With a Bogart’s Doughnut Co. conveniently opening in Miracle Mile, I was excited to be able to have a place where I could purchase bakery goods near my house. I have tired of only being able to go to grocery stores or gas stations just to find inferior doughnuts. Having a local bakery is enjoyable because I am able to purchase a quick breakfast with my family or friends before school and doughnuts are not something I would consistently bake at my own house. However, though the menu at Bogart’s met my expectations, it did not exceed them in any way.

The bakery itself was very clean and stark, which is a style many may appreciate, but there was no place to sit and enjoy the doughnuts. That was fine by me because the only thing I wanted from the bakery was the doughnuts; however, it is always nice to go to a place that has personality in its decor, especially if the place is a bakery which I commonly think of to be more creative in its display. When I was there, I found myself wishing there was a space where I could sit down and talk with a friend.

When I was in the bakery, I was also a little disappointed, as there were only eight doughnuts to purchase; while the menus of other bakeries and stores are more diverse, Bogart’s has limited flavors to choose from. I thought this lack of selection to be different and that the menu’s length would be more reasonable if the doughnuts were more unique and personal to the store. If the quality mattered more than the quantity, the selection would be sensible, but the doughnuts are what you would find at another bakery.

Another thing I did not enjoy was the prices. For the kinds of doughnuts I received, I found the price to be too high. For the money I had to pay, it seemed as though the doughnuts were going to be better than they were. Though they were good, spending $15 on a half dozen assorted doughnuts was not worth it.

The first doughnut I had was the Brown-Butter Glazed doughnut, and I really did enjoy it. It was made from a rich brioche dough, as are many of the baked goods at Bogart’s. The combination of a homemade glaze and sprinkled butter was very flavorsome. My traditional order at other bakeries always includes a glazed doughnut, so I had to have the Raised Glazed doughnut. This doughnut had an interesting vanilla bean glaze, which I loved. However, though the flavor of the glaze was delectable, I thought the dough to taste more like bread found in a store — not in a bakery.

I have no complaints with the Vanilla Bean Buttercream-Filled doughnut because I absolutely adored the combination of the vanilla bean buttercream and brioche dough. For me, the buttercream overcame the interesting bready taste and created a fulfilling flavor. Then, I had the Sprinkled Cake doughnut. I liked the vanilla bean glaze with the sprinkles. However, I would have preferred having more of the glaze so that the doughnut was not overpowered by the sprinkles. This doughnut had a different flavor because it is a cake doughnut and not made from the traditional brioche dough. I thought it tasted good, but the dough was a little hard; that could, however, be because I tasted it an hour after purchasing it.

My absolute favorite doughnut I tried was the Chocolate Cake doughnut because I loved the combination of the cake dough and the Valrhona Cocoa Powder. Complimenting the rich chocolate, it was topped with their standard vanilla bean glaze. It did not taste like chocolate cake but a brownie to me. Nevertheless, I found the flavor distinctive and enticing.

Overall, I did enjoy Bogart’s Doughnut Co. The doughnuts are not much different from what you would find at another bakery and have standard flavors, but I still would recommend having a taste because the homemade brioche dough and vanilla bean glaze are unique to Bogart’s. The minimalist store with a lack of space to sit and enjoy one’s baked goods does not take away from the experience, but it is definitely a let down. Further, the prices are too high for the quality of the doughnuts, and I wish there were more of a selection to choose from. Still, the bakery is at a convenient location in Park, and it is always fun to make a doughnut run in the morning.

“Bogart’s Doughnut Co.:” ★★★★☆