In Irvine, at the 405 near the Jamboree Blvd exit (which is the same exit for the 1st U.S. 85C Bakery) leads to a new artisan donut shop called poqetDONUTS, whose grand opening was Saturday, November 14th. If you happen to be one of first 100 guests in line for a free donut: I hope you liked it!

In spite of a small shop, whose pronunciation of the first name sounds exactly the same as “pocket,” a vast, eclectic array of these colorful fritters stun curious, sweet-loving customers.  As of this writing there are at least 17 signature flavors to choose from, additionally with their “Mini Me” counterparts.

Dear friends of mine would know already how zealous I get with anything blueberry, so I assertively needed to have at least one donut with this tinge. With just 3 notes to describe this palm-sized treat: fluffy, slightly sweet, and tart done right especially with its blueberry glaze.

My boyfriend chose the Pistachio Creme Brulee and revered its utter indulgence topped with crunch. The flavor of cream filling particularly reminded me of licking some good ice cream.

Personally a surprise, my all-time favorite signature treat would be the gently sweetened Matcha Green Tea. Rest assured that they genuinely used the legitimate powder to give off that comforting stance found in your go-to green tea lattes.

That said, how poqetDONUTS stands out even further from a multitude of other shops (no matter the tier): the custom-built option.

Without going rather insane on the flavors to instead focus more on a tried-and-true approach, a staff member helped me construct a simple glazed doughnut topped with that aromatic, gorgeous glaze; fresh blueberries; sliced almonds; and cream cheese in the center.

Possibilities are endless with this BYOD option–starting with one of 4 bases: glazed, chocolate cake, vanilla cake, and vegan–that I’ve seen fellow foodies show off their artsy, tasty-looking creations.

Whether opting for custom-made or signature, poqetDONUTS is a handful–or a box full–to enjoy.  Other notable sweets I deemed yummy are the Maple Bacon and Avocado–yes, you read right (and bottom center of the photo).

(Almost) random fact: I really thought “poqet” was pronounced like the raw fish marinated with sesame oil and soy sauce.

P.S. I want to thank Moxxe PR for the invite; I came to the shop the 2nd time and on its 2nd day unannounced, as an FYI.

poqetDONUTS
17655 Harvard Ave Unit B
Irvine, CA 92614
http://www.poqetdonuts.com
(949) 932-0800