Julie Darling Donuts – A Double Whammy

  • Wednesday, July 16, 2014
  • Willie Mae
Julie Darling's Donuts at 121 Frazier Avenue
Julie Darling's Donuts at 121 Frazier Avenue

My granddaughter Natalie wanted to grab breakfast downtown so we met at Julie Darling’s Donuts on Frazier Avenue. Natalie has an apartment close by and she likes to walk to all the places around town. We met at her place and walked over together and we could smell the donuts from across the street.

Natalie said, “I can always smell them from the bridge. They must have a vent that blows out fresh donut smell to draw people in.”

On the window, they advertise “Home of the Donut Sundae” and I teased, “That sounds healthy.” Natalie rolled her eyes and said, “We are coming for donuts, Granny – we are taking a day off.” She is my little health nut, but she does like her splurges every now and then.  

It was the week of the Fourth of July and this place was ready for the holiday with several red, white and blue pastries. They even had a ‘firecracker donut’. I always thought it was spelled ‘doughnut’ but Darling Julie leaves out the ‘ugh’ so I will too. Maybe the ugh in doughnut is where all the bad stuff and calories are.

As I looked through the glass display of baked goodies, I felt my stomach curl a bit when I saw the ‘Bacon Donut’ with chopped bacon pieces sprinkled on top. I guess it is no different than when I eat bacon with pancakes with that salty-sweet taste together, but I was not up for trying it with a donut.

There were cake donuts and yeast donuts and, thankfully, cream-filled donuts. I am a Krispy Kreme ‘chocolate glazed cream-filled’ fan and I am pretty picky about my donuts. I hoped my choice would satisfy my KK craving.

Natalie and I both could not decide on just one flavor, so we both got a donut and ‘a half’ by saying we’d split the one we both wanted also. Natalie got the do-ssant for $1.99 which she said was her favorite. It is a donut that is like a croissant. I wanted the chocolate glazed with cream filling for $1.55 (I don’t like custard, so I was sure to pick a cream-filled one). 

When the gal asked me if I wanted chocolate I thought she just didn’t hear me say “chocolate glazed cream-filled donut” and I told her yes. I found out that she meant chocolate cream inside the donut. Apparently the chocolate glazed cream filled donuts have white or chocolate cream. The donut Natalie and I wanted to split was the Banana Split donut for $1.19, so we thought it was appropriate to split the split and I only wanted a bite.

It is a fun place with fifties décor. They have tables, but Natalie wanted to sit on the sofa. We took our donuts to the coffee table, but we didn’t have coffee. Natalie got a cute little bottle of Diet Coke though.

The banana split donut had blue icing with red sprinkles and chocolate drizzle and a cherry on top – but it wasn’t a real cherry. It looked like candy so I let Natalie have it. She said it was a candied coffee bean.

I tried a bite and did not taste any banana at all. Then after I swallowed it, I tasted a little banana flavor left on my tongue, but it wasn’t banana tasting enough for me to guess what I was eating if I had my eyes closed. Natalie ate the rest of it and I asked her if there were banana slices inside but she didn’t think so. She did like it though.

I was ready for my chocolate cream donut but I didn’t have anything to drink and to get that somewhat banana flavor out of my mouth. I had already had my coffee for the morning and didn’t want anymore. I just went ahead and ate my chocolaty treat. After finding out it had chocolate cream inside instead of white, I realized that I didn’t know what the girl meant when she asked if I wanted chocolate. I wouldn’t have gotten a double whammy of chocolate had I known. It was toooooo sweet and I think I got a cavity in my dentures!

Natalie loved her do-ssant and, for a little thing, she sure put away her breakfast. I guess I should have ordered a coffee or water just to cut the sweetness, but even though I nearly went into sugar-shock, I thought they were good. I like more of a savory breakfast over sweet, so maybe I should have had the bacon donut after all.

The place is just ‘darling’ and o-h-h-h so sweet. If you have a craving for a donut, you can’t go wrong at Julie Darling’s Donut place – tell them Willie Mae sent you.

Hours:

Monday-Thursday: 7a.m.-7p.m.

Friday-Saturday: 7a.m.-9p.m.

Sunday: Closed

A Do-ssant, Banana split and chocolate cream-filled donuts
A Do-ssant, Banana split and chocolate cream-filled donuts
Dining
Kitchen Incubator Of Chattanooga's First KIC Nights Postponed To March 22
Kitchen Incubator Of Chattanooga's First KIC Nights Postponed To March 22
  • 3/13/2024

Food Truck Fridays has established itself as the place to grab lunch on the first Friday of each month. Now, the Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga announces that KIC Nights, an evening of food ... more

Taco Mamacita Opening At Hamilton Place
  • 3/8/2024

Taco Mamacita at Hamilton Place is scheduled to open soon. The owner, Michael Monen, owns seven other restaurants in Chattanooga and three in Nashville that already have beer licenses. The ... more

Broads Opening On 10th Street; To Feature Spirits From Female-Owned Businesse
  • 3/8/2024

Bailey Cole and Kristiana Mallo are opening Broads at 124 East 10 th St. They also own Cashews in North Chattanooga. Broads will feature spirits from female-owned businesses and cocktails ... more