Stan's Donuts, Westwood

Behold! The Holy Grail of Donuts!... Stan's Donuts has been a Los Angeles staple for the past 44 years and has, in my opinion, perfected the craft of the donut-arts. Tucked away in Westwood Village, old Stan still comes to work every morning and works his magic- granted, he's a little cocky, but he's got the dough to back it up. On our outing this particular sunday, our good friends Matt and Amber came along as guest reviewers to help us taste, critique, and enjoy the splendor. So here's what we got- Dana: 2 original glazed. Me: a chocolate-covered cinnamon twist, a "Simpson's" donut, and half a maple bar. Amber: 1 glazed old-fashioned. Matt: 1 chocolate cake w/peanuts, 1 blueberry cheese donut, and half a maple bar.
The Verdict: I personally can't name a better donut, and have found my shangri-la. Others were slightly less enthusiastic. That said, the original glazed donut scored perfect marks- fluffiness, flavor, fried quality were all outstanding giving the backbone to any donut establishment. The chocolate covered cinnamon twist was a delicious and tantalizing flavor medley, surprisingly light, yet robust in flavor. I tip my hat to Stan for his unique flavor combinations. The great thing about this particular donut is it's ability to be a breakfast donut and a dessert. The Simpson's donut is modeled after Homer's famous choice: an original glazed with pink frosting and sprinkles. What sets this one apart is the actual bits of strawberry mingled in with the frosting and sprinkles, lending notes of berry to the overall taste. Amber's glazed old-fashioned got tepid reviews as the batter has apparently been infused with banana by mistake. The donut came across as ordinary, lacking pizzaz. Amber tried to sample Matt's blueberry cheese donut which was too good to share, thus the frustration. According to Matt, this blueberry cheese donut was better than any donut he'd previously tried and was bursting with flavor, but not overdone. The cake donut also got a strong review. Matt and I split a maple bar, which I usually avoid. To my surprise, this donut possessed all the great qualities of the raised donuts and had a thin maple veneer which was subtle making it a superior choice.
Cup Holder Change--or--Bust out the Wallet: Bust out the Wallet. Stan's cheapest donut is 95 cents, while his most extravagant selections touch the 3 dollar mark. This is a hot point of contention for donut lovers however, I think these are worth any price.
Destination Donut--or--Keep it Local: Destination Donut. Go to Westwood Village and try them, you'll be glad you did.
Here are some other crumbs of information you might find useful: We all agreed that the coffee was great- they also give free refills. Stan only accepts cash so be warned. The workers are mean and rude. It's really a shame that such a great place is polluted with crabby workers...why? Stan's donuts also shares it's building with a diner, so occasionally it gets a bit crowded. Anyway, I think you should get yourself over to Stan's and treat yourself, your friends, your family, and the bums that sleep in front of his shop.

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*Addendum:
It should be noted that the above review of Stan's Donuts is my sole opinion and does not reflect the opinion of those that were with me on this outing. - andy