doughnuts (35 cents) were fine, too. But the jelly (45 cents) filling was artificial in flavor and texture.

Randy’s, 805 W. Manchester, Inglewood. (213) 642-8632. Open 24 hours.

Siegel’s has two shops in Santa Monica. Their plain doughnut is delicious; it is made with buttermilk (40 cents). The raised doughnuts (40 cents) are consistently tasty and light. However, the jelly (45 cents) filling is disappointing in both quality and quantity.

Siegel’s Bakery, 315 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, (213) 394-5525. Open at 7:30 a.m. Mon.-Fri.; 8 a.m. Sat. Also 1232 Santa Monica Mall, Santa Monica. 213/394-1661. Open at 7 a.m.