Author: ceurocktrucfoot1983

I was so pleased to finally visit Duffin’s Donuts! This “Vancouver icon” has been on my “must try” list for a few years, but it’s not on my usual route; thus, I played it smart and took advantage of the fact that my sister was...picking us up from the airport . . . and requested a detour to Duffin’s, which she thankfully obliged! Duffin’s has its own parking lot, but it was surprisingly busy at mid-afternoon. We had to do a bit of tricky maneuvering (on account of some idiots just parking on the roadway), but managed to snag one of the last available spots. My sister enjoyed the red awning above the main entranceway and was particularly intrigued by the Chinese food being advertised. Unfortunately, she was unable to order any because this menu item has apparently been discontinued since at least 2016 (they really should update that awning). Oh well! Duffin’s has much more on offer and goes well beyond their signature donuts: All Day Breakfast, burgers, hotdogs, fries, Mexican tortas, Salvadoran pupusas, spring rolls, Banh mi, and fried chicken by Fritou. This seemingly eclectic mix of cuisine has led Vancouver Magazine to declare Duffin’s “a symbol of East Van itself, where immigrants have historically settled, where modern and tradition bleed into each other.” This description, I think, is apt and succinctly captures the essence of Duffin’s. Owned and operated by Tony Chhuon and Paula Sim since 1987, Duffin’s represents their immigrant experience, combining Cambodian, Vietnamese, US (specifically Californian), and Canadian flavours under one attractive roof. Thus, Duffin’s doesn’t offer a hodgepodge of things for the sake of it; rather, it is done as part of an authentic experience – one that mirrors and reflects the neighbourhood it’s in. Perhaps that’s why, even during a pandemic, the place is fairly busy? To comply with public health regulations at the time, all seating in the restaurant had been removed; there was only one entry point and one exit; the floors had been marked for physical distancing; face masks were mandatory; and there were (and are) limits to the number of patrons allowed inside at any one time. Because of this, my sister and I felt very safe as we stood in line and contemplated our orders. When it came time to order, we each got 4 pieces of chicken, 1 half-dozen donuts, and a Duffin’s T-shirt! How cool is that? I’ll comment on the chicken first. In short, the Fritou branded chicken was a major surprise. The skin was nice and crispy while the meat was tender and juicy. In many ways, the chicken at Duffin’s reminded me of Church’s, and that’s a good thing. Who would’ve thought the chicken at a place specializing in donuts would be so delicious? Speaking of the donuts, I found these to be a bit of a mixed bag. The classic glazed donut was delicious – light and fluffy – and ditto for the apple fritter, but the rest were a little too sweet for my liking. Well, I guess I should qualify that comment: The donuts themselves were nice, but the icing was a bit much. On the upside, my grandparents enjoyed the sweet icing! An aside: In preparing this review, I had something of an epiphany and wondered if I’m best utilizing my “writing” voice? I mean, in regards to number of people reached. Consider Duffin’s. As of this writing, there are currently 268 reviews on Yelp, 3,689 on Google and just 49 on TripAdvisor (50 if you count this one). That’s a little disheartening and makes me wonder how many people actually read my reviews? Okay, that’s enough self-reflection, I guess. FOOD: 3/5 SERVICE: 3/5 VALUE: 4/5 RECOMMENDATION: Duffin’s is indeed a Vancouver classic. With its eclectic (yet poetic) mix of cuisine, there’s a little something here for everyone. Most come for the donuts, but the chicken is pretty awesome, too. While this place probably won’t become a regular stop of mine because it’s out of the way, I’d gladly return at some point to try more menu items. Recommended. PS: If you found this review helpful in any way please consider hitting the "helpful" button!More